Prior to the start of the Oct. 3, 2021 Jubilee Mass of Thanksgiving for 75 Years in the Diocese of Owensboro, Sr. Mary Andrea Niehaus, CP, lights candles surrounding the image and relic of St. Paul of the Cross, the founder of the Passionists. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
Passionist nuns celebrate 75 years within diocese
BY ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD, THE WESTERN KENTUCKY CATHOLIC
Fr. Lou Caporiccio, CPM, chaplain of St. Joseph Monastery, blesses the faithful with a relic of St. John of the Cross during the Oct. 3, 2021 Jubilee Mass of Thanksgiving for 75 Years in the Diocese of Owensboro. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
In the afternoon of Sunday, Oct. 3, 2021, the chapel of St. Joseph Monastery in Whitesville, home to a community of cloistered Passionist nuns, held a celebration in thanksgiving for 75 years in the Diocese of Owensboro.
In October 1946 – 75 years ago – five Passionist nuns were sent to the Diocese of Owensboro, where their first monastery in the diocese was established within the city of Owensboro. Twenty-five years ago, in December 1995, the nuns (then numbering 18) relocated to their current monastery home in Whitesville.
The 2 p.m. Jubilee Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated by Fr. Lou Caporiccio, CPM, the community’s current chaplain. The homily was given by Fr. Ray Clark, the community’s former chaplain.
(Bishop William F. Medley was originally going to preside at the Mass, but was unable to do so due to being sick.)
Mother John Mary Read, CP, mother superior of the community, proclaimed the First Reading; and Sr. Frances Marie Wenke, CP, proclaimed the Second Reading. The Gospel was proclaimed by Dcn. Bruce Sullivan of the Archdiocese of Louisville.
Three seminarians served the Mass: Christopher French and Hunter LeBlanc, both of the Diocese of Owensboro; and Dennis Trickey of the Diocese of Springfield.
Ronnie Mayfield, monastery maintenance supervisor, and Mike Roby, a Passionist Oblate, volunteer and daily Mass server, served as ushers for the liturgy.
Sr. Miriam Esther Krauskopf, CP, sings with her Passionist sisters during the Oct. 3, 2021 Jubilee Mass of Thanksgiving for 75 Years in the Diocese of Owensboro. ELIZABETH WONG BARNSTEAD | WKC
The gifts were brought forward in the offertory procession by Sr. Mary Elizabeth Sauer, CP, the community’s eldest nun and closest link to their departed foundresses; Sr. Miriam Esther Krauskopf, CP, the community’s youngest nun and symbol of the future of Passionist contemplative life within the diocese; Patsy Mayfield, mayor of Whitesville; Sarah Steele Edge, representing all who support the Passionists through time, talent and treasure; and Gene Boehmann, a Passionist Oblate.
“We are celebrating our firm foundation,” Sr. Miriam Esther told The Western Kentucky Catholic after the Mass. “This is an amazing group of women.”
Sr. Maria Faustina Carmichael, CP, agreed, saying that “joyful and faithful women built the foundation of this community.”
Mother John Mary said that it was a “privilege to be a part of this lineage of Passionist nuns in this monastery. We are so grateful for our past sisters and we ask people to pray for us to be faithful. We are here for God and this diocese – not for ourselves.”
Sr. Mary Andrea Niehaus, CP, reflected that “it is amazing to be celebrating 75 years and to be a part of this,” while Sr. Mary Elizabeth added that “we owe so much to all these sisters.”
Originally printed in the November 2021 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
