Sister Michele Morek smiles after locating the grave of Sister Joan Marie Lechner, the first resident president of Brescia College from 1960-74. Among her many ministries, Sister Michele served as a biology professor at Brescia for nearly 20 years. COURTESY OF MOUNT SAINT JOSEPH

BY MOUNT SAINT JOSEPH STAFF

Representatives of the Owensboro branch of the American Association of University Women came to the Mount Saint Joseph Cemetery on March 26, 2025, to honor Ursuline Sisters who broke barriers for women in Daviess County. The AAUW celebrates Women’s History Month in March every year by planting flags in cemeteries where known pioneering women are buried. Aside from the Mount cemetery, they also visit Elmwood, Adath Israel, Pleasant Point Baptist and Utica Baptist cemeteries, said Judy Adams, who coordinates the flag plantings.

The Ursuline Sisters who received flags included Mother Aloysius Willett, the first Ursuline superior in 1912; Sister Fran Wilhelm, who founded the Centro Latino ministry; Sister Francesca Hazel, Sister Marita Greenwell, and Sister Rose Marita O’Bryan, who led the Contemporary Woman Program at Brescia College/University for a combined 54 years; Sister Anne Louise Ramold, who made concern for the poor the hallmark of her 24 years leading the sociology program at Brescia College; Sister Joan Marie Lechner, the first resident president of Brescia College from 1960-74; Sister Carolyn Marie O’Harrow, who began the House of Prayer at Maple Mount in 1978; Sister Emma Cecilia Busam, who developed the archives for both the Sisters and the Diocese of Owensboro, and was a founding member of the Archivists for Congregations of Women Religious; and Sister Dianna Ortiz, who gave voice to torture victims who the government wanted to silence.