A Gift That Keeps on Giving: Our Common Home
Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’ is a profound call to action for the preservation of our planet. It serves as a poignant reminder of our interconnectedness with the natural world and the urgent need to address the environmental crisis we face.
The document’s central theme, “Care for Our Common Home,” resonates deeply with the understanding that we are not merely stewards of the Earth but also its inhabitants. The encyclical underscores the intrinsic value of all creation, from the smallest insect to the vastest ocean. It challenges us to move beyond a consumerist mentality and embrace a more sustainable and compassionate way of life.
As I reflect on Laudato Si’, I am struck by the urgency of the issues it addresses. Climate change, pollution, deforestation and the loss of biodiversity are all interconnected crises that threaten the well-being of both humans and the planet. This encyclical offers a moral framework for understanding these challenges and inspires us to take action.
It is imperative that we embrace a more sustainable way of living. This includes reducing our carbon footprint, conserving resources and supporting environmentally friendly practices. Additionally, we must advocate for policies that prioritize the protection of our planet and promote social justice.
One practical way for each of us to practice care for creation is to decide if we could save a tree by using less paper. We are inviting you to decide if you would like to receive the DOME digitally or continue receiving
it in the mail. You will receive a postcard in January describing how you may choose to receive the DOME.
Laudato Si is a beacon of hope, reminding us that it is not too late to make a difference. By acting responsibly with compassion and a sense of stewardship, we can create a more sustainable and just future for ourselves and generations to come.
During this season of Thanksgiving, Advent, and Christmas, let us find ways to give thanks for the great gift of creation—the beauty of nature and its natural resources—by being good stewards. Let us use wisely to conserve, reuse and recycle when we are celebrating or gift-giving.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only Son” (John 3:16) to be God among us, to be in the world with us. When we care for our common home, we honor both the Creator and the creation that Christ came to dwell among. As we celebrate God-with-us during this holy season, let us reverence all of creation and may we continue to share the gift that keeps on giving—care for our common home.
Celebrating 50 Years of Our Social Concerns Committee
BY SISTER JANET M. PETERWORTH
Social justice is woven into the DNA of the Ursulines. Our foundress, Saint Angela Merici, lived in turbulent times, worked with the incurables in hospitals in Brescia, Italy, and gathered young women to protect them from exploitation. She sought justice for all, especially women.
This commitment to justice can be traced from Straubing, Bavaria, where three women answered the call to go to Louisville, Kentucky, to teach the children of German immigrants. This was certainly an act of justice, as German immigrants faced challenges in their new home in Kentucky and needed support for their youth to live and thrive in this country.
In the 1960s, Ursuline Sisters marched for open housing in Louisville, joined the United Farm Workers’ boycotts, and supported all pro-life issues.
The 1974 Chapter marked a pivotal moment as the Ursulines embraced social justice as a mandate. They resolved to establish a task force to study Vatican II documents on social justice, initiate action-oriented programs, and report findings to the 1975 Delegates
Assembly. Thus began a concerted effort to engage in justice advocacy. The DNA of justice lived on!
Fifteen Sisters joined the first social justice task force, with 11 attending the inaugural meeting. According to an archival report, the establishment of the task force increased awareness of social issues within the Ursuline community.
In July 1975, a resolution was passed stating that the Ursuline Sisters should be involved with those who are materially poor, discriminated against, exploited, or deprived of dignity. From then until now, the Ursulines have worked to fulfill this mandate, both corporately and individually, never losing sight of their call.
As the task force grew, so did its activities. In 1975, it sponsored a study of the Appalachian pastoral letter, This Land is Home to Me, and hosted a social justice workshop on that topic. Membership had increased to 26. In 1977, the congregation established a Peace and Justice Fund to support monetary requests from various organizations, a fund that remains active today. The Ursulines also joined the Interfaith Center on
Ursuline Sisters were among the 3,000 participants in a Civil Rights march on March 14, 1965 in downtown Louisville where Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. and others spoke. Sisters Shirley Ann (Joanella) Simmons and Sue (John David) Scharfenberger are in the foreground. Photo by Courier-Journal/Louisville Times.
The 1974 Chapter marked a pivotal moment as the Ursulines embraced social justice as a mandate. They resolved to establish a task force to study Vatican II documents on social justice, initiate action-oriented programs, and report findings to the 1975 Delegates Assembly. Thus began a concerted effort to engage in justice advocacy.
Corporate Responsibility (iccr.org) in 1978, raising awareness of the impact of their investments on promoting social justice, and are members to this day.
Throughout the 1980s, members of the task force participated in protests and boycotts, advocating for issues such as the closure of the School of the Americas in Ft. Benning, Georgia, and better housing for the poor. Community members served at the St. Vincent de Paul soup kitchen and studied the Sanctuary Movement, which aimed to shelter refugees fleeing civil unrest in Central America. This led to the community hiring two men from El Salvador seeking refuge in Louisville.
By 1985, Ursuline Associates were included in the task force, expanding its membership to 25 vowed members and 14 Associates. The 1988 Chapter resolved to promote Gospel justice and serve the
oppressed, transforming the task force into the Social Concerns Committee, tasked with raising awareness among the congregation.
As the 1980s transitioned into the 1990s, the committee took up two critical issues: racism and environmental justice. Activities included celebrating Black History Month and inviting Father John Judy to celebrate Mass in the Motherhouse chapel. The committee distributed materials to raise awareness of discrimination and white privilege. Environmental initiatives included directing the Motherhouse food
service and local houses to use eco-friendly products and hosting programs like “Listening to the Earth” featuring Sister Paula Gonzales, SC, in 1991.
In the late 1990s, the committee had active subcommittees focusing on racism, non-violence, and environmental issues. In 1997, the Ursulines joined the North American Ursuline Social Justice Committee, broadening their outreach.
The early 2000s saw a decline in numbers and energy within the congregation. Though the Social Concerns Committee became smaller, those committed to justice continued to engage in issues like water rights, healthcare advocacy, and human trafficking. With encouragement from leadership, the committee revised its mission statement and positioned itself as leaven for the community.
In 2019, the congregation hired a part-time social justice coordinator, marking a significant shift as
SOCIAL CONCERNS
Celebrating 50 Years of Our Social Concerns Committee
Continued from page 5
the committee’s leader was no longer a volunteer. This role focused on educating members about environmental issues and vulnerable populations. The coordinator provided resources and opportunities for involvement, leading to participation in groups like The Forgotten Louisville, which assists the homeless.
The COVID-19 pandemic prompted the committee to utilize Zoom meetings for education on justice issues, ranging from gun violence to environmental concerns. The Peace and Justice Fund continued to support local and international causes.
Following the 2020 Chapter, a new committee emerged—the Cry of Earth/Cry of Humanity Guiding Team, which focused on listening to the cries of the earth and our marginalized brothers and sisters. As COVID restrictions lifted, in-person programs resumed and members who were able engaged with local organizations promoting shared goals. The Ursulines became active partners in peace and justice efforts more than they had ever been.
In 2021, the Ursulines reaffirmed their commitment to environmental concerns by signing a 7-year pledge to the Laudato Si’ Action Platform, which outlines sustainability goals aligned with societal and ecological issues. This bold response reflects the urgency of the ecological crisis, so wellillustrated in Pope Francis’ encyclical, Laudato Si.’ (Please see our report on pages 8–9.)
Though fewer members now attend meetings or protests, the commitment to justice persists in the conversations, thoughts and prayers of the Ursulines of Louisville, as well as in the Ursuline Associates and the students at Sacred Heart Schools.
As we celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Ursuline Social Concerns Committee, we thank those who have kept justice issues alive over the years. It is fitting that the Ursulines of Louisville received the 2024 Peacebuilders Award from Interfaith Paths to Peace, underscoring that peace and justice live on in the Ursulines’ DNA
Sister Mary Terence Schmitt (R) with a Benedictine Sister on their way to Frankfort for a rally protesting the death penalty. 1999.
Social Concerns meeting: Sisters William Klipsch, Jean Marie Hettinger, Anne Mary Lochner, Frances Schaf, Mary Jo Gramig, Mary Terence Schmitt and Martha Buser. 2006.
50 Years of Social Justice Advocacy
1974
The 1974 Chapter established a task force to study Vatican II documents on social justice, initiate programs, and report findings to the 1975 delegates assembly. Fifteen Sisters joined the first task force.
By 1985, 14 Associates joined 25 Sisters on the task force, participating in protests, boycotts, and serving at community outreach programs. The 1988 Chapter resolved to promote Gospel justice and transitioned the task force into the Social Concerns Committe.
In the late 1990s, there were active subcommittees focusing on racism, nonviolence, and environmental issues. In 1997, the Ursulines joined the North American Ursuline Social Justice Committee, broadening their outreach.
With fewer members, the Social Concerns Committee began focusing on advocacy rather than hands-on activities. Following the COVID-19 pandemic and 2020 Chapter, a new committee emerged, focusing on the Cry of the Earth and Cry of Humanity. In 2021, the Laudato Si’ Action Platform pledge was signed.
1980 1990 2000 2024
We celebrate 50 years of the Social Concerns Committee. It is very fitting that the Ursulines of Louisville received the 2024 Peacebuilders Award from Interfaith Paths to Peace.
ICE (Immigration and Customs Enforcement) protest, June 18, 2018
Are We There Yet? Laudato Si’ and Our Path to Integral Ecology
BY SISTER CAROL CURTIS
In 2021, the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville began our Laudato Si’ journey toward integral ecology. Over the past three years, from the backseat of my mind, I have heard the recurrent childlike voice inquiring: Are we there yet? Well, we are getting there. But it is not a linear trip.
While we set out on our pilgrimage together, along the way we joined with other caravans—this is Pope Francis’ Laudato Si’ vision. One of the joys of this past year has been the establishment of an archdiocesan Creation Care Committee, which just celebrated its first “Green Mass” on October 2 at St. Francis of Assisi Church (our banner presiding) and is planning a Laudato Si’ 10th anniversary conference next June.
On October 10, the annual Day Against the Death Penalty, we helped sponsor the Catholic Mobilizing Network’s “Justice Re-Imagined” observance at the Apostolic Nunciature in Washington, D.C. On October 14, we represented the Catholic Laudato Si’ Platform at the Intertribal Water Council at the Waterfront Botanical Garden. Responding in the wake of Hurricane Helene to the third regional climate disaster in three years, we partnered with Water by Women and the Salvation Army to provide water filters and needed supplies to our neighbors.
Our 2020 Chapter mandate emphasized the “importance of collaboration to maximize our capacity to be in mission and have an impact in responding to cry of earth and cry of humanity.” Certainly, we have experienced the strategic advantage of such an approach: Kentucky Interfaith Power & Light, Interfaith Paths to Peace, the Kentucky Interfaith Network’s food summit, the newly formed metro Interfaith Environmental Advocacy Network. Yet, the surprise has been how quickly these coalitions birth new relationships and expand our collective capacity to respond to new challenges and opportunities— building community as we go.
This June saw the first disbursement of our fiveyear Ministry Fund pledges in support of more than a
dozen long-standing peace and justice partners. These contributions are not project-restricted, allowing the organizations creative flexibility in their areas of service. The Community Foundation of Louisville has handled other requests on our behalf.
As a congregation, downsizing involves numerous transitions: responsible recycling of electronics, donating household goods and furniture to help immigrant and displaced families resettle, and redirecting books toward literacy programs and spirituality centers. Logistically, it has been a necessary clearing out, but through it we have had the joy of discovering grass-roots initiatives: STITCH, finding homes for our well-loved sewing machines and partnering with Kentucky Refugee Ministries to teach sewing to immigrant women; contributing to Louisville Free Public Library Craft Exchange; Falls City Bikeworks—placing our bikes in good hands while they teach maintenance and supply parts to Louisvillians who depend on them for transport; SOS (Supplies Overseas), connecting our durable medical equipment with hospitals in need globally; and, handing on our garden tools to immigrant and youth gardening and food literacy programs.
It’s about more than just circular economy and good stewardship: hand to hand, hand in hand, we are building a diverse, inclusive and resilient community. Yes, we share our gifts, but for each of us, the first gift is who we are, and we mutually gift each other by being receptive and present to each other.
Bottom: Sister Carol Curtis, right, handed water buckets to a volunteer in Erwin, Tenn., Oct. 2, as a Tennessee Army National Guard helicopter waited to transport them to communities affected by Hurricane Helene. (Photo by Water by Women).
Photos: Top: Angela Dempsey of the Navajo Nation was a representative at the Intertribal Water Council in October.
Middle: Our community’s garden donations to Sacred Earth Community Garden at 41st Street (including Sister Mary Rose Rohmann’s vintage garden fork!).
It’s about more than just circular economy and good stewardship: hand to hand, hand in hand, we are building a diverse, inclusive and resilient community.
BY KATHY WILLIAMS
At Louisville’s Family Community Clinic, two Ursuline Sisters with rich histories of service to the Hispanic community bring their expertise to the vital task of interpreting for Spanishspeaking patients. Sisters Kathy Neely and Mary Martha Staarman’s backgrounds uniquely prepared them for this important volunteer work.
Sister Mary Martha Staarman, known affectionately as “Cool Martha,” has been volunteering at the clinic for eight years. Her journey with the Spanish language began in 1964 when she answered Pope John XXIII’s call for missionaries in Latin America. Along with three other Louisville Ursulines, she journeyed to Peru, where she helped establish the Colegio Parroquial Santa Angela Merici school in Callao after an intensive Spanish course.
“The Peru assignment changed my life,” Sister Mary Martha reflects. “I think I found my vocation among the people there. It made me see religious life in a different context.” After having a serious illness in Peru, where she struggled to understand doctors and nurses, she was motivated to help others in similar situations if she could.
Upon returning to the United States in 1978, Sister Mary Martha served in various pastoral ministries across the country. For 32 years, she worked with Mexican immigrants in West Chester, Pennsylvania, often accompanying young women through pregnancies and early childcare. “I have over 500 grandchildren!” she jokes, maintaining contact with many families to this day.
Sister Kathy Neely, fondly called “Fantastic Kathy” at the clinic, brings 45 years of experience from Peru
I believe that the Gospel is all about building community no matter where we are.
to her role at the clinic. Her love for the Spanish language and her vocation as a religious began in high school, where she was taught by Ursuline Sisters of Louisville in Cumberland, Maryland. After her high school graduation, she entered the Ursulines in 1960. In 1968, she volunteered to minister in Peru, where she initially taught children at the Peruvian Naval School before focusing on education for mentally and physically challenged children.
Sister Kathy’s work in Peru was transformative. She co-founded a school named Fe y Audicion (Faith and Hearing) and later moved to the Andes Mountains for pastoral ministry. In 2012, she helped establish the Saint Angela Merici Rehabilitation Center for physically and mentally challenged individuals in San Miguel.
“I believe that the Gospel is all about building community no matter where we are,” Sister Kathy says, a philosophy she carries into her volunteer work at the Family Community Clinic.
At the clinic, both Sisters play crucial roles. Sister Mary Martha works two afternoons a week, while Sister Kathy volunteers three mornings. They interpret for doctors and nurse practitioners, bridging the language gap for the predominantly Hispanic patient population.
“We’re like two ships passing in the night!” Sister Kathy laughs, referring to their different shifts. Despite initial nerves about medical interpretation, both Sisters have found their niche. They appreciate
the clinic’s thorough approach, with providers spending at least 30 minutes with each patient.
The Family Community Clinic, founded in 2011 by parishioners of St. Joseph Church, provides free primary healthcare to uninsured individuals. Operating on donations and grants without federal funding, the clinic offers a comprehensive range of services including dental care, social services and mental health support, and partners with the University of Louisville to offer additional services.
The clinic frequently treats chronic illnesses such as diabetes and hypertension. Through a partnership with the University of Louisville, patients can access specialty care, including OB-GYN services for women.
Executive Director Ellen Wells emphasizes the importance of volunteers like Sisters Kathy and Mary Martha. “We rely heavily on our interpreters,” she says. “Most of our patients are Spanish speakers, and our volunteers make it possible to provide quality care.”
For Sisters Kathy and Mary Martha, their volunteer work at the clinic is a natural extension of their lifelong commitment to service. Through their dedication and language skills, they ensure that the Hispanic community in Louisville has access to essential healthcare, continuing their mission of building community and serving those in need
Decades of Deaf Ministry
BY KATHY WILLIAMS
Since 1969, Sister Rita Ann Wigginton’s passion has been ministering to the deaf community. Her journey, spanning five decades, demonstrates the power of dedication, adaptability and a desire to serve an often-marginalized segment of the faithful.
Sister Rita Ann’s path to religious life and deaf ministry began in grade school. The stability and discipline of the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville who taught her at St. Clement and later at Angela Merici High School deeply influenced her decision to join their order after high school graduation.
Her ministry with the deaf began during a visit with Sister Barbara Bir’s family in 1969. During the visit, she met Jo, Sister Barbara’s deaf sister, who had been educated in a public school due to the lack of Catholic school services for the deaf. Despite having learned to read lips, Jo felt marginalized both at school and in church. Inspired by this encounter and advised by Jo’s parents to learn American Sign Language (ASL), Sister Rita Ann pursued advanced education in deaf ministry, earning a master’s degree from Gallaudet University and a certificate from Boston College in religious education.
Though her initial goal was to teach deaf children in public schools and provide religious education on weekends, her path changed when Father Charlie Dittmeier invited her to work in pastoral ministry with the Catholic Deaf Office of the Archdiocese of Louisville.
Sister Rita Ann views this work as missionary service. “Deaf ministry IS missionary work,” she explains. “You get enculturated with the people; you learn their language and work with them and adapt to their culture. It’s a very invisible disability—you cannot tell if someone is deaf just by looking at them.”
Deaf ministry IS missionary work. You get enculturated with the people; you learn their language and work with them and adapt to their culture. It’s a very invisible disability.
Sister Rita Ann Wigginton
Over the years, Sister Rita Ann served in various roles across different dioceses:
• Archdiocese of Louisville Catholic Deaf Office (1976-1981).
• Diocese of Toledo, Ohio, as director of ministry for deaf (1981-1991).
• Catholic Charities Deafness Services director in Brooklyn, New York (1993-1997).
• Diocese of Covington, Kentucky, as director of ministry for the deaf (2000-2008).
One of her most significant contributions has been her involvement with the Ministry Formation Program for Deaf Adults (MFP). Established in 1993 in the Archdiocese of Chicago, MFP is the only program of its kind in the United States, designed to train deaf Catholics to become effective lay leaders in church ministry. From 2008 to 2020, Sister Rita Ann served as its executive director, initially sharing the role with Father Mike Depcik, OSFS.
Sister Rita Ann has been involved in numerous national and international events, including planning committees for Religious Education National Workshops, seven national Cursillo retreats across the United States and one in the Philippines, multiple diocesan weekend retreats throughout the U.S. and Canada, and six directed retreats for the deaf in Springfield, Illinois.
Her dedication has earned her recognition. Sister Rita Ann was named the Reverend David Walsh Pastoral Worker of 2020 for Outstanding Service with Catholic Deaf and Hard of Hearing Community by the National Catholic Office for the Deaf, and on November 9, 2024, she received the Service Award from Holy Cross High School in Louisville.
Now serving on the Leadership Team of the Ursuline Sisters, Sister Rita Ann continues to contribute to deaf ministry by teaching Hebrew scripture online for MFP and serving on the Holy Cross High School board in Louisville.
The deaf ministry landscape within the Catholic Church has faced significant challenges in recent years. Many dioceses, including Louisville, have closed their deaf ministry offices and programs, partly due to financial strains. The COVID-19 pandemic presented additional hurdles, forcing MFP to adapt from a four-year, in-person format to a three-year online curriculum. Despite these challenges, MFP continues to serve students across 14 states, recently celebrating its 30th anniversary.
While institutional support for deaf ministry in the Church has decreased in some areas, Sister Rita Ann sees hope in the increased leadership roles taken on by the laity. Events like the annual Deaf Eucharistic Conference in Maryland and Pastoral Week continue to provide support and connection for those in deaf ministry. “The work has been taken on by a broader group, and they are empowered,” she notes. The ministry has changed, but the work continues.
Danielle Wiegandt, president of Holy Cross High School, presents Sister Rita Ann with the 2024 Service Award at Holy Cross’s Hall of Fame gala.
Laudato Si’ at Saint Angela Merici School and Beyond
This year we celebrated our 59th anniversary of Saint Angela Merici School. We usually celebrate in October as close to the feast of Saint Ursula as possible. The message this year centered around the four values that we try to exhibit daily in what we do and how we relate—respect, community, leadership and service—with special consideration for those who are taken for granted and those who are sometimes left out.
We are fortunate that the Season of Creation begins in September when we prepare for the school celebration. The Laudato Si’ themes of environmental care for all of creation mesh with living the charism and legacy of Saint Angela.
Our quarterly presentations try to consider all of our students—not an easy task with the bashful, insecure, or the eternal leaders, or the “no importa” (nothing matters) attitude of some. We have an amazing group of teachers who find ways of making the timid shine and the extroverts tame their enthusiasm.
The anniversary celebration, however, was only a mirror of what goes on daily in school. All of the classrooms have large plastic water bottles where the tops of soft drink and personal water bottles are collected. It is amazing how many bottle caps are collected in a week. Then, periodically, all are gathered and taken to the children’s hospital where the funds from recycling them are used for healing burn victims and other cases of skin infections. The students are conscious of the future of those water bottle caps and what they mean for other children who are hospitalized for burn trauma.
But caring for our common home goes way beyond recycling. It involves not wasting water, conscious use of electricity, turning off lights and unplugging
unnecessary appliances. Giving priority to cultivating organic gardens, hanging plants and recycling food waste are all part of responsible stewardship for the life of the planet.
In the last three years, we have been invited to coordinate with another community of lay associates in creating a ritual that honors the earth and renews our commitment. We have chosen the Rimac River that runs in front of our house as the place for our ritual.
This year our associates, our fifth and sixth graders, and our school band participated in different ways in the ritual. In coordination with the Municipal Office for the Environment, we were able to secure trees to plant alongside the riverbank. After being instructed in how to plant them, the students were involved in carefully moving the soil and placing the plants gently in the earth.
The value of service is sometimes the most difficult to integrate into the mindset and experiences of our community. We speak a lot of solidarity and participate in moments of solidarity, especially with those
We are fortunate that the Season of Creation begins in September when we prepare for the school celebration. The Laudato Si’ themes of environmental care for all of creation mesh with living the charism and legacy of Saint Angela.
experiencing health issues, death in a family, etc. It is more difficult to understand service as integral to our way of life.
In more recent years, however, we have had some good experiences communicating service as an integral part of our lives. Starting with fourth-year students, and according to their interests, they have been helping in some of our after-school projects. In those hours of service, students begin to understand and discover their own gifts, qualities and talents in relation to others, especially those who are younger.
With accumulated service hours, students become eligible to request participation in the mission trip to San Miguel, Cajamarca, in the Andes Mountains. There, they experience giving and receiving, mutual learning and community building with their brothers and sisters in this rural area who have a variety of cultural experiences, values and needs.
The students who participated in this experience this year returned on October 19 after a week in San Miguel and Cajamarca. Several experienced some knocks and bumps, but all experienced the open arm hospitality of our paisanos. Little by little, the students learn that there is more to life than receiving. There is great value in knowing the other who is like you, Peruvian, experiencing hospitality, and the other who is “different,” still Peruvian, but with a different experience of hospitality.
During the recent mission trip to San Miguel with 13 students, Sister Yuli embraced both the privilege and challenge of walking alongside them—sharing in their moments of giving and receiving, the little and the many that any of us have.
Saving bottle caps for funds for children’s burn treatment.
Second graders visiting our home to learn about the Ursulines and Saint Angela.
Sister Loretta Guenther
“Let the little children come to me…for to such belongs the kingdom of heaven.”
—Matthew 19:14
Sister Loretta Guenther, OSU, 90, died in the 72nd year of her religious life on October 7, 2024, at Nazareth Home-Clifton. One of 10 children and a native of Louisville, Kentucky, Wilhelmina Pauline (her baptismal name) attended St. Elizabeth parish school, where she was taught by the Ursulines. She attended Sacred Heart Academy as an aspirant, and she entered the Ursulines in 1952 at age 18.
Sister Loretta served as a cook at the convents of St. Raphael, St. Anthony, St. Peter, Ursuline Academy, Sacred Heart Academy and Ursuline College in Louisville, and at St. Patrick school in Sidney, Nebraska. She also worked in the Ursuline Motherhouse infirmary kitchen.
In 1974, Sister Loretta chose to work at St. Joseph Children’s Home, where she served as a houseparent until her retirement in 2010, a total of 36 years. She received an award of excellence for her superior performance in 1997.
In February 2000, Sister Loretta was honored by the St. Joseph Catholic Orphan Society as the first recipient of the “St. JosephUrsuline Award.” In 2002, the Home established a fund in her
name for education and support expenses for the children that reside at the home, including art, music, gymnastics, and dance classes, as well as recreation activities and educational field trips.
In 2023, St. Joseph Children’s Home named their chapel in honor of Sr. Loretta for her years of service, and a plaque at St. Joseph has a quote from Sister Loretta, “It’s the simplicity, the love that children have that makes them so special. I was so blessed to be at St. Joseph because I know children are close to God.”
Sister Loretta was very devoted to the Blessed Mother and said Mary has appeared to her several times—during grade school while she was in church, during illnesses, in times of need, and while in prayer. She would often say, “She is so beautiful, I pray that I see her again.”
Sister Loretta is the daughter of the late Albert and Wilhelmina Pauline Guenther. She is survived by her brother-in-law, Carl Lawrence; many nieces and nephews, great-nieces and nephews; as well as her community of Ursuline Sisters and Associates.
Sister Shirley Ann Simmons
“Live and behave in such a way that others may see in you a model.”
—St. Angela Merici, 6th Counsel
Ursuline Sister of Louisville Shirley Ann (Joanella) Simmons, OSU, age 99, died in the 82nd year of her religious life on June 9, 2024, at Nazareth Home-Clifton. A native of Heartwell, Nebraska, she graduated from St. Patrick High School in North Platte, where she was taught by the Ursulines, then received a scholarship to attend Ursuline College in Louisville. She entered the Ursulines in 1942 at age 17. In a 2022 interview for her 80th jubilee, Sister recalled one incident as a postulant, where “there was a plate of cookies that somehow ended up in our area. When Sister Sylvester Ahlhaus, who oversaw the postulants, returned to the room, the cookies were gone!” she said, laughing. “We were just young kids and couldn’t resist those cookies!”
Sister Shirley Ann began her 55-year ministry as a teacher in Louisville at St. Boniface parish school in 1944, then later taught at Our Lady of Lourdes parish school and served as principal of St. Elizabeth parish school. She also taught in Cumberland, Maryland, and in Omaha and North Platte, Nebraska. She served as principal
at three schools in Nebraska: St. Patrick Elementary in Sidney; Blessed Sacrament School in Omaha; and St. Luke School in Ogallala from 1975 until her retirement in 1999.
She then served in parish ministry in St. Luke parish until she returned to Louisville in 2012. She volunteered at United Crescent Hill Ministries and in the Ursuline Sisters’ archives for several years.
She earned a bachelor of arts degree in education from the former Ursuline College (now Bellarmine University) in Louisville, and a master of arts degree in education from Creighton University, Omaha.
Sister Shirley Ann is the daughter of the late Niles and Ella Porterfield Simmons. She was also preceded in death by her sister and brother-in-law, Gloria and Joe Dodson; brother John “Jack” Simmons; and brother and sister-in-law Niles Simmons and Joan Cohen. She is survived by several nieces and nephews, greatnieces and nephews, as well as her community of Ursuline Sisters and Ursuline Associates.
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Rev. John Grabish
Ann Greer
Rose Marie Grenewald
Mary Lynn Guettler
Kathleen Gunderson
John and Rhonda Guy
Darlene and George Haarman
Kristen Haarman
Bernadine Hafner
Pat Hahn
Dennis Hanley
Rosemary Harkins
Alice Harris
Elizabeth Harris
Thomas and Marcia Heil
Judy and Tony Heitzman
Robert Heleringer
Lucy Lee Helm
Donna Hemmila
Joan Hennessy
Douglas Henry
Jacqueline Herde
Janet Herold
Lisa Heuser
Mike Hinde
Susan Holahan
Sharon Holliday
Gail Howard
Charlene Hoyer
Sherry Huang
Mary Ann and Gerald Hubbs
Sheila Huff
Nancy Hughes
Patricia Hughes
John and Maria Huson
Clara Louise Iler
Mary Jackey
Leonilda Jamison
Stephen Janda
Karen Jarboe
Lynn Jeffreys
Franklin and Jill Jelsma
Sharon Jewell
Diane Jones
Mike and Kathy Kaufling
Ron Kaufman
Ruth Kelly
Dr. Paul Kelty
Bob Kern
John Kessler
Janet and Ron Ketterer
Frank and Donna Kiley
Louis and Mildred Killmeier
Mary Margaret King
Ann Kist
Annette Klanac
Karen Klapheke
Fred J. Klausing III
Beth and Greg Klem
Pam Klipsch
Lawrence Knabel Jr.
Knights of Columbus -
Sidney, NE
Peter Koffler
Cynthia Kohrs
Mark Kohut
Mary Ann Kollros
Carol and Robert Kopp
Dr. Alexanndra Kreps
Cecilia Kruml
Mary Julia Kuhn
Margie Kummer
Cheryle and Kevin Kuntz
Ann Kupper
Kay Kupper
Mary Linda Laferty
Regina and Anthony Laing
Mary Lou Lally
Mary Ann Larkin
James and Debra Larson
Melody Lawrence
William Leasure Jr.
Regina Ledwick
Joan Leotta
Teresita Lim
Angela Lincoln and Tim Darst
Rev. Daniel Lincoln
Fabian and Joan Lipp
Peggy Liter
Kevin and Elise Lockhart
Jack and Kathy Loeffler
Dave and Diane Lohr
Sisters of Loretto
John Lorenz
Robert and Andra Lubbers
August Lucci
Roger Lucheta
Joe Luckett
Sally and Chuck Lynch
Lyverse Irrevocable Trust
Barbara MacDonald
Ruth MacGregor
Mary Pat Mackin
Kathleen Maginot
Kenneth and Mary Lou Maginot
Mary Mail
Betty Marcellino
Patricia and Bob Markert
Mary Ann Marko
John Marquette
Mary Jo Martin
Kathryn Mattingly
Thank You to Our Donors
Annette Mattingly
Thomas Mattingly
Kate McCormick
Dolores Jean McCrory
Cathy McFarland
Kathleen McHugh
Eithne McMullen
Marysue McNally
Patricia McTigue
Jesse Mendez
Rev. Joseph Merkt
Kerry and Heather Metts
Martha Metz
Gail Meyer
Susan Meyer
Rosemary and Jeffrey Miano
Judith Michels
Betty Mike
Ann Miller
Louise Miller
Mark Miller
Norma Miller
Patricia Bernardi Miller
Norwood and Jean Marie
Miller Jr.
Susan Molony
Sharron Monroe
William Monteith
Elizabeth and Guy Montgomery
Marilyn Montgomery
Betty and Daniel Moore
Mary Ann Moran
Nellie Moreschi
Brenda Mosser
Ruth Mueller
Yvonne Judy Mueller
Jane Ellen Myers
Linda Myers
Vicky Nash
Susan Neal
Radetta Nemcosky
Melvin and Jeannine Nix
Milicent Nolan
Janice Norton
Lizanne O’Bryan
Norma Oeswein
Gerry and Carol O’Farrell
Jim and Naomi Olges Sr.
William Olges
Judy O’Neil
Kevin O’Neil
Mary Jane O’Rourke
Rev. Robert E. Osborne
Steven and Ann Ostling
Roserita Ott
Our Mother of Sorrows Church
Stephen and Theresa Pallardy
Barry and Anna Jo Paul
David W. L. Paulin
Nicholas Payne and Cynthia Heinrich
Jo Ann Peterson
Bob and Joyce Pfaadt
Marsha Pierce
Sue Pile
Janet Pisaneschi
Deborah Powell
Gregory and Therese Purol
Susan and John Rahiya
Ann Ransdell
Felicia and Martin Ray
James and Jane Redmon
Karen Rice
Mark Rice
Paula and Jim Rice
Judee Richardson
Malcolm and Karleen Robertson
Donna Robinson
Mary Rogers
July 1, 2023 — June 30, 2024
The Estate of Ann Roina
Jerrold and Carla Rosen
The Estate of Dolores Rosol
Justine Rostel
Irvin Rueff
E. Peter Rutledge and Jann
Logsdon
Bill and Kaelin Rybak
Joan Sabel
Jeaninne Sandlin
Donna Sansone
Marie Schaefer
Rex and Mary Lu Schardein
David and Judith
Scharfenberger
Paula Schladand
Regina Schmidt
James Schmitt
The Estate of Betty Schulte
Stanley and Nancy Sedlacek
Flo Selby
Michael Sermersheim
Barbara Shaw
Erika Shook
Evelyn Siemens
Bud and Barbara Simmons
Sheryl Singleton
James Sinnott
Janie Smith
John and Joann Smith
Mary Ann Smith
Katherine Sniegon
Jan Snyder
Dorothy Solomon
Mary Spalding
Peter Sparano
Diane Spicer
Nick and Bonita Spiegl
William and Margaret Staarman
Regina C. Staiger
Beth and Pete Staley
Stanford Children’s Hospital Nurses & Respiratory Therapists
Edward Stanley
Jerry Stanley
Nancy Staresinic
Dr. Mary Elaine Stauble and Dr. Bruce Tasch
Susanne Steinbock
Mary Steinmetz
Laurie Stemler
Barbara Stenger
Martha Stephenson
Kathleen Stewart
Karen Stocker
John and Mary Stocker
Darlene Stoddard
Rita Stone
Rita Stosberg
Susan Strom
Pamela Strothman
Maria Stuckenborg
Barbara Szambelan
Michael and Mary Tangney
Jeanette Saddler Taylor
Alice Taylor
Faith Thomas
James Thomas
Martha Thomas
Barbara Todd
Frances Ann Tompkins
Loc Tran
Qui Tran
Debra and John Treadwell
Michael Treinen
Roxanna and Gary Trivitt
Mary Ellen Tucker
Eugene and Rosemary Turano
Mary Louise Turner
Patricia Turner
Colleen Underhill
Maureen and Jeffrey Underhill
Beverly Vance
John Venhoff
Richard Vollmer
Mark Vorder-Bruegge Jr.
Mary Vowels
Kathleen Wagner
Linda Walker
Patricia Walsh
Thomas Walsh
Joseph Warren
Mickie Watts
Mary Jean Weckman
Wayne and Janice Weller
Carrie Wentzel
Linda Wentzel
Kathryn Whelan
David and Inez White
Renee and Tinze White
Jim and Sharon Wilberding
Peggy Wilhelm
Patsy Wilkison
Nancy and Jack Willenbrink
Anne Williams
Kathy Williams
Joan Winkler
Jay and Alice Wissing
Mary Marlene Wolf
Katherine and Kai Kit Wong
Mary Rose Wright
Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs LLP
Gy Yatros and Family
Charlotte Young
Jerilyn Zapp
William Zapp
Peter Zemelka
Raymond and Deborah Zoeller
Catherine Zoercher
Gifts In Honor Of July 1, 2023 — June 30, 2024
SHARON ARNOLD
Mary Ann and Gerald Hubbs
SISTER BARBARA BIR, OSU
Janet Herold
Jeanette Saddler Taylor
SISTER ANTONINE BIVEN, OSU
Darlene and George Haarman
BLESSED SACRAMENT PITTSBURGH
Carol Chester
SISTER JULIA DAVIS, OSU
Erika Shook
SISTER RITA DRESSMAN, OSU
Mary Lou Lally
SISTER CLARA FEHRINGER, OSU
Dan and Kathleen Fehringer
SISTER CLARA FEHRINGER’S 70TH JUBILEE
Mary Marlene Wolf
GOD’S GLORY
Dennis and Beth Ford
SISTER MARY JO GRAMIG, OSU
Douglas Henry
SISTER JULIENNE GUY, OSU
John and Rhonda Guy
SISTER JULIENNE GUY’S 75TH JUBILEE
Marilyn Montgomery
Mary Marlene Wolf
SISTER RUTH ANN HAUNZ, OSU
Mary Jo Martin
Bob and Joyce Pfaadt
SISTER JO ANN JANSING, OSU
Kathleen McHugh
SISTER RITA JOSEPH
JARRELL’S 60TH JUBILEE
Lisa Heuser
SISTER MARY DONATA KOKOT, OSU
Flo Selby
SISTER DONATA KOKOT’S 75TH JUBILEE
Jeaninne Sandlin
SISTER LORETTA
KRAJEWSKI, OSU
Fr. Bryan Ernest
SISTER THERESA KRUML, OSU
Cecilia Kruml
SISTER ANNE MARY LOCHNER, OSU
Darlene and George Haarman
SUZANNE LUCHETA
Roger Lucheta
CAROL LYLE
Susan Casey
Douglas Henry
SISTER CARMENCITA
MOORE, OSU
Jeaninne Sandlin
SISTER MARILYN
MUELLER, OSU
Mary N. Jackey
SISTER MARILYN
MUELLER MUELLER’S 70TH JUBILEE
Dennis Hanley
SISTER KATHLEEN NEELY, OSU
Kathryn Mattingly
Thomas A. Mattingly
SISTER JANET MARIE
PETERWORTH, OSU
Melvin and Jeannine Nix
THE URSULINES THAT TAUGHT IN PITTSBURGH
Kathleen and Joe Cenci
ANTHONY PLIS
Ann Kist
SISTER MARY SUE
SCHARFENBERGER, OSU
Robert and Paula Englert
David and Judith Scharfenberger
SHA CLASS OF ‘59
Mary Ann and Gerald Hubbs
SHA CLASS OF ‘67
Rosemary and Jeffrey Miano
SISTER SHIRLEY ANN SIMMONS, OSU
Fr. Bryan Ernest
DORIS SINGLETON
Sheryl A. Singleton
SISTER MARTHA BUSER’S RECOVERY
Susan Strom
SISTER MARTHA JACOB’S JUBILEE
Teri Gordon
THE SISTERS AT ST.
VINCENT DEPAUL
Roger Lucheta
SISTER MARY MARTHA
STAARMAN, OSU
Rev. John Grabish
William and Margaret Staarman
PATRICIA ANN STENGER
Barbara Jean Stenger
THE SISTERS WHO SERVED IN PERU
William and Margaret Staarman
THE SISTERS WHO TAUGHT IN PITTSBURGH, PA
Carol Chester
THE URSULINE SISTERS OF PITTSBURGH
Carol Chester
SAUNDRA UHDE
Mary Ann and Gerald Hubbs
Gifts In Memory Of July 1, 2023 — June 30, 2024
SISTER ELISSA ADAMS, OSU
Jerry Altstadt
SUZANNE ALTMAN
Patricia McTigue
HENRICA J. (RICA)
ANTOINE
Mary Sue and Bob Becker
BILL BELL
Barbara and Bud Simmons
JOSEPH BESENDORF
Lawrence and Jan
Bloemer Jr.
Jonathan Canine
Lyverse Irrevocable Trust
Elizabeth and Guy
Montgomery
Richard Vollmer
BARBARA M. BOGOVICH
Paul P. Bogovich
SISTER MARY JOACHIM
BOGOVICH, OSU
Paul P. Bogovich
CATHERINE O. BOWRON
Patricia Bowron
CHARLES BOYLE
Rose M. Boyle
JACK BOYLE
Rose M. Boyle
MADELINE BOYLE
Rose M. Boyle
NANCY BOYLE
Rose M. Boyle
RUTH BOYLE
Rose M. Boyle
LEONILDA KLUESNER
BROWN
Leonilda Jamison
SISTER LILLIAN ANN
BROWN, OSU
Elsie Boyd
Mary Jane Smith
Renee and Tinze White
SISTER MARJORIE
BURGE, OSU
Dr. John Spalding Gatton
SISTER MARY LAURANA
BURKE, OSU
Michael Dorn
SISTER MARTHA BUSER, OSU
Anonymous
Albert and Judith Anthony
UKRAINIAN FRIENDS
ALEXANDRA SOROKA AND HER HUSBAND
Michael Dorn
URSULINE ACADEMY
PITTSBURGH CLASS OF ‘65
Donna Jean Hemmila
URSULINE ACADEMY
PITTSBURGH CLASS OF ‘56
Barbara Szambelan
URSULINE SISTERS
Alice Ernst
URSULINE SISTERS FROM CUMBERLAND, MD
Eugene and Rosemary Turano
SISTER LORNA WEILER, OSU
Patricia A. Casillo
Dr. John Spalding Gatton
Meredith and Glenn Gogan
Jan Snyder
SISTER MARY DENIS
WEST, OSU
Dolores Jean McCrory
Joan Sabel
ROSALIE ZANGARI
Louis and Mildred Killmeier
SISTER JEAN ANNE
ZAPPA, OSU
Deborah Bagnato
Cathy Bannon
Kathy DeLozier
Joan M. Echsner
Jan Farrell
Judy and Tony Heitzman
Ruth D. Kelly
Bob Kern
Karen Klapheke
Beth and Greg Klem
Mary Ann Larkin
Mary Mail
Ann Miller
Elizabeth and Guy Montgomery
Nicholas Payne and Cynthia
Heinrich
Sue Pile
Barbara and Bud Simmons
John and Joann Smith
Roxanna and Gary Trivitt
Maureen and Jeffrey Underhill
Patricia Walsh
Patricia Wilkison
CAROLE CALVERT
Yvonne Mueller
SISTER MARY SAMUEL
CARTER, OSU
Jerry and Katherine Bean
WILLIAM CARTER, JR.
Jerry and Katherine Bean
BARBARA CASSIDY
Alvin Cassidy
SISTER MARY BRENDAN
CONLON, OSU
Mary Julia Kuhn
Beth and Pete Staley
Gifts In Memory Of July 1, 2023 — June 30, 2024
KENNETH CRAWFORD
Kathy Williams
PAULA CUDA
Joan Leotta
SISTER ERNESTINE DAVIS, OSU
Dave and Diane Lohr
MOTHER MARY
DECHANTEL, OSU
Dr. Alexanndra Kreps
SISTER VERA DEL GRANDE, OSU
Thomas and Marcia Heil
SISTER ASSUMPTA DEVINE, OSU
Jerrold and Carla Rosen
DOLORES DIMARIA
Janice Dimaria
SISTER LAURA DUERR, OSU
Rose Marie Grenewald
MARGARET DUES
Deborah Curran
Donna S. Sansone
SISTER ESTHER
FEHRINGER, OSU
Dan and Kathleen Fehringer
MARY LOUISE “Peasie” FISCHER
Our Mother of Sorrows
Church
SISTER CLARICE FORTMAN
James Thomas
SISTER DOROTHY FRANKRONE, OSU
Patricia Andres
DR. WILLIAM FREEMAN
Colleen Freeman
SISTER ESTELLE GATHOF, OSU
Richard Barrett
SISTER MARY JOYCE GEORGEL, OSU
Malcolm and Karleen
Robertson Jr.
JOANNE GONZALEZ
Jeanette Saddler Taylor
SISTER GEORGINE
GRABENSTEIN, OSU
Regina and Anthony Laing
SISTER MARGARET ANN HAGAN, OSU
Anonymous
MARY LOUISE HAMPTON
Yvonne Mueller
SISTER MARY LEE
HANSEN, OSU
Sue Pile
SISTER JO ANN HAUNTZ, OSU
Susanne Steinbock
SISTER KEVIN HAYDEN, OSU
Patricia Andres
CAROL HECKMAN
Donna J. Burton
SISTER ANDREW
HEESACKER, OSU
William Zapp
CLARICE HELTMAN
James Thomas
ANTHONY HILDENBRAND JR.
Linda Walker
SISTER JOSEPHINE
HILDENBRAND, OSU
Linda Walker
SISTER MARY
HILDENBRAND, OSU
Linda Walker
BETTY JEAN HORSMAN
Marian and John Ackerman
Anonymous
Bruce and Mary Ann Bell
Whit and Lesa Boone
Christoper and Valerie Brooker
Ellen Creely
Franklin and Jill Jelsma
Mike and Kathy Kaufling
Beth and Greg Klem
Melody Lawrence
Fabian and Joan Lipp
Sally and Chuck Lynch
Ruth MacGregor
Annette Mattingly
Kerry and Heather Metts
Susan Neal
Steven and Ann Ostling
Gregory and Therese Purol
Evelyn Siemens
Mark Vorder-Bruegge Jr.
Wayne and Janice Weller
Wyatt, Tarrant & Combs LLP
Gy Yatros and Family
CAROLINE HOYER
Charlene Hoyer
SISTER DOLORES
HUDSON, OSU
Mary Margaret Wilhelm
MARY CAROLYN ISING
Leonilda Jamison
WILLIAM R. JEWELL
Deborah Powell
SISTER MARY RUTH
KELLY, OSU
Antionette Corey
JO KERN
Bob Kern
ROBERTA “BOBBIE MAE” KESSLER
John Kessler
FRANK KIST
Ann Kist
SISTER MARY WILLIAM KLIPSCH, OSU
Pam Klipsch
ANN AND FRANK KOHUT
Mark Kohut
SISTER COLETTE KRAEMER, OSU
Cheryle and Kevin Kuntz
AMANDA KRUSE
Frances Ann Tompkins
SISTER CHRISTINE LESOUSKY, OSU
Louise and Richard Eiswirth
SISTER MARY LAVINIA
LESOUSKY, OSU
Louise and Richard Eiswirth
MARGARET M. LINCOLN
Rev. Daniel Lincoln
SISTER ANNE MARY LOCHNER, OSU
Gina Cammarano
Nancy and Kirsten
Cammarano
Jan Farrell
Darlene and George Haarman
James and Debra Larson
Judy and Mick O’Neil
Sue Pile
Sisters of Loretto
SISTER AGNES MARIE
LONG, OSU
Eithne McMullen
SISTER GEORGE MARIE
LONG, OSU
Eithne McMullen
SISTER MARIA GORETTI
LOVETT, OSU
Jean Anderson
Anonymous
Frederick and Christina Castellano
Katherine Sniegon
Mary Ellen Tucker
SISTER PATRICIA
LOWMAN, OSU
Gail Meyer
Bob and Joyce Pfaadt
Katherine Sniegon
Jim and Sharon Wilberding
SISTER MARY DOLORITA
LUTSIE, OSU
Norman and Nancy Ferrari
SISTER LORRAINE
MAGINOT, OSU
Kathleen Maginot
Linda Walker
EDWARD MATTINGLY
Kathryn Mattingly
MARY THERESE
MATTINGLY
Kathryn Mattingly
SISTER MARY PATRICK MCGINNIS
Pat Hahn
JACK MILLER
Patricia Bernardi Miller
JAMES “Jamie” MILLER
Patricia Bernardi Miller
JOSEPH MILLER
Patricia Bernardi Miller
PAUL W. MILLER SR.
Patricia Bernardi Miller
SISTER HERMINA
MILTENBERGER, OSU
Jane Beard
Marjorie Cessna
SISTER ROSAIRE
MILTENBERGER, OSU
Jane Beard
Marjorie Cessna
TODD FRANCIS MOORE
Betty and Daniel Moore
SISTER ROSE ANN
MULLER, OSU
Nancy Cilento
Tonda Elderkin
Rosemary M. Harkins
Patricia Hughes
Judith A. Michels
Sue Pile
SISTER ANNUNCIATA
MUTH, OSU
James and Jane Redmon
SISTER BERNADINE
NASH, OSU
Vicky Nash
THERESA NEWTON
Judy Breitenstein
Deborah Eger
Gail Howard
Mary Linda Laferty
Marysue McNally
Brenda Mosser
Janice Norton
Paula Schladand
Mary Ann Smith
Laurie J. Stemler
Kathleen Stewart
BARBARA NOE
Diane Jones
SISTER FRANCETTA
OLGES, OSU
Naomi and Jim Olges
SISTER RITA OLGES, OSU
Naomi and Jim Olges
CAROLYN O’ROURKE
Cathy McFarland
SISTER MARY SEBASTIAN
PASSAFIUME, OSU
Mary Lee Broyles
SISTER EMILY PEETZ, OSU
Dorothy Solomon
SISTER CLETA PFAADT, OSU
Bob and Joyce Pfaadt
SISTER EVELINA
PISANESCHI, OSU
Janet I. Pisaneschi
SISTER JUDITH RICE, OSU
Kathy Beckman
Lawrence and Jan
Bloemer Jr.
Elizabeth Carney
Jane Cruthirds
Mary Louis Davitt
Sr. Carmelita Dunn and Sr. Gail Collins, SCN
Jan Farrell
Lana Kelly Fitzgerald
Jane Gilbert
Lucy Lee Helm
Susan Holahan
Sheila Huff
Patricia Hughes
Ruth D. Kelly
Beth and Greg Klem
Susan Meyer
Elizabeth and Guy
Montgomery
Judy and Mick O’Neil
Marsha Pierce
Sue Pile
Felicia Ray
Donna Robinson
Justine Rostel
E. Peter Rutledge and Jann
Logsdon
DONOR GIFTS
Gifts In Memory Of
Barbara and Bud Simmons
Nick and Bonita Spiegl
Mary Elaine Stauble
Martha Thomas
Barbara Todd
Colleen Underhill
Carrie Wentzel
Kathryn Whelan
Nancy and Jack Willenbrink
Joan V. Winkler
SISTER MILDRED MAE RUEFF, OSU
Ellen and Thomas Giesler
SISTER ANNETTE RUTLEDGE, OSU
James Thomas
HILDA RALEY SADDLER
Jeanette Saddler Taylor
THELMA SCHARFENBERGER
David and Judith Scharfenberger
MR. AND MRS. PAUL SCHMIDT
Regina H. Schmidt
SISTER MARY TERENCE
SCHMITT, OSU
Gail Meyer
SISTER MARY MARGARET SCHMOLL, OSU
Rose Marie Grenewald
SISTER ANGELICE
SEIBERT, OSU
Rev. Daniel Lincoln
SISTER THECLA SHIEL, OSU
John and Betty Bentz
SISTER SHIRLEY ANN SIMMONS, OSU
Ann Greer
Kevin and Elise Lockhart
SISTER MARY DONALD
SINKHORN, OSU
Beverly Vance
SISTER URSULA FROM BURNSIDE, KY
James Thomas
SISTERS WHO TAUGHT AT STS PETER AND PAUL IN CUMBERLAND, MD
William A. Leasure Jr.
MERRY M. SPARANO
Peter Sparano
ST. PATRICK’S-NORTH PLATTE
Timothy Burke
DONALD STAUBLE
Deborah Armbruster
GERI STAUBLE
Deborah Armbruster
July 1, 2023 — June 30, 2024
SISTER SARAH STAUBLE, OSU
Mary Spalding
MARY HELEN STEINAUER
Robert Heleringer
EDWARD STEINMETZ JR.
Mary Steinmetz
VIOLA STENGER
Barbara Jean Stenger
WILLIAM STENGER
Barbara Jean Stenger
KENNETH STEPHENSON
Martha Stephenson
GEORGE STODDARD
Darlene Stoddard
WILLIAM STONE
Rita Stone
FRANCES ELIZABETH
BERRY THACKER
Mary Ellen Tucker
DOROTHY TKAC
Anne Williams
MIMI ELLEN TKAC
Anne Williams
LE LE TRAN
Michelle Cheung Choo
Sherry Huang
Teresita Lim
Stanford Children’s Hospital
Nurses & Respiratory
Therapists
Qui Tran
DOROTHY TREINEN
Michael Treinen
LILLIAN TURNER
Mary Louise Turner
URSULINE ACADEMY
PITTSBURGH, PA
Carol Chester
SISTER ROSEMARY VAN
AUSDALE, OSU
John Venhoff
MARIAN VOWELS
Darlene Stoddard
MILDRED M. VOWELS
Darlene Stoddard
SISTER MARY CATHERINE VUKMANIC, OSU
Teddy L. Flynt
Faith Thomas
SISTER ANTHONY WARGEL, OSU
Paul and Patsy DeBorde
Gerry and Carol O’Farrell
NANCY WEICKEL
Martha Stephenson
PAT WERNERT
Mary Ann Smith
CHARLES AND JEAN
WILL SR.
Diane Jones
NANCY WILLIAMS
Mary Rogers
SISTER MARY JEANINE
WOLFF, OSU
Ann Kupper
SISTER ROSALITA
WUERSCH, OSU
Sharon Holliday
Stephen and Theresa Pallardy
SISTER THEOPHANE WUERSCH, OSU
Stephen and Theresa Pallardy
SALLIE YAGEL
Kevin O’Neil
ROSALIE ZANGARI
Louis and Mildred Killmeier
CLARA ZOELLER
Diane Buddell
Sisters in Mission
Boards
AWARE (Agricultural Workers Are Respected Equals)
Community Catholic Center
Friends of Escapulas
Hildegard House
Holy Cross High School
Interfaith Paths to Peace
Nativity Academy
PATH (People Against Trafficking Humans) Coalition of Kentucky
Pitt Academy
Sacred Heart Schools
St. Benedict Child Care Center
St. Frances of Rome Parish Council
St. Paul Roman Catholic Church
Parish Council
St. Vincent de Paul Society
United Crescent Hill Ministries
Ursuline Associates
Ursuline Sisters Charitable Trust
Women Religious Archives Collaborative (WRAC)
July 1, 2023 — June 30, 2024
Committees
Buechel/Hikes Point Ministries (steering)
Cry of Earth, Cry of Humanity
Guiding Team
Fortunate Families (LGBTQ)
Holy Cross High School Curriculum
LCWR Region 6 (executive)
National Association of Catholic Chaplains (NACC) Regional
Norton Hospitals (pastoral care)
Our Lady of Lourdes Parish (finance)
Ursuline Charism and Spirituality
Facilitating Team
Ursuline Fun Committee
Ursuline Funeral Planning
Ursuline Governance Guiding Team
Ursuline Social Concerns
Ursuline Social Justice
Ursuline Synod and Synodality
Volunteer
AMC Lobby Day in Frankfort
Archdiocese of Louisville
Prison Ministry
Agricultural Workers Are Respected
Equals (AWARE)
Casa Latina
Catechesis of the Good Shepherd
English as a Second Language (ESL)
Family Community Clinic
Greenwood Cemetery
Community Partners
Hand in Hand Ministries
Kids’ Café
Discalced Carmelite Sisters (Louisville)
Coming to a mailbox near you!
Be on the lookout in January for a postcard survey mailed to you. We are asking you to indicate your preference as to whether you wish to continue to receive the printed DOME in the mail, or would like to receive it via email.
Nominate a Deserving Woman for the
Masonic Homes Kentucky
Nativity Academy at St. Boniface
Nazareth Home–Clifton
Nazareth Home–Highlands
Norton Children’s Hospital
Olmsted Parks Conservancy
Shively Area Ministries
St. Frances of Rome Church
St. Lawrence Church
St. Vincent de Paul Society
St. William Parish
U of L Hospital
United Crescent Hill
Ministries
Wayside Christian Mission
A nominee must meet the following criteria:
• Demonstrates Christian leadership as a disciple of Jesus Christ by being actively involved with challenges that face women and families today.
• Reflects a contemplative love of God, resulting in an openness and eagerness to serve the needs of others.
• Currently has a personal connection to the Ursuline Sisters of Louisville.
• Is able to receive the award in person at a ceremony on October 19, 2025.
• For more information and to download a nomination form, please visit: https://ursulinesisterslouisville.org/angeline-award/
Deadline for nominations is February 3, 2025. Note: Associates and USAE employees are not eligible for the award.
3115 Lexington Road Louisville, Kentucky 40206
www.ursulinesisterslouisville.org
New Videos On Our Website!
You can now view videos of our virtual Chapel tour on our website, as well as videos of individual Sisters sharing the story of their call to their vocation and ministries. Follow the links and QR codes below to view these exciting videos.
https://ursulinesisterslouisville.org/video-interviews/
