Born in Clarkson, Kentucky, on August 23, 1904, Helen was the daughter of William and Oda Jenkins Horrell. Helen entered the novitiate at Mount Saint Joseph on September 8, 1921. She received the Ursuline habit on March 20, 1922, and became known as Sister Celine.
Sister Celine’s apostolate was domestic work. On four different assignments to the Mount, she served a total of 17 years as director of the bake room where she and her helpers prepared cakes, pies, cookies and breads for the meals served to the Sisters and boarders. The Sisters in the novitiate often were assigned to assist Sister Celine in this daily work and enjoyed the time spent under such a competent supervisor. Other assignments took Sister Celine to Nebraska City, Nebraska; to Kentucky convents at Browns Valley, Central City, Peonia, Leitchfield, Ursuline Convent and St. Mary Home in Owensboro, Lyndon, Howardstown, Hardinsburg and St. Thomas More. Sister Celine was a special gift to the Ursuline community. Even though she had a pronounced speech impediment from childhood, her amiable personality, self confidence and prayerfulness communicated quite clearly that God creates each person full of beauty and love.
While missioned at St. Thomas More in Paducah in 1958, doctors diagnosed Sister Celine as having tuberculous. She received lengthy treatment at St. Joseph Infirmary in Louisville, and underwent surgery for lung cancer in January 1959. After a few weeks, she returned to Mount Saint Joseph with little hope of recovery. Death came to Sister Celine on June 16, 1959. Following the Requiem Mass, Sister’s remains were buried in the convent cemetery.