Frequently Asked Questions

• 1. Where is Maple Mount, Ky.?

  • 

    Maple Mount, Ky. is located 12 miles southwest of Owensboro, Ky. on Highway 56.

  • FROM THE WILLIAM H. NATCHER PARKWAY
    (former Green River Parkway)

  • Coming North: At the end of Natcher Parkway, take Owensboro exit onto U.S. 60 West bypass. Follow it to Owensboro-Calhoun exit (KY 81/West Parrish Avenue). At the end of ramp, turn left, following KY 81/KY 56. Continue straight ahead on KY 56 west (see St. Joseph sign) for about 14 miles through Sorgho and West Louisville to Mount Saint Joseph, about 1.5 miles from West Louisville. Turn left onto Cummings Road, then left at first driveway.

  • FROM THE PENNYRILE PARKWAY

  • Coming North: Take Owensboro-Sebree exit (KY 56). At the end of ramp, turn left. Follow KY 56 east for about 15 miles (KY 56 turns left at Beech Grove) to Mount Saint Joseph. At the intersection of KY 56 and SR 500, turn right onto Cummings Road. Then turn left at the first driveway.

  • FROM I-64 EASTBOUND

  • Take U.S. 41 south through Evansville and Henderson (U.S. 41 becomes Pennyrile Parkway in Henderson). From the Pennyrile Parkway, take Owensboro-Sebree exit (KY 56). At end of ramp, turn left. Follow KY 56 east for about 15 miles (KY 56 turns left at Beech Grove) to Mount Saint Joseph. At the intersection of KY 56 and SR 500, turn right onto Cummings Road. Then turn left at the first driveway.

  • FROM I-64 WESTBOUND

  • Take U.S. 231 exit. Turn left off ramp and follow U.S. 231 to the W.H. Natcher bridge. After crossing the bridge stay on Highway 60 west until you come to the 60W bypass light (a McDonald’s is on the left). Turn left onto the 60 bypass. Follow it to the Owensboro-Calhoun exit (Ky 81/West Parrish Avenue). At the end of the ramp, turn left, following 81/Ky 56. Continue straight ahead on Ky 56 west (see St. Joseph sign) for about 14 miles through Sorgho and West Louisville to Mount Saint Joseph, about 1.5 miles past West Louisville. Turn left onto Cummings Road and then left into first driveway and drive around the circle to unload bags.

  • For more detailed directions, feel free to contact us.

• 2. Who is Saint Angela Merici?

  • Saint Angela Merici or Saint Angela de Merici (March 21, 1474– January 27, 1540) was an Italian religious leader and saint born in Desenzano del Garda, a town in the Province of Brescia, Lombardy, in northern Italy. She founded the Order of Ursulines in 1535 in Brescia. Visit our Saint Angela Merici page to learn more.

• 3. Why are you called Ursulines when Saint Angela Merici founded the order?

  • At 57, Saint Angela Merici organized a group of 12 girls to help her in catechetical work. Four years later, the group had increased to 28. She formed them into the Company of St. Ursula (patroness of medieval universities and venerated as a leader of women) for the purpose of re-Christianizing family life through solid Christian education of future wives and mothers. The members continued to live at home, had no special habit and took no formal vows, though the early Rule prescribed the practice of virginity, poverty, and obedience. The idea of a teaching congregation of women was new and took time to develop. The community thus existed as a “secular institute” until some years after Angela’s death.

• 4. What makes the Order of Saint Ursula (OSU) different from other orders?

  • The Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph are different in that our founder Saint Angela Merici intended for us to go about the work of GOD in our ordinary lives, living and working with women and children. We became more of a monastic community under the direction of St. Charles Borromeo and became “cloistered” in the sense that we all lived together and were then asked to wear a “habit.” In modern times, we are no longer restricted on apparel as a community, although some choose to wear a simple veil and black and white dress.

• 5. What should I do if I am interested in becoming a sister?

  • Contact Sister Monica Seaton who serves as our director of vocation ministry, and she will help you to begin a discernment process to see if this is the right community for you. For more information on becoming a sister, visit our Become a Sister page.

• 6. Does everyone who is an Ursuline live at Mount Saint Joseph?

  • No, many of the Ursuline sisters are actively ministering in eight states and in South America. You can check out the full list of sisters actively ministering and locations inside our Ministry by Location page.

• 7. How many sisters live at Mount Saint Joseph?

  • For the most part, the sisters living at the Motherhouse are retired. Some work in internal ministry here at the Mount. The number of sisters currently living at Mount Saint Joseph is around 80. Those living away from the Mount are involved in a variety of ministries.

• 8. Can anyone come and visit Mount Saint Joseph?

  • Yes. Mount Saint Joseph welcomes the public to come and visit. We enjoy visitors and would appreciate those interested to call ahead of time so we can arrange a tour of the campus by one of the sisters. To arrange a tour, contact us at (270) 229-4103.

• 9. How did the Ursulines end up at Maple Mount?

  • At the request of Father Paul Joseph Volk, five Ursuline Sisters came from Louisville, Ky., in 1874 by flatboat to establish a school in western Daviess County at the site that is now Maple Mount, Ky. In 1912, the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph became an autonomous congregation. The flatboat journey was reenacted by the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph in 2004 to commemorate their arrival 125 years ago. Visit our History page for more information.

• 10. What happened to the Mount Saint Joseph Girls Academy?

  • By the time of its centennial in 1974, over 1,600 women had attended Mount Saint Joseph Academy, but demands for services were changing. Guided by the advice of Saint Angela Merici, the 16th century founder of the Ursuline Sisters, “to make changes according to the times and needs,” after 109 years of service, Mount Saint Joseph Academy closed in 1983. The Academy building still stands and is now known as Mount Saint Joseph Conference and Retreat Center. There is a Mount Saint Joseph Academy and College Alumnae Reunion  and Memorial Mass each year. To learn more about the Academy, visit the Alumnae page.

• 11. How are the sisters connected to Brescia University?

  • Brescia University was founded by the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph in 1950. Its origins are in Mount Saint Joseph Junior College for Women, established at Maple Mount, Ky., in 1925. Between 1925 and 1950, coeducational extension courses in Owensboro led to the creation of a second campus and, after 1949, consolidation of the two campuses at the present site of Brescia University. In 1951, Brescia began operating as a four-year college. It became a university in 1998. Visit our Brescia University history page for more detail.

• 12. What is there to see and do at the Mount?

  • There are a variety of events happening at Mount Saint Joseph throughout the year. Come out and enjoy a private or event retreat at the Mount Saint Joseph Conference and Retreat Center. There are also special events that help raise funds for the Ursuline Sisters’ ministries and for the retired sisters. Volunteers are always needed, so contact us if you are interested in helping: (270) 229-2008. Visitors may also be interested in seeing the Mount Saint Joseph Museum (by appointment only) or stopping by the Mount Saint Joseph Gift Shop. View our calendar upcoming events at Maple Mount! We are always updating!

• 13. Where can I find music CDs or videos about the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph?

  • The Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph have DVDs about the Community available as well as video clips on our website and YouTube. You can contact the Mission Advancement Office at (270) 229-2008 to inquire about the DVD and other media tools. The Ursuline Sisters also recorded a CD titled, “Act, Move, Believe: Cantata in Community.”

• 14. Who are Ursuline Associates?

  • An Ursuline Associate is a person who wants to be affiliated with the mission and the spirit of the Ursuline community. He or she wants to share in the community’s goals, ideals and challenges and also wishes to carry gospel living, as exemplified in the life of Saint Angela Merici, into his or her daily life. Associates share prayer, celebration and hospitality with the Ursuline Community, while living their own lifestyles and spreading the spirit of Saint Angela in their workplace and environment. Membership in the Mount Saint Joseph Associate Program is a mutual belonging, individually designed, which may be revised or terminated by mutual agreement. For more information about Ursuline Associates or on how to become an Associate, go to the Associates page.

• 15. Can I attend Mass at Mount Saint Joseph?

  • Yes, our daily and Sunday Mass at the Motherhouse Chapel are open to the public. Visit our Mass times page for more detail.

• 16. How can I make a donation to the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph?

  • Every donation serves to further the mission and ministries of the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph. To see the options available for donating to the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, click on the Donate button on the home page or visit our Help the Sisters page.