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Ursulines celebrate Mardi Gras, pray for Sister changing ministry

The Ursuline Sisters celebrated Mardi Gras in colorful splendor on Feb. 21, 2023, but their party also served as a farewell for a Sister soon to discern a new ministry.

Sister Jacinta Powers is leaving her position as director of nursing this week at Maple Mount, after serving in that role for the past 15 months. She is taking a sabbatical in Arizona while she prays about where her next ministry will be. She is celebrating 50 years as an Ursuline this year.

Here are pictures from the day.

Sister Mary Gerald Payne, left, Sister Maureen O’Neill, center, and Sister Mimi Ballard get ready for the Mardi Gras party.
Sister Amanda Rose Mahoney, left, and Sister Catherine Marie Lauterwasser get into the spirit.
Sister Rose Karen Johnson takes a selfie with James, one of the staff members of Almost Family.
Sister Katherine Stein is ready to play the jester at the party, as Sister Kathleen Dueber passes behind her.
Sister Marie Joseph Coomes was the caterpillar who turned into a butterfly.
It would take a lot of guesses to know that was Sister Grace Swift roaring like a big cat.
Sister Pat Rhoten, left, said her “nose was a little out of joint,” while Sister Marie Carol Cecil gets ready to wet her beak.
No masks for Sister Ruth Gehres, left, and Sister Eva Boone, just 71 years of friendship during their years as Ursulines.
The goodbye celebration for Sister Jacinta began with Sister Sharon Sullivan, congregational leader, asking for prayers. “She is about to embark on a perilous journey, one of discernment,” Sister Sharon said.
The Sisters in Saint Joseph Villa follow Sister Sharon’s instruction to, “Let us extend our hands and pray for Jacinta,” who is standing at left.
Sister Suzanne Sims, director of local community life at the Mount, thanked Sister Jacinta for all her hard work. “She has more ideas than I can shake a stick at,” Sister Suzanne said.
The farewell party was a surprise for Sister Jacinta, which required two of her close friends who serve in Owensboro, Sister Barbara Jean Head, left, and Sister Betsy Moyer, right, to hide until the party began. Sister Betsy said, “Thank you for being a gift to me during all the times I needed to go through something as a religious or a nurse.” In the middle is staff nurse Geri Jones.
The most emotional moment came from Sister Alicia Coomes, who thanked Sister Jacinta for “making me the best nurse I could be.”
Sister Catherine Kaufman said that when her recovery after a fall was not going well, she told Sister Jacinta she was ready to give up. Sister Jacinta cheered her up by giving her a bath.
Sister Jacinta said, “I want to thank the Sisters and the staff, they support each other. As the staff tells new people, ‘this isn’t a nursing home, this is home.’” Sister Karla Kaelin smiles at right.
Although there was no baby to find in a king cake, Ashley Wilkerson, right, activities and pastoral care coordinator in Saint Joseph Villa, crowns Sister Jacinta as “Mardi Gras queen.”
The queen prepares to greet her court.
The health care staff poses in their Mardi Gras best with Sister Jacinta. Jordan Ross, in the center of the front row in big glasses, is taking over as director of nursing.

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