Powerhouse of Prayer

Sister Francis Louise Johnson enjoys praying quietly in the Motherhouse Chapel in the presence of the Blessed Sacrament. But she also likes to pray by the lake at Maple Mount.

“I think water is a wonderful place to pray,” she said. Sister Francis Louise – her friends call her “Sister Lou” – has been able to pray at both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans several times.

“Praying at the ocean was a very deep experience of God,” Sister Lou said. “It just makes me think of the very beginning of creation. I think those waves have been all over the world.”

Sister Lou is in her 67th year as an Ursuline Sister. She taught third through eighth grades during her 26 years as a teacher. During five years as a parish minister in Paducah, Ky., she also taught five college courses. She was a pastoral associate for 13 years in Pewee Valley, Ky., then returned to Maple Mount to serve as Guest House coordinator for 14 years. Since 2003, she has also been a faithful deliverer of mail for the Sisters, and these days is active in the Powerhouse of Prayer.

“I read a book from (Father Ronald) Rolheiser who said, ‘prayer is our deepest longing.’ Just be still and be with God,” Sister Lou said. “Be still and don’t say anything. That’s a very good prayer – to remember God’s presence wherever you are. God promised, ‘I will always be with you.’” While leading RCIA in the two parishes where she served, Sister Lou could sense God working in a powerful way for people looking to join the Catholic Church. “Our job in RCIA was to bring the fruits of the faith, to try to explain the sacraments, the Mass and the Eucharist,” she said. “I always had a meeting with each person, and they all said that what brought them into the Church was the Mass and the Eucharist. Once they found that, they didn’t need to search anymore.”

Sister Lou enjoys both the community prayers with her Sisters and praying alone in the chapel or in her room.

“I have more time to pray now, I’m happy about that,” she said. “I’m happy my parents taught me to pray from an early age.”

The Sisters are blessed that they don’t have to struggle to make it to Mass or receive the sacraments, she said. The “Our Father” is her favorite prayer, but for people who say they can’t find time to pray, Sister Lou has a simple response.

“Do you have time to breathe?” she said. “You can pray anywhere. Even a small prayer like ‘Jesus’ or ‘Mary.’”

With the beauty in full bloom at Maple Mount, Sister Lou takes the opportunity to bring her prayers outside.

“Prayer is lifting up our minds and hearts to God. God is with us all the time,” she said. “I like to go outside and pray with the flowers and the trees. I can say, ‘Thank you God for the beauty.’ That’s a prayer.”

Friends can write to Sister Francis Louise at 8001 Cummings Road, Maple Mount, KY 42356.

Casa Ursulina.

“I was so impressed by the work that they do there,” Jayne said. “We loved Casa Ursulina, we wanted to keep supporting that mission, and all that the Sisters do.

“The Casa Ursulina women were grateful, and their lives were so enhanced by Casa Ursulina. It verified their worth in the world,” Jayne said. “They had very difficult lives. It gave them self-worth and some money. We could see the joy in their faces. I could see how dedicated Sister Mimi and Sister Ruth were. You can’t save the world, but you can do a little bit in your corner of the world to make it better.”

Have the Ursuline Sisters influenced your life? If you would like to learn more about ways you can support the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, contact Carol BradenClarke, director of Development, at 270-229-2008, or carol. braden-clarke@maplemount. org.n