Ursuline Sister Joseph Angela Boone was honored at a reception June 7 for her 22 years of service as chancellor of the Diocese of Owensboro, Ky. Sister Joseph Angela is retiring June 30, but will remain in service on several committees with the diocese. Also honored during the reception at Immaculate Parish in Owensboro was Father Gerald Calhoun, retiring pastor of Christ the King Parish in Madisonville, Ky., and vicar general for the diocese.
Several people spoke, telling funny stories that usually centered on Sister Joseph Angela’s frugality when it came to spending the diocese’s money. “When I came here, I used to trade cars pretty often,” Bishop-Emeritus John McRaith said. “I had to retire to get a new car here.”
Bishop McRaith and Sister Joseph Angela worked together for 20 years until his retirement in 2009. He praised her strong faith and her devotion to the Eucharist. “She loves the Lord, and she loves the Church,” he said. “She loves people. She has a remarkable balance between working really hard and having fun.”
Kevin Kauffeld, coordinator of the diocesan staff, who along with Ernie Taliaferro, assistant to the chancellor, will assume Sister Joseph Angela’s duties, said, “We might as well confront it, it’s going to take two men to take over Sister Joseph Angela’s job.” Kauffeld recalled when he first began working at the Catholic Pastoral Center, he got used to riding the elevator rather than taking the stairs. One day he got on the elevator with Sister Joseph Angela, who told him, “It costs us 50 cents every time you step on that elevator.”
Bishop William Medley commented on Taliaferro’s assertion that June 30 would be the last day Sister Joseph Angela would be giving orders. “Ernie, do you really think she’s going to stop giving orders on June 30th?”
Many friends and sisters filled the reception hall for the two-hour event. Here are some pictures from the evening.