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Sisters embrace being “Pilgrims of hope” during annual spring retreat

Half of the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph are in retreat this week, led by Father Adrian Burke, who is talking about Pope Francis’ call to be Pilgrims of Hope in 2025.

Father Burke is a member of the Benedictine monastic community at St. Meinrad, Ind. His current role is offering spiritual direction and preaching retreats. He is meeting with the Sisters twice a day from March 2-7 in the Rainbow Room of Saint Joseph Villa. These are photos from the afternoon session on March 3.

Father Adrian Burke talks about hope being the duty of all Christians – to bear hope and be hope in the world. On the board behind him contains a verse from Romans 5:5, “Hope does not disappoint.”
Ursuline Sisters listening to Father Burke are, from left, Sister Francis Louise Johnson, Sister Grace Swift, Sister Kathleen Dueber and Sister Mary Gerald Payne. Father Burke told a story about getting a flat tire earlier this year during a torrential downpour. He used it as an example of leveraging hope. “When I lean into hope, I recognize Jesus saying, ‘I am with you in this. Trying to get the lug nuts off,’” he said.
From left, Sisters Rose Jean Powers, Pam Mueller, Pat Rhoten and Barbara Jean Head engage with Father Burke’s talk. “Saint Bernard of Clairvaux said, ‘You need books in both hands. In one hand the Holy Scriptures, in the other the book of experiences,” Father Burke said.
Sisters following along with Father Burke’s talk are, from left, Sisters Vivian Bowles, Claudia Hayden, Rita Scott, and Helena Fischer. “I tell my seminarians, if you’re going to gain wisdom, you need to be reflective, prayerful, especially on the experiences you define as bad,” Father Burke said.
The Sisters gathered in the Rainbow Room for the retreat. There are 37 Sisters taking part.
In the foreground, Sisters Elaine Burke, left, Susan Mary Mudd, center, and Margaret Ann Aull listen to Father Burke say, “You have what it takes to leverage faith, hope and charity. Rely on God to do the heavy lifting.” In the background, from left, are Sisters Maureen O’Neill, Betsy Moyer, Cecelia Joseph Olinger, Emma Anne Munsterman and Mary Matthias Ward.
Sisters listening to Father Burke are, from left, Sisters Ruth Gehres, Karla Kaelin, Joyce Marie Cecil, Rebecca White, Joan Riedley and Nancy Murphy. “Hope means we are not yet totally fulfilled,” Father Burke said. “Hope is our reaching out for that destiny, to realize who we are in the present situation.”
Sisters Grace Simpson, left, Melissa Tipmore, center, and Marie Carol Cecil listen to Father Burke talk about dealing with failure. “When we fail, we need to examine,” he said. “Even in our failures, that’s where we find Christ waiting for us.”

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