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Sisters in Ministry Update: From 2010-22, Sister Margaret Ann Aull served as the coordinator of pastoral care at Immaculate Parish in Owensboro, Ky. She is now retired at Maple Mount. |
Before coming to Holy Name, Sister Margaret Ann worked with Father Bradley at Saint Stephen Cathedral and Owensboro Catholic High School.
“She is one of the most authentically good people that I’ve ever met, and that just radiates through everything that she does. She’s a wonderful Ursuline sister, but over that she is just a fine person.”
Father Edward Bradley, pastor of Holy Name of Jesus parish in Henderson, was talking about his longtime pastoral associate Sister Margaret Ann Aull, OSU, who also assumed many of the duties of associate pastor several months ago.
“I don’t have an associate now, and Sister Margaret Ann really is my associate pastor,” Father Bradley continues.“When I’m not able to be here for one of the daily masses she does a communion service. When I come back, the people will always say, ‘Father, Sister Margaret Ann had the best Mass!’”
Sister Margaret Ann poses with church secretary Kaye Villanies (back, left) and church receptionist Jan Hayes (front).
Sister Margaret Ann’s Liturgy of the Word and Communion Services ministry is just one of many ministries woven into her work at Holy Name. There is ministry to the sick, rest homes, hospital and homebound, ministry training – lectors and Eucharistic ministers, liturgy committee, bereavement committee, bulletin committee, baptism instruction, director of religious education for grade school and RCIA adults, meeting with families to plan a funeral liturgy when a family member dies, and attending Serra Club meetings.
Since there has been no associate for several months at Holy Name, she has had wake services and has been called to the hospital when someone dies.
The fourth oldest of six children of J.B. and Mary Lee Aull, Sister Margaret Ann was raised on a farm at Knottsville. She attended St. Lawrence Grade School for eight years, where she was taught by the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph. Her Ursuline education continued for three years at St. William High School before she joined the Ursuline community at Maple Mount and finished high school at the Mount Saint Joseph Academy.
Rose Wheeler (left) has been Religious Education catechist for adults at Holy Name for 12 years. She works with Sister Margaret Ann (right).
She continued her education at Brescia College and then began her teaching career at St. Bartholomew in Buechel (near Louisville), St. Joseph (Mayfield), and St. Paul (Princeton). She was a teacher at all three schools, and also principal at St. Paul.
Sister Margaret Ann returned to Daviess County as seventh and eighth grade teacher at Immaculate Grade School for three years, served four years as principal and part-time teacher at St. Pius X and then left teaching to do parish work at Poenia near Leitchfield for two years.
She served three years as principal and part-time teacher at St. Peter in Stanley and then began an eight-year tenure at Owensboro Catholic High School, interrupted for one year (1980-81) when she served as principal at Precious Blood Grade School.
Following her stint at Catholic High, Sister Margaret Ann left teaching and returned to parish work. She spent 10 years as pastoral associate at St. Stephen Cathedral before being elected to the Ursuline Sisters Leadership Team at Mount Saint Joseph.