Today we begin honoring the 12 Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph who are celebrating jubilees in 2025 — significant anniversaries of their entrance into religious life. We start with Sister Elaine Burke, who is celebrating her 75th year as an Ursuline Sister. Congratulations Sister Elaine!

Sister Elaine, a native of Louisville, is a joyful, energetic woman who loves to mix her deep spirituality with a penchant for fun. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Brescia College in 1965 and earned her master’s degree in religious education from The Catholic University of America in 1971. She was a teacher at St. Benedict School, Nebraska City, Neb., (1952-57), principal, teacher, organist and choir director at St. Paul School, Louisville (1957-64) and principal and teacher at Holy Trinity School, Fredericktown, Ky., (1964-68). She was supervisor of religious education for the Diocese of Owensboro from 1968-73. From 1973-75, she was director of religious education at St. Stephen Cathedral in Owensboro, and religion teacher at Cathedral School. From 1975-80, she was principal and teacher at Immaculate Conception School, Hawesville, Ky., and co-director of religious education at the parish. She was director of religious education and parish minister at St. Martin of Tours, Flaherty, Ky., (1980-83), St. Mary Parish, Bloomfield, N.M., (1983-88) and St. Teresa Parish, Grants, N.M. (1988-91).

From 1991-2007, she was associate director of the Mount Saint Joseph Conference and Retreat Center, where she also served as a team member for Catholic Engaged Encounter (1998-2009), for the Spiritual Direction Training Program (2004-2018) and as spiritual advisor for Cursillo (2002-15). From 2005-2009, she was coordinator of the spiritual component of the ministry formation program at Brescia University, and served as a spiritual presence in the Department of Theology from 2010-15. Since 2020, she has binded quilts for the Mount Quilt Club. She has been a volunteer at the Owensboro RiverPark Center since 1992.