Record Staff Report
Eleven Ursuline Sisters of Mount St. Joseph who served in the Archdiocese of Louisville or who are natives of the archdiocese are celebrating milestone anniversaries of religious life in 2018. The sisters, whose congregation is based in Maple Mount, Ky., are:
75 Years
Sister Naomi Aull, a native of Knottsville, Ky., formerly Sister Mary Benigna, taught in the schools of Holy Trinity, Fredericktown, Ky.; St. Charles, St. Mary, Ky.; Holy Cross, Loretto, Ky.; St. Margaret Mary; Mother of Good Counsel; St. Ignatius and St. Leonard.
She also served in outreach ministry to the poor in Louisville at St. Boniface Church from 1977 to 1990 and at St. Martin of Tours Church’s Schuhmann Center from 1990 to 2002. She retired to Mount Saint Joseph and is a member of the Powerhouse of Prayer.
Sister Emma Cecilia Busam, a native of Owensboro, Ky., taught in Kentucky schools for 38 years, including teaching art at Brescia College (now University) and teaching at St. James School and Holy Cross School.
In 1983, she began serving as an archivist, first for the Ursuline community and then for the Diocese of Owensboro. Starting in 2011, she assisted in archives at Mount Saint Joseph for several years. Today she is a member of the Powerhouse of Prayer.
Sister Marie Bosco Wathen, a native of Finley, Ky., taught at St. Catherine School, New Haven, Ky., and St. Bartholomew and Mother of Good Counsel schools.
She was a professor of education at Brescia College (now University) from 1974 to 1997 and institutional research assistant from 1997-2005. She also was co-director of the Ursuline Associate program. She retired to the Motherhouse in 2005.
70 Years
Sister Louis Marie “Luisa” Bickett, a native of Roseville, Ky., was an educator for 24 years, including as a teacher at St. Edward School. She also served elsewhere in Kentucky, New Mexico and in Chile. Since 2013 she has been a quilter for the Ursuline Sisters Quilt Club and is active in the Powerhouse of Prayer.
Sister Clarita Browning, a native of Calvary, Ky., taught for 39 years in Kentucky, including at St. Margaret Mary School and St. Christopher School in Radcliff. She is retired at the Motherhouse and active in the Powerhouse of Prayer.
60 Years
Sister Vivian Marie Bowles, a native of Jeffersontown, taught in Owensboro, Leitchfield and Paducah, Ky. She served as president of Brescia University from 1995 to 2007. During her tenure, the school transitioned from college to university. She taught psychology at the school beginning in 1973 and later directed the counseling center. Since 2012, she has served as director of faith formation at St. Alphonsus Church in St. Joseph, Ky.
Sister Ann Patrice Cecil, a native of Owensboro, taught at St. Denis School and in Owensboro and Nebraska. She was also secretary to the Mount Saint Joseph Leadership Council for 21 years. Since 2013 she has been the postmaster at the Maple Mount Community Post Office.
Sister Rose Karen Johnson was a teacher at St. Bartholomew School and St. Brigid School in Vine Grove, Ky. She was an educator elsewhere in Kentucky and Missouri, and served 20 years in parish ministry. She is retired at the Motherhouse and active in the Powerhouse of Prayer.
50 Years
Sister Claudia Hayden is celebrating her 50th year of religious life. A native of Beech Grove, Ky., served as a registered nurse on the oncology staff of Norton Hospital and has been a hospital staff nurse in Paducah and a dialysis staff nurse in Owensboro.
She has ministered as a nurse at the Mount Saint Joseph Infirmary at Maple Mount (now called Saint Joseph Villa) for many years. Today, she assists in Saint Joseph Villa.
Sister Amelia Stenger was superintendent of schools for the Archdiocese of Louisville from 1991 to 1997 and superintendent in the Owensboro Diocese from 1984 to 1991. She also served as a principal in Kentucky.
She served as director of the Mount Saint Joseph Conference and Retreat Center, Maple Mount from 1997 to 2010 and as director of development for her Ursuline community from 2010 until she was elected congregational leader in 2016, a position she will hold until 2022. She is from Glennonville, Mo.
40 Years
Sister Carol Shively, a native of Lebanon, Ky., has been an educator for 36 years — serving as a teacher, principal and superintendent. She has served in Kentucky, Missouri, Texas and Louisiana. From 1996 to 1999, she was superintendent in the Office of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Beaumont, Texas. Since 1999, she has been superintendent in the Office of Catholic Schools in the Diocese of Shreveport, La.
Congratulations to the jubilarians may be sent to Mount Saint Joseph, 8001 Cummings Road, Maple Mount, Ky., 42356.
