Reflections Blog

Kathy Williams, director of communications, received the following DeRose Hinkhouse Awards at the 2024 Religion Communicators Council Conference on April 4 at The Brown Hotel In Louisville, Kentucky. Publication Design: Article or Story - Single Work Category Winner Magazines - Series Award of Merit Annual Reports - Single Work Award of Merit Other - Single Work Award of Merit  

Several of our Sisters and Associates, along with Archbishop Fabre, participated in The Way of the Cross: A Walk for Justice on Good Friday, March 29, in downtown Louisville. The walk began at Martin Luther King Park in front of the Mazzoli Federal Building on Chestnut Street and conclude at Founders Square Park across from the Cathedral of the Assumption on 5th Street. The walk was a justice-oriented, outdoor “Stations of the Cross.” During the walk, people prayed for all those who experience violence, suffering, and oppression—the crucified among us—as they remembered the final moments of Jesus’ life, stopping at stations [...]

The following is a Lenten reflection by Bonnie Chester, Ursuline Associate. Have you ever read of or saw a picture and imagined yourself in the scene? What would be your reaction to the event? Would you participate or would you be a bystander? Would you support or condemn the action taking place? As I read happenings in the gospels, I like to place myself into a scene and spend some time with the episode in the life of Jesus Christ. The description of the sinful woman, accused of adultery, appears in the gospel of John, Chapter 8, verses 2-11. This one [...]

Several Sisters, Associates, and coworkers toured the main building of St. Joseph Children's Home on March 20, 2024. They saw meeting rooms, the cafeteria, classrooms, the childcare center and the quilting room. The highlight was seeing the chapel that was dedicated to Sr. Loretta Guenther, the last Ursuline Sister to serve at St. Joe's, and the hallway dedicated to the Ursuline Sisters. Over 150 Ursuline Sisters of Louisville served at St. Joseph’s from 1897 to 2010—113 years. Happy 175th anniversary to St. Joseph Children's Home–we thank you for carrying on the mission of love and hope to children.

The following is a reflection that Ursuline Sisters of Louisville President Sister Jean Anne Zappa gave at the funeral liturgy of Sister Denis West, OSU on March 8, 2024. There was a young girl who was born in Oolitic, Indiana, about 75 miles from Louisville, a small town, population 1,200. Many people who lived there knew each other and would support each other and help each other. Ruby Mae and her family moved to Louisville, and she felt a call and invitation to have an intimate relationship with her God, desiring to be a Sister, even before she became a Catholic. [...]

Just in time for Catholic Sisters Week (March 8–14, 2024), sophomores from Emily Jarboe’s art class at Sacred Heart Academy created comic strips featuring the lives of several Ursuline Sisters of Louisville. On Feb. 27, the students had an informal showing of their art in the Ursuline Motherhouse with several of the Ursuline Sisters. The comics feature nine different Ursuline Sisters of Louisville: Mother Martina Nicklas (1839-1936), who purchased the first piece of land on the current Ursuline Campus. Mother Angela Leininger (1860-1940), who oversaw the building of the current Motherhouse in 1917. Mother DeChantal Mulligan (1888-1997), originally a Pittsburgh Ursuline, [...]

A group of Sisters of Louisville attended the "Night of Remembrance" on January 5, 2024, at Bates Memorial Baptist Church in Louisville for the 150 victims of violence killed in Louisville this past year. Their names were read, and candles lit for each one. The more than 100 suicides were also acknowledged (not named). The musical group "Linkin' Bridge" performed the concluding song; one of their members was among the victims of violence. The City of Louisville's Office for Safe and Healthy Neighborhoods sponsored the event.

By Associate Bonnie Chester Do you have a comfortable chair, one that you can kind of nestle into? One that you can settle into for a time of prayer, maybe for watching your favorite TV show, even a chair in a choice spot, or right in front of a teacher in your favorite class? Take a seat and get comfortable, for the Great Teacher has a few choice words for you! Listen to the words of Jesus, who tells us, according to the words in Matthew’s gospel, how to draw closer to God, His Father. Get comfortable and listen to what [...]

          In November 2022, restoration began on the interior of the Chapel of the Immaculate Conception in the Ursuline Motherhouse. Built in 1917 as part of the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville’s Motherhouse, the chapel has been the spiritual center of the campus. The renovation was funded by the Chapel Preservation Fund Campaign, which ran from 2017–2022. Sacred Heart Academy alumnae Amy Montgomery Bergeron (SHA ’94) and Anna Cristofoli Tatman (SHA ’78) were chosen to complete the renovation. Amy Bergeron owns Whitehouse Residential & Commercial Painting and was named lead project manager for the renovation. Anna Tatman, of [...]

By Associate Lisa Steiner Every year as I approach Lent, I reflect on my desire to grow closer to the Holy One. How can I approach this sacred time with a clean and open heart? Lent is a time to be in solidarity with Jesus; to feel what He felt, to pray as He prayed. Yet over the years, my Lenten experience has not always been very meaningful. I hate to admit it, but I am guilty of going through the motions. Instead of accompanying Jesus in the desert day by day for six weeks, I find myself wanting to fast–forward [...]

You can order In Your Midst and Lover of Us All, books on Saint Angela Merici by Sr. Martha Buser here: https://ursulinesisterslouisville.org/books-on-saint-angela-merici/   You can order DVDs of Sr. Martha Buser discussing her books here: https://ursulinesisterslouisville.org/dvds-on-the-life-and-spirituality-of-saint-angela-merici/   You may view videos of Sr. Martha Buser discussing her books here: https://ursulinesisterslouisville.org/videos-on-saint-angela/   New! A compilation of Sr. Martha’s writings and reflections Please email Kim Bradley for a copy: [email protected]  

We had a beautiful Mass on Friday, January 26, to honor St. Angela Merici, foundress of the Ursulines. Ursuline Sisters of Louisville, Associates of Ursuline Sisters of Louisville, USAE staff and SHS staff came together to worship and afterward, enjoyed a lovely lunch.   On Monday, January 29, Sacred Heart Academy (SHA) kicked off Catholic Schools Week with a Mass honoring Saint Angela Merici and several Sisters attended the Mass and a brunch afterwards. The Sisters gifted the students with St. Angela Merici stickers.