Eight Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph with a combined 500 years of service to God’s kingdom are celebrating jubilees of religious life in 2024. Today, we honor Sister Susan Mary Mudd, who is celebrating 70 years of religious life! She is known for her hospitality and her lifetime of service to education.

Sister Susan Mary is a native of Lebanon, Ky. She earned a bachelor’s degree in history from Brescia College, Owensboro, in 1966. She earned a master’s degree in psychology from Spalding University, Louisville, in 1977, and a doctorate in education from the University of Cincinnati in 1990.

In Kentucky, she taught at St. James School, Louisville (1956-60) and returned to serve as principal (1975-85). She also taught at St. Anthony School, Axtel (1960); St. Margaret Mary School, Lyndon (1960-66); St. Ignatius School, Louisville (1972); St. Thomas More School, Paducah (1972), and Immaculate Conception School, Earlington (1973-74). In Nebraska, she taught at Lourdes Central School, Nebraska City (1973). In Wisconsin, she was an associate professor at Mount Mary College, Milwaukee (1990-91). In Virginia, Sister Susan Mary was principal of St. Anne School, Bristol (1991-96) and Charlottesville Catholic School, Charlottesville (1996-97).

In 1966, she was among the first group of Ursuline Sisters to serve in South America, teaching at St. Thomas More Ursuline Academy in Venezuela (1966-68) and at the Colegio San Ignacio, Santiago, Chile (1968-72). She was director of the Owensboro (Ky.) Catholic Schools (1997-2002), then served as academic dean at Owensboro Catholic Middle School (2002-2007). At Brescia College (now University), she was director of special services and a member of the education department faculty (1985-1987), director of institutional research (2007-2009), and from 2009-2021, she was the administrative assistant in the School of Business. She retired to the Motherhouse in 2021, where she is active in the Powerhouse of Prayer.

Congratulations Sister Susan Mary!