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1. Where is Maple Mount, Ky.?
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Maple Mount, Ky. is located 12 miles southwest of Owensboro, Ky. on Highway 56. The address is 8001 Cummings Road.
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FROM THE WILLIAM H. NATCHER PARKWAY (former Green River Parkway)
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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.
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FROM THE PENNYRILE PARKWAY
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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.
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FROM I-64 EASTBOUND
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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.
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FROM I-64 WESTBOUND
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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.
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For more detailed directions, Contact Us.
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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 Saint Angela Merici to learn more.
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3. Why are you called Ursulines when Saint Angela Merici founded the order?
- At 57, Saint Angela Merici organized a group of 12 young women to help her in catechetical work. Four years later, the group had increased to 28. She formed them into the Company of Saint 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.
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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 Saint 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.
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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. Become a Sister.
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6. Do all of the Ursuline Sisters live at Mount Saint Joseph?
- No, many of the Ursuline Sisters are actively ministering in five states and in Chile, South America. You can check out the full list of Sisters actively ministering. Where We Serve.
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7. How many Sisters live at Mount Saint Joseph?
- Several of the Sisters living at the Motherhouse are retired, but many others serve in internal ministry here at the Mount. The number of Sisters currently living at Mount Saint Joseph is about 60. Those living away from the Mount are involved in a variety of ministries.
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8. Can anyone come and visit Mount Saint Joseph?
- Yes. It is best to call in advance to visit a Sister. Please call (270) 229-4103 to schedule a visit.
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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 re-enacted by the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph in 2004 to commemorate their arrival 130 years earlier. History
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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 served as the Mount Saint Joseph Conference and Retreat Center until it closed during the Covid pandemic in 2020. The building had structural issues and was deconstructed in 2023. There is a Mount Saint Joseph Academy and College Alumnae Reunion and Memorial Mass each year. Alumnae
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11. How are the Sisters connected to Brescia University?
- Brescia University in Owensboro, Ky., was founded by the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph in 1950. Its origins are in the 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 1950, Brescia began operating as a four-year college. It became a university in 1998. Brescia University
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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. Programs are offered through the Mount Saint Joseph Retreat Ministry. 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.
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13. 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 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. Ursuline Associates
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15. Can I attend Mass at Mount Saint Joseph?
- Yes, our daily and Sunday Mass at the Motherhouse Chapel are open to the public. Mass times
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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. Donate