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Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint JosephProclaiming Jesus through Education and Christian Formation

Summer 2006Volume 4, No. 3

U r s u l i n e s A L I V E

In this issueRare and Impossible Things .......... 3Glennonville and Ursulinescelebrate a long history together

A Warm, Welcoming Presence ...... 6Sister Mary Sheila is the face of theChurch in south central Missouri

“Honey” Celebrates 56 Yearsat Mount Saint Joseph ................. 10The Stelmachs are loyal friendsof the Ursuline community

Giving and Receiving .....................11Charitable gift annuities bless thegiver and the receiver

Soli Deo Gloria .............................. 12We rejoice in the gifts of our sisters,given for the kingdom of God

OUR MISSION

We, the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph,sustained by prayer

and vowed life in community,proclaim Jesus through education

and Christian formationin the spirit of our founder,

Saint Angela Merici.

OUR VISION

As Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, we will:• Commit ourselves to simplicity, hospitality, justice

and service;• Reverence the values of our founding rural

heritage;• Live and minister contemplatively as women of

hope;• Witness gospel values through the charism of Saint

Angela Merici;• Bind ourselves to one another in charity,

celebrating and respecting the uniqueness of eachperson;

• Invite and mentor new members;• Respond to the signs of the times and the needs of

the Church and the world through collaborativerelationships; and

• Stand in prophetic witness to the world by living inright relationships with the earth and the humanfamily to effect justice through systemic change.

COVER PHOTO: In her hometown of Glennonville, Missouri, Janet WeidenbennerKuper has served the children of St. Teresa School for 23 years, first as a teacher,the past nine as principal. The descendant of Glennonville pioneers on both sidesof her family, Janet is the great-great-niece of Glennonville founder FatherFrederick Peters. She began her Ursuline education as a first-grader at St. Teresaand is a 1979 graduate of Brescia College (now University), a sponsored institutionof the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph. She also holds a masters degree intheology from Loyola University, New Orleans. “I love to teach religion!” she says.Janet and her husband, Steven, have three sons and one daughter. She credits theUrsulines — and the spirit of Saint Angela Merici — with inspiring St. Teresastudents “to be adventurous, to reach out beyond themselves.” Janet, who is anUrsuline Associate, is certainly carrying on this tradition! The Glennonville storybegins on page 3.

Ursulines Alive is published by the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph, Maple Mount, Kentucky.Three Issues — Spring, Summer, and Fall — will appear during 2006.

Editor: Sister Ruth Gehres, OSUPhotography and production assistance: Jerry Birge, Jennifer Kaminski

Mission Advancement Staff: Sister Suzanne Sims, Director of Mission AdvancementSister Rose Marita O’Bryan, Director of Mission EffectivenessSister Pam Mueller, Director of Vocation MinistryJerry P. Birge, Director of Marketing and CommunicationsMarian Bennett, Sister Marietta Wethington,

Co-directors of Ursuline PartnershipsSister Ruth Gehres, Associate Director of CommunicationsMelanie Sears, Administrative AssistantJennifer Kaminski, Graphic Designer/Administrative Assistant

We welcome your response to Ursulines Alive. You may contact us at: Ursulines Alive, c/o UrsulineSisters of Mount Saint Joseph, 8001 Cummings Road, Maple Mount KY. Phone: (270) 229-4103.Fax: (270) 229-4953. E-mail: ualive@maplemount.org. Web site: www.ursulinesmsj.org.

FROM OUR CONGREGATIONAL LEADERSister Michele Morek, OSU

Dear Friends,

One of my favorite events in early summer is the fall ofwinged seeds from the maple trees. They provide hoursof fun for kids of all ages as they “helicopter” down —this kid likes to kick bunches of them off a high bridgeover Panther Creek, so I can watch them for a long waydown as they spin and twinkle in the sun!

I realize they are not meant solely for myentertainment. Maple trees have worked for millions of years to develop just the rightpackage to ensure that their DNA gets passed down to another generation of mapletrees, and another, and another…and that some of the seeds of a new generation canfall just exactly where they can thrive.

Ursuline Sisters have been carrying Saint Angela Merici’s “spiritual DNA,” or charism,around the world since 1535. In the United States, we have taken root in so manykinds of soil, from the prairie loam of North Dakota to the silty clay of Louisiana,from the east coast to the west, in every place we have gone to plant the good news ofGod’s kingdom.

In this issue you will enjoy reading about the seedlings that sprouted and the seeds stillbeing sown in Missouri — gifts from Maple Mount that show the people of the “ShowMe” state the love God has for them. You’ll also read about a special lady who came tous many years ago as a special blessing all the way from Poland. Enjoy the stories, andenjoy all the blessings of summer!

Sister Michele Morek, OSUCongregational Leader, Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph

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C elebrating the kickoff of the centennial year of Glennonville, Missouri, and St. Teresa Parish, an enthusiastic group of Ursuline Sisters and others who had taught or grown up in Glennonville gathered last November 6 for an added celebration — the dedication of the new St. Teresa School. The Most Rev. John Leibrecht, bishop of the Springfield-

Cape Girardeau Diocese, presided at the Mass and school dedication, assisted by St. Teresa pastor Father Glenn Eftink andDeacon Fred Hirtz. In his homily, the bishop noted that it is rare for a parish to celebrate its 100th anniversary by dedicating anew Catholic school building. Upon hearing these words I thought, “Rare and almost impossible things have been going onhere for a long time.”

If you’re one of those people who simply must locate Glennonville on a state map, don’t strain your eyes for the town’s name.Instead, notice how the lower right-hand corner of Missouri sort of dips down into Arkansas, creating an area that resembles

Rare and Impossible ThingsGlennonville and Ursulines celebrate a long history togetherby Sister Rebecca White, OSU

the heel of a boot.This area is dubbed“The Bootheel.”Glennonville, inDunklin County, isat the upper left-hand corner of theBootheel.

With a population ofapproximately 300,this farmingcommunity has a flatlandscape, with fewtrees to obscure theview. Of note amongthe trees that dostand inGlennonville are the two largest sassafrases in Missouri,growing on St. Teresa Parish property. (Every town needs itsclaim to fame, right?) When I was growing up inGlennonville, the center of town consisted of a church,elementary school, and cemetery (all Catholic), plus onetavern and about 20 homes. Just south of town-central werethe Knights of Columbus Hall and Hirtz’s general store. Theoutlying parts of Glennonville included what we would nowconsider small farms and large families. Almost all of thefamilies were of German heritage.

In my day, St. Teresa Parish and School met most of theCatholics’ religious and social needs, but we depended onnearby towns for almost everything else. Because our postoffice had long since closed its doors, our mailing address wasCampbell, a town 10 miles away. Our daily newspaper came

from Poplar Bluff,21 miles away. Ourtelephone exchangewas in Qulin, sevenmiles away. Ourwater was piped infrom Malden, 12miles away.

When we werefourth graders, mybest friend and Idecided to co-authora book about FatherFrederick Peters,who had foundedthis colony and

parish. We walked to the cemetery, conscientiously copiedthe historical information from his grave marker, and got nofurther with our book idea. Because he played a major role inSt. Teresa’s 100-year history, Father Peters’ name will bementioned frequently in this reflection. However, this isNOT a continuation of my fourth-grade book.

According to Sister Teresa Thomas’ book, The Eye, Arm,Spine of the Wilderness, my hometown got its start when theColonization Realty Company, headed by Archbishop JohnJ. Glennon of St. Louis, purchased a tract of land in theBootheel for the purpose of Catholic colonization. In 1905,the archbishop appointed Father Frederick Peters to found acolony on this tract of land. (In 1908, the archbishop sentFather Vecent Tesselaar to found a Dutch Catholic colony

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Ursuline Sisters present for the November 6 celebration at Glennonville gather for aphoto with Bishop John Leibrecht. From left, Sister Rebecca White, a native ofGlennonville; Sister Joan Mary Riedley, teacher at St. Teresa School, 1977-86; SisterRita Scott, teacher, 1974-82; Sister Carol Shively, principal, 1987-96; Sister AmeliaStenger, a Glennonville native; Sister Mary Eileen Howard, teacher, 1973-74.

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and parish on a portion of the original acreage. The colony he named Wilhelmina — inhonor of the reigning queen of the Netherlands — and the parish, Sacred Heart.

Father Peters and two friends from St. Louis, Edward Bihr and James Hogan, rode horsesfrom Malden to the place where the priest had been sent. Father Peters describes what theysaw that wet, cold day, November 5, 1905: “There were four small box shanties throughwhich the wind played at will, the rain dashed without much hindrance, and the sun castshadows upon the floor. There was the old sawmill almost without a covering, and the heavymachinery had sunk through the rotted logs into mother earth.”

This had once been the thrivingsawmill town of Paragon andthe location of the Moss-TieCompany, but only three or four families still lived in the area,along the banks of the St. Francis River. How is it, I wonder, thatno one noticed the impossibility of building a farming colony inthis swampy, cut-over woodland?

Father Peters thought it could be done, so he rode to the highest,driest spot he could find and declared it the center of the newcolony. He named the town Glennonville, in honor ofArchbishop Glennon, and the new parish St. Teresa, in honor ofhis mother. Soon, the three men pulled the old saw out of theground and began cutting timber for the homes of futurepioneers. In the first two years, they sawed more than a millionfeet of lumber. Father Peters established and managed three

factories for the production of axe handles, barrel staves, and barrelheads. Temporary settlers worked in the factories butmoved elsewhere as the work slowed and came to a stop.

In 1906, Father Peters began contacting Catholics who he thought had the stamina and spirit of true pioneers. With a deepdesire to farm their own land, Joseph Stolle, J. H. Kerpereine, George Siebert, Jerry McLaughlin, George Peters, and BenjaminH. Fortman responded by bringing their families to this colony. They, in turn, invited other Catholics to join this project.

Rare and Impossible Things continued from page 3

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At St. Teresa Parish in Glennonville, I sensed a real spirit of goodness and true Christian community. The children wereinterested in education, and there were no problems that required me to discipline them.

Once, after we had celebrated Mass in our classroom, someone asked an 8-year-old, “How was the Mass.” He said,“Wonderful! Jesus came.”

At another time during the year I was there, two of the children — twin boys — experienced the sadnessof their grandfather’s death. The principal came to our classroom door and called me and the twograndsons into the hall to tell us what had happened. The boys stayed in the hall, waiting for a familymember to take them home. When I went back to the classroom, I told the other children about thedeath of Grandpa Weidenbenner. We said a prayer together, and then we resumed our normalclassroom activities. A few minutes later, one of the third-grade boys came to my desk and asked, “Sister,may I go out into the hall and try to comfort the twins?”

So many things that happened there touched my heart. I felt at home and very welcome.

Sister Francis Louise Johnson, teacher at Glennonville, 1973

Cotton-picking was a backbreaking task for the Missouribootheel farmers.The cotton sacks — which could hold morethan 100 pounds — hung to the ground from the pickers’shoulders. Gunny sacks were used by the children, some asyoung as 4 or 5. (Photo courtesy of Darrall Hirtz.)

From a former Ursuline teacher at Glennonville . . .

Father Frederick F. Peters, founderof the Catholic colony ofGlennonville. (Photo courtesy ofarchivist Audrey P. Newcomer ofthe Archdiocese of St. Louis.)

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Soured by swamp water, Glennonville’s soil had to bedrained, left to air, and mixed with plenty of manurebefore it could be farmed. Despite the pioneers’ intenselabor, crop returns were poor, a situation made worse byone flood after the other.

When crops were lean, the pioneers survived on the nuts,berries, and wild meat. Among the wild animals in thewoods were thousands of cattle, owned by people wholived far away. These large animals were as wild as any wolfor bobcat and could be just as dangerous.

As if the pioneers didn’t have enough to contend with,they also faced many illnesses, with chills and malariabeing, perhaps, the most life threatening of all. Fightingthis mosquito-borne illness meant enduring daylong tripsto and from Campbell to purchase quinine. As a child, Ithought that the descendents of the mosquitoes that bitthe pioneers were especially stout and ferocious.Frequently bitten while working in the cotton fields, we kids laughed at the only mosquito joke we knew: “One mosquito saidto another, ‘Shall we dine here or carry the kid to our place?’” I think it likely that, for the pioneers, mosquitoes were nolaughing matter.

Having studied medicine and law before entering the seminary, Father Peters became not only pastor and confessor to thecolonists, but also their doctor and spokesperson. On occasion, or so I’ve heard, he became their matchmaker; after all, manyof the colonists were related to each other.

Father Peters became a well-spoken and persuasive advocate at the local, county, state, and national levels. He assisted thecolonists with petitioning the county court to dig a system of ditches to drain all of “SWAMP-east Missouri.” These ditches,dug by steam shovel over a 20-year period, combined to make one of the best drainage systems in the world. Unfortunately,

this project proved ineffective for draining thebottomlands.

As a member of the Harbors and RiversCommission in Washington, D. C., FatherPeters, along with others, began urging thegovernment to make an artificial lake byconstructing a dam on the St. Francis River.Wappapello Dam, built 15 miles northeast ofPoplar Bluff in 1940, holds back the waters ofWappapello Lake, now one of Missouri’s mostpopular tourist attractions.

Some people voiced concern that the lakecould get too high for good fishing: Whatwould happen then? When I was a child, welearned exactly what would happen: damlocks were opened, and we took a veryunusual motorboat ride across one of oursoybean fields. Farmers throughout theBootheel watched as their nearly-ready-to-harvest crops sank under several feet of water.

St. Teresa parishioners built thisconvent (above) for the firstUrsuline Sisters in Glennonville.In the 1980s, it was razed and anew one built. The photo at rightshows early Ursuline teachers atSt. Teresa School. Sister MaryClement Greenwell is in thecenter. The others are possiblySisters Charles Asa Williams andNympha Smith. All served in the1930s. (Convent photo courtesy ofLaura Lampe and Lorraine Heiser,Malden Delta News Citizen).

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Sister Isabel Beavin, who served in Glennonville from 1936-40, stands before thetwo-room middle school with her sixth-, seventh-, and eighth-grade students.This building, which burned in 1948, was quickly replaced. Among thesestudents are three of today’s Ursuline associates: Ada Bader (first row, first atleft), Laura Lampe (first row, third from right), and Margaret Stenger (third row,sixth from left). Irene Eberhard (top row, third from left) was an Ursuline sisterfrom 1943-75. (Photo, taken in 1938, courtesy of Darrall Hirtz.)

U r s u l i n e s A L I V E

The Current River slides gently beneath the U.S. highway 60 bridge at Van Buren, a tiny river town of 843 souls located in south central Missouri. The spring-fed river and the steep hills carpeted with thick stands of oak, hickory,

A Warm, Welcoming PresenceSister Mary Sheila is the face of the Church in south central Missouriby Tom Walmsley

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cedar and pine form the picturesque heart ofthe Ozarks National Scenic Waterways. The largest ofmany springs, Big Spring, pouring 276 milliongallons of water a day into the Current River, islocated just four miles from Van Buren.

In this area, a land of big trees and a BigSpring, where Catholics comprise less than3% of the population, the presence of theCatholic Church can be found in theperson of Sister Mary Sheila Higdon,OSU. In years past, she was either teacheror principal in towns in Missouri,Kentucky, and Nebraska. Now living inVan Buren, she has fallen in love with herwork as pastoral associate at St. Georgemission parish, a Catholic community of 50families, swollen during the summer by thehundreds of canoeists that flock to the CurrentRiver to float and enjoy one of the mostbeautiful streams in the country. Both residentand visitor find a warm, welcoming presence inthe person of Sister Sheila.

In the Ozarks, where people as well as parishes aremiles apart, Sister Sheila is often the face of theCatholic Church. She travels the backroads to visit

shut-ins. She comforts and helps those who seekher counsel and assistance. On weekends,

especially, she gets around! She’s thewelcoming smile at the 4:30 and 6:30 p.m.

Masses at St. Catherine of Siena andOur Lady of Sorrows in Piedmont and

Williamsville respectively. Sundaymorning she’s greeting those comingto the 8 a.m. Mass in Van Buren and

then does the same again at 11 inPiedmont, 40 minutes away on a hilly,winding Ozarks by-way.

She serves as church decorator, liturgicalcoordinator and bible study leader. In the

wider community she actively participates inthe senior nutrition center outreach program

and also serves as the secretary of theministerial alliance. Especially dear to her heart

Alice Newton (left) and Betty Webster “are two delightfulladies who are always willing to help in any way that isneeded,” says Sister Mary Sheila (right). “I depend onthem a lot!” Here they are preparing for last year’s SederMeal at St. George parish hall in Van Buren. An annualevent, the Seder Meal alternates between St. George andSt. Catherine in Piedmont. “This is usually held duringHoly Week to help everyone present understand thePassover better...even though we are not Jewish,” SisterMary Sheila noted. After the ritual meal, all who aregathered enjoy a potluck supper.

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are the RCIA classes, not only in Van Buren but inPiedmont and Williamsville, the three parishes that servethree of the poorest counties in south central Missouri.

Sister Sheila, a spry 75-year-old, has a heart as big as thecountry she inhabits. Though she sometimes misses notbeing able to live with members of her religiouscommunity, she finds comfort in the generosity andgoodness of the people whom she serves. “To them (theOzarks residents), taking time for family life isimportant,” she muses. “They possess a relaxed calmnessthat comes from living in such a beautiful part of thecountry.” More than she might realize, she reflects thatsame calmness and that same outpouring of spiritreflected by the daily outpouring of Big Spring. CatholicExtension supporters help make her presence — and theChurch’s — possible in this picturesque region.�

Celebrations are an important part of life for Sister Mary

Sheila and the people with whom she serves.At left, Elaine Rynders and her daughter Angela, who were moving to Decatur, enjoy a

farewell potluck party at Van Buren. “This was a great loss to us, Sister Mary Sheila said. “Angela — a gifted musician — was our only keyboardist for Sunday liturgy, and her sister Anna was a cantor.” A single woman and a physician’s assistant, Elaine adopted her daughters when they were 3 and 4 years old. At right, Maurice Brown celebrates his 80th birthday at his son’s house in Winona, 20 miles west of Van

Buren, where the Browns now live. Maurice and his wife, Rosemary, “are among the older members of the parish . . . always involved in all activities, supporting all my

ministry,” Sister Mary Sheila reports.

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About the author: Tom Walmsley is director of developmentand properties for the Diocese of Springfield-Cape Girardeau,Missouri, with an office in the Catholic Center in Springfield.Tom also took the welcoming photo of Sister Mary Sheila onpage 6. His story was the November “Hidden Heroes” feature onthe web page of the Catholic Church Extension Society, which“exists to sustain and extend the Catholic Faith in poor andremote mission areas of the United States wherediocesan resources are insufficient” (MissionStatement). As a mission diocese, Springfield-Cape Girardeau receives an Extension grant“to assist the poorer, more isolated parisheswith the expenses associated with persons suchas Sister Sheila,” Tom writes. “Withoutthose funds, the presence of the CatholicChurch would be diminished in largeareas of our diocese.”

“There are some unique challenges in our situation. We have three churches, divided by a fair number ofmiles, and each of the communities has an identity and character of its own. Yet we are all part of the largerChurch in this part of southeast Missouri. The miles between us sometimes make it difficult to do thingstogether, and keep in touch. This is the challenge of the Church as a whole. We are one People in Christ,diverse and separated by space, yet we are called to be ‘One Body, One Spirit in Christ.’”

Sister Mary Sheila Higdon, OSU

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In the summer of 1950, Stanislaus and Genevieve Stelmach arrived at Mount SaintJoseph with their son Thaddeus — a tow-headed toddler. The Stelmachs, fromTarnow, Poland, came to make a new life in the United States. And they came towork for the Ursuline community. Stanislaus served more than 40 years on the MapleMount farm as a dairyman and butcher. Genevieve — who soon became known tothe sisters as “Honey” — proved to be a fine cook and a superb baker whosebreakfast rolls were and are legendary. The Stelmachs were also good parents . . . toThaddeus, born in Poland, and to three more sons — John, Joseph, and Michael. Theboys grew up at the Mount and, with their parents, were members of St. AlphonsusChurch, just down the hill from the motherhouse, where Genevieve still goes tochurch.

Stanislaus, who continued to work part timeinto the1990s, died in November 2001.

Genevieve still lives and works at the Mount, where she is close to hersons and their families. Thaddeus (Todd) is a staff accountant withAlexander & Company; John is a supervisor at Specialty Food Group, Inc./Field Packing Co; Joe is a self-employed craftsman; all live in Owensboro.Mike, who is following in his father’s footprints as butcher for the MapleMount farm, lives just east of the campus. His wife, Charlotte, and theirson, Andrew, also work for the Ursuline Sisters. Genevieve is proud of herseven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

Genevieve still works 35 hours a week, arriving in the kitchen beforesunrise to bake her famous buns and cinnamon rolls, and to greet thesisters and their guests as they arrive for breakfast. Food Service ManagerKathy Hancock describes Genevieve as faithful and hardworking. “Shealways wants to do her very best for the sisters,” Kathy says. All of thesisters, and many of their guests, know “Honey” as a loyal , generous,and loving friend of the Ursuline community.

Above: Stanislaus and Genevieve Stelmach in theearly 1950s with their son, Thaddeus, about 4,and baby Johnny in Genevieve’s arms. The photowas taken on the day of Johnny’s baptism.

“HONEY” CELEBRATES 56 YEARS AT MOUNT SAINT JOSEPH

PICNIC 2006 36th Annual Benefit for the Retired Sisters

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TICKETS AVAILABLE FROM ANY URSULINE SISTER.LICENSE #0290

�FOR MORE INFORMATION, CONTACT JERRY BIRGE: 270-229-2007, OR JBIRGE@MAPLEMOUNT.ORG�

U r s u l i n e s A L I V E

Special Picnic Raffle: FRUIT OF THE MONTH subscription for one year — a monthly selection of luscious fruit delivered

to your door for 12 months by PAUL’S FRUIT MARKET of Louisville. Only 800 tickets will be sold for this prize!

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For weeks, the stench of rotting beans filled our nostrils and made us gag. Father Peters did not live to see — or smell — this,but I wonder what his plan would have been for prevention of future floods.

Besides flood control, Father Peters worked with county government to bring about the construction of 30 miles of roadway,for which he did the surveying. He was vice-president of the Ozark Border Electric Cooperative, which helped bring electricity

to a large part of southern Missouri,including Glennonville. To helpcolonists, badly hurt by the depression,he established St. Teresa Credit Union,chartered by the state in 1933.

In 1905, the pastor offeredGlennonville’s first Mass in what hadbeen the Moss-Tie Company’scommissary, with a congregation of two— his friends, Bihr and Hogan. Thenumber of parishioners increased sorapidly that, before long, some of themen were standing outside the buildingto attend Mass, watching through the

windows. The parish completed its first permanent church in 1908. I went to Mass in this church building until I was 5 yearsold, but the only church I remember is the one still in use, dedicated in 1962.

Our parish, which once had 400+ members, had an unusually large number of persons who entered religious congregations orbecame priests. My dad has called Glennonville “the religious center of the diocese.” We Ursulines have six living memberswho grew up in Glennonville, plus two from nearby Wilhelmina. Nineteen women joined the Sisters of St. Mary of the ThirdOrder of St. Francis (now the Sisters of St. Francis); two became Sisters of Notre Dame, and two entered the Sisters of thePrecious Blood; one went to the Sisters of the Society of the Divine Word, one to the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet, andanother to the Sisters of Mercy (now, the Institute of the Sisters of Mercy of the Americas). One of the parish’s men became aRedemptorist priest, two served as diocesan priests, and another is preparing for diocesan priesthood.

The children’s education took high priority from the earliest pioneer days. A one-room schoolhouse, once used by the childrenof Paragon,became the school for the children of Glennonville. Over the next 30 years, new school buildings were constructedto meet students’ needs. Because the school was public, Catholics had to arrive early to attend Mass and catechism class beforethe few other students joined them for “secular” classes. Lay people and, at one point Father Peters, taught in the schools.

The dedication of the new St. Teresa School was a highlight of the Glennonville/St. Teresa Centennial kickoff celebration lastNovember 6. This building symbolizes the people’s determination that their children and grandchildren receive an excellenteducation and formation in faith in an environment that encourages development and moral character. Students at St. Teresacome from Glennonville, Malden, Campbell, and Qulin. Thirty percent are not Catholic. “We are happy when these children wantto come to our school,” says principal Janet Kuper. “We want to share the good news with others.”

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This Catholic elementary school and parish hall, dedicated in 1954, is whereSister Rebecca went to school (1964-72) and attended many parish socials. Theplayground equipment was added many years later. This school served theCatholic children of Glennonville and surrounding communities until May 2005.

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In 1930, the pastor asked that the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph come to teach. Because Ursulines had been teachingin Wilhelmina since 1921, the Mother Superior thought it would be good to have more in the same vicinity. She consentedand sent sisters to teach in Glennonville public schools that very year.

Before the sisters’ arrival, using materials and furnishings paid for by the Ursulines, parishioners of St. Teresa’s constructed aconvent, a kind of “dream home,” according to some of the women who cleaned and prepared it for the sisters’ arrival. At onetime, this convent, built for four, housed as many as 11. In the 1980s, it was razed for the construction of a new convent.

Ursuline sisters continued to teach in the public schools until1953, when Protestants and Other Americans United for theSeparation of Church and State (POAU) persuaded Missouri’sState Court to make it unlawful for members of religiouscongregations to teach in public schools in the state. Notwanting to lose Ursuline teachers, St. Teresa parishioners,again, accomplished a nearly impossible task.

Between the close of classes in the spring of 1953 and thebeginning of classes in the fall, Glennonville Public Schoolsconsolidated with Campbell Schools and closed. Room wasmade in the Knights of Columbus Hall and in the town hallfor the newly established St. Teresa Catholic ElementarySchool to begin classes. Within a year, the new school andparish hall building was dedicated. In this building, I attendedgrades 1-8, enjoyed many parish socials, and ate many funeraldinners. In August 2005, classes began in a brand newbuilding, which principal Janet Kuper describes as “a miracle.”

Between the Ursulines’ arrival in Glennonville in 1930 andour departure in 1997, 84 sisters taught in the public andparochial schools or served in other ways, according to MountSt. Joseph archivist, Sister Vickie Cravens. Sister MaryClement Greenwell, who taught in Glennonville from 1930-1940, and who is 98 years old, remembers that “the peoplewere kind and the convent was lovely.”

Janet Weidenbenner Kuper, an Ursuline associate, is principalof St. Teresa School, with 73 students in pre-K through 8th

grade. Principal Kuper, taught by our sisters at St. Teresa’s inGlennonville and at Brescia College in Owensboro, has thedepth of faith in God and the strong commitment toeducation that “do us proud.”

Those readers who would like to meet the folks in myhometown may attend their annual parish picnic, always thelast Saturday in July. Proceeds benefit St. Teresa School. Whenyou get to Dunklin County, take Highway JJ. In less than amile, you will find yourself in beautiful downtownGlennonville.�

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Sisters Mary Mercedes and Jamesetta Knott, from Wilhelmina,attended high school in Glennonville. The other seven sisters areGlennonville natives. Sister Mary Catherine Kuper died in 1996, inher 58th year in religious life. Other Glennonville area women whoministered for some time as Ursuline Sisters are Irene Eberhard (dec.),Arnida Teder, Sharon Fieser, and Norene Stenger.

Ursuline Associates from the Glennonville area include Ada Bader,Anna Marie Dye, Janet Kuper, Laura Lampe, Margaret Stenger, MaryTeder, Raymond and Barbara Weidenbenner, and Cletus and LucilleWeidenbenner.

Sister Mary MercedesKnott

Sister Mary CatherineKuper+

Sister JamesettaKnott

Sister Michael MarieFriedman

Sister AmeliaStenger

Sister RebeccaWhite

Sister Cecelia JosephOlinger

Sister Mary CelineWeidenbenner

Sister Diane MariePayne

URSULINE VOCATIONS FROMGLENNONVILLE AND WILHELMINA

Sister Rebecca wishes to thank all who helped in gathering information for thisstory, especially her parents, Ben and Geneva White, who still live in Glennonville.

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Our Charitable Gift Annuities provide:� a guaranteed rate of return for life� immediate and future tax benefits� the reward of knowing your gift helps to make our mission possible� membership in our Saint Angela Heritage Society

PLEASE NOTE:

These rates were approved by the American Council on Gift Annuitieson April 5, 2006, effective July 1, 2006, through June 30, 2007.

This is not legal advice. Any prospective donor should seekthe advice of a qualified estate and/or tax professional

to determine the consequences of his/her gift.

For a free, no-obligation proposal, contact Sister Suzanne Sims, OSU, 270-229-2008, or ssims@maplemount.org.

� YES, Sister! Please send my proposal for a charitable gift annuity in the amount of $___________. (Minimum $5,000, minimum age 55.)

Name ___________________________________________

Address _________________________________________

City_____________________________________________

State _________________ Zip ___________

Phone ( ) ______________________

E-mail _______________________________

Birth date ____________________________

For a two-life annuity, birth date of second person

_____________________________

Give and receive . . .

Give and receive . . .

ONE WAY TO SAY “THANK YOU” TO THE URSULINE SISTERS . . . A LASTING WAY . . .PLEASE CONSIDER US IN YOUR WILL. YOUR REWARD WILL BE “HEAVENLY.”

SINGLE LIFE

AGE

90+87837873686360

11.3 10.2

8.8 7.6 6.8 6.3

5.9 5.7

RATE

These samples are for a single-lifecharitable gift annuity, based onannual, semiannual, or quarterlypayment. Rates subject to change.

URSULINE SISTERSCHARITABLE ANNUITY PROGRAM

U r s u l i n e s A L I V E

Soli Deo Gloria

Sister Elaine Burke has been honored for her service as avolunteer at the RiverPark Center, Owensboro’s comprehensiveperforming arts facility. Sister Elaine wasamong the top ten volunteers in 2005, giving220 hours as a greeter and usher at RiverParkpresentations. She is associate director ofMount Saint Joseph Conference and RetreatCenter at Maple Mount. Sisters FranWilhelm and Ann Patrice Cecil alsovolunteer at RiverPark.

Sister Larraine Lauter received the Liberty Bell Award from theDaviess County Bar Association at its annual Law Day awardsceremony May 3. The award recognizes a person outside the legalfield for his or her contributions to promoting a greaterunderstanding of the law and the courts in the community. SisterLarraine is executive director of La Plaza Immigrant CommunityCenter in Owensboro and of its parent organization, MigrantImmigrant Shelter and Support (MISAS), Inc.

Third-grade students of Sister Clara Reid at St. Charles Borromeo School,Albuquerque, N.M., dramatize the gospel story of the woman at the well (left) inpreparation for the Third Sunday of Lent. Sister Clara was a recipient of an Angela’sArk grant, which enabled 50 students to receive the Good News publication. Thisweekly publication follows the liturgical year and provides many resources “which lead

the children to identify and practice loving actions at home, in theirclassroom, and with their friends,” Sister Clara explains. The Angela’sArk grants for Ursuline ministries are funded through donations to theUrsuline Flatboat Adventure in August 2004. Sister Clara has been ateacher at St. Charles since 1989. The children are, from left, JordanDickinson, Nicholas Sedillo, Michael Chavez, Robert Benjey, andKendra Chavez. They completed the fourth grade this year.

Sister Dianna Ortiz was one of seven Brescia graduates inductedFebruary 24 into the university’s Gallery ofDistinguished Alumni. A 1983 graduate inelementary education, Sister Dianna serves asexecutive director of Torture Abolition andSurvivors Support Coalition (TASSC), basedin Washington, D.C. Also named to the gallerywas Marge Weaver Slack ’57, a 1953 graduateof Mount Saint Joseph Academy. Sister Diannais a 1977 Academy graduate.

We rejoice in the gifts of our sisters, given for the kingdom of God

NON-PROFIT ORG.U.S. POSTAGE

PAIDPERMIT NO. 120OWENSBORO KY

42301

Sister Pam Mueller has been appointed campus minister forBrescia University in Owensboro. SisterPam, who began this ministry part time inNovember 2005, will begin to serve full timeon July 1. Since 2000, she has been directorof vocation ministry for the Ursulinecommunity. Brescia University is asponsored ministry of the Ursuline Sisters ofMount Saint Joseph.

Sister Suzanne Sims is the recipient of a Paul Harris Fellowship,awarded on June 1by the Owensboro NoonRotary Club “in appreciation of tangible andsignificant assistance given for the furtherance ofbetter understanding and friendly relationsamong peoples of the world.” A sum of $1000will be contributed the name of Sister Suzanne/the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph forRotary Foundation projects worldwide. Amember of the Rotary Board of Directors, SisterSuzanne chairs a committee for a water projectinitiative in Uganda, a Rotary International project in which theOwensboro club is participating. She also has been active in theRotary’s Readifest program for at-risk schoolchildren. SisterSuzanne is also chair of the Social Concerns Committee of St.Stephen Cathedral Parish. In this capacity, she was a leader in theestablishment of a temporary homeless shelter in Owensboroduring the past winter. Sister Suzanne is director of missionadvancement for the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph.