“My dearest Jesus, through the holiness of Your actions, sanctify mine. I ardently wish them to depend upon You and to be performed for You alone, O my Jesus.” ~Marie of the Incarnation On April 2, 2014, Pope Francis will canonize three new saints for the Catholic Church. Included in these three is Blessed Marie…
Sisters of the Past
“Sister Fix-It”
Alvina Helen was born to John and Magdalen Rosch on January 15, 1907, in Collinsville, Ill. After completing early studies at Saints Peter and Paul Parochial School and Collinsville Township High School, Alvina Helen attended Illinois State Normal University at Normal, Ill. receiving her degree in Elementary Education in 1927. Having taught for a number…
Osage Mission School to St Francis School, St. Paul, Kansas
It was in 1895 that the Ursuline Sisters of Paola became an autonomous community. In these early years, decisions were being made as to where their motherhouse would be located and what schools they would serve. One of the first schools and towns considered as an option was St. Francis School in St. Paul, Kansas.…
Background of Controversy in Marion County, 1940s
Continuing from a previous blog on the topic of sisters teaching in the public school system in 1925 in Daviess County, a similar situation arose in the 1940s-1950s in Marion County. This situation will be covered in two blog posts. The first gives a background to the situation. This is taken from Sister Ruth Gehres’…
Maple Mount Post Office
Maple Mount Post Office Golden Anniversary Speech Given by Sister Walter Louise Lush November 21, 1984 Our community has celebrated many golden anniversaries, but this makes history as being the first time to celebrate the Golden Anniversary of a post office, that of our own Maple Mount, and the Silver Anniversary of a post master,…
Cure for Kidney Troubles
Mr. and Mrs. Bloemer, parents of Mother Augustine, one of the first local superiors of Mount Saint Joseph, were very supportive of the Ursuline community, both in word and financial aid. In the files of Mother Augustine is found this letter written to her mother by a local lady with just the cure for all…
Do Little Things With Perfection
In the last several years of her life, Mother Aloysius Willett wrote a New Year’s letter to the sisters at Maple Mount, encouraging them to love and follow the Lord ever more closely. As we close the year 2013, here is the letter written by Mother Aloysius in December 1916 My Dear Sisters, While the…
Mother Augustine Bloemer
Catherine Bloemer was an only child, born on January 10, 1849 to Henry and Catherine Bloemer of Louisville, Kentucky. Due to the want of the finest Christian education for their daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Bloemer enrolled her under the Ursulines of Louisville. At the Louisville Academy she was given the advantages of a classical and…
Sodality of the Immaculate Conception
On December 8, 1937, the following entry was made in the daily annals of the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph: The earth is partly mantled in snow for the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The Sodality procession was held before mass. They entered singing, and wearing white uniforms-a beautiful sight, indeed! Solemn Reception of…
A 1925 School Controversy
In 1925, an attempt was made in Daviess County, in the western part of the Louisville Diocese, to lease parish school buildings to the county board of education for use as public schools. As in Marion and several other Kentucky counties, the teachers in these public schools would be sisters (Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint…