Mary Lois Speaks was born on August 18, 1944, in Henderson, Ky. Her parents were James Raymond Speaks and Elizabeth Catherine Fenwick Speaks. She was baptized on August 27, 1944, at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church in Henderson by Rev, A. J. Tompkins. She was confirmed on October 14, 1952, by Most Rev. Francis R. Cotton. She was the sixth of eight children: Rita Kathleen, Donald Raymond, Anna Louise, Joseph Patrick, Phyllis Irene, Mary Lois, John Richard and William Francis.
Mary Lois attended elementary school at Holy Name in Henderson and was taught by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth. She decided to attend Mount Saint Joseph Academy for her high school where she “had” freshman Phyllis Troutman for her “little sister.” When she finished high school in 1963, Mary Lois thought she needed to see if God wanted her to be a religious.
Sister Mary Lois did substitute teaching for a short while before she began full-time learning at Brescia College. After graduating from Brescia in 1968 with a bachelor’s degree in education, she received her first official assignment in Plattsmouth, Neb., at St. John School. In 1972, she began a pilot project as Parish Coordinator at St. Pius X Parish in Owensboro. During this time she also enrolled at St. Meinrad for summer classes where she received a master’s degree in theological studies for pastoral ministry in 1984. [This was her second master’s. She completed a master’s in 1978 at Western Kentucky University with a master of arts in education with an emphasis in psychology.]
Her life took another change when she was asked to become the Catholic Charismatic Renewal Coordinator in Louisville. The charismatic renewal group was meeting at Saint Columba and one night the pastor didn’t show up. Sister Mary Lois was asked some questions and the organizers and priest in charge were so impressed they asked Sister Mary Lois to become the theologian and coordinator. She ministered in that role from 1982-1989.
Sister Mary Lois then went back to Mount Saint Joseph where she became the Director of the Ursuline Associates. She started an Advisory Board, created a prayer book for the Associates and began the Update newsletter which is still being sent today.
Wanting more information and training in spiritual direction, Sister Mary Lois went to Chicago to take part in the Institute for Spiritual Leadership at Loyola University. With more skill with spiritual direction and counseling, Sister worked for the next 22 years in Marion County (Ky.) High School with the students.
Also during this time, Sister Mary Lois became very involved in social justice issues. She worked with legislators to get a bill passed in the Kentucky legislature against human trafficking. She served on the board of UNANIMA at the United Nations, the nongovernmental agency sponsored by 22 religious communities. She wrote letters to presidents, governors and any other group or person she felt needed more information about a justice issue.
Another major project Sister Mary Lois worked on was the celebration of the 100 years of presence of the Ursuline Sisters in Marion County. She and Phyllis Troutman worked with Judge-Executive John Mattingly to prepare a wonderful celebration of the centennial in 2012.
The week of April 23-29 is prominently remembered with a monument to the Ursuline Sisters near the Government Office Building there.
Sister Mary Lois retired in 2011 but remained in Marion County offering spiritual direction to those in need until 2017. She died May 6, 2017 in her 54th year as an Ursuline Sister. Visitation was held in Mattingly Funeral Home in Loretto, Ky., on Monday, May 8. Visitation at Maple Mount was on Tuesday, May 9, in the Motherhouse Chapel, with a wake service at 6:30 p.m. The funeral Mass was at 10:30 am Wednesday, May 10. 2017.