Ursuline Sisters of Mt. St. Joseph Celebrate 150 Years With New Video About the Founding of Brescia University

2024 marks the 150th anniversary of the Ursuline Sisters arriving in Daviess County and settling out at Mount Saint Joseph in 1874. Their journey is an amazing tale of perseverance and faith. Promoting education being one of their directives, the ladies were to join Father Paul Joseph Volk and establish a school in Western Daviess County.

After traveling from Louisville down the Ohio River on a flat boat, the sisters took a horse-drawn wagon to the mount. There, Aquilla and Louise Blandford met them. They weren't prepared for their arrival, so all they had to serve the hungry pioneer ladies was watermelon and buttermilk.

Earlier this year, I was part of a group of actors that had the privilege of portraying the original sisters' story. Here is a video of the short play written by my friend, playwright, and director Dan Heckel. He is the Director of Mission Advancement and Communications at The Mount.

If you subscribe to their Youtube channel or follow them on Facebook, you will see what an amazing job they do of documenting their rich history here in Daviess County. In fact, with this being a milestone year, they have been celebrating in many ways. With the Legacy Sisters play, a Music at Maple Mount reunion, declarations from both city and county governments, and now a new addition to their documentary series.

Focusing on years 1950-1968, they share how Brescia University was founded during this time. Here is a snippet from the MSJ website:

The seventh in our series of videos detailing the history of the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph in their 150th year at Maple Mount covers the years of 1950 to 1968. The Ursuline Sisters founded Brescia College in 1950, Owensboro’s first four-year, coed college. Brescia is now a university, and will celebrate 75 years in 2025, and actually 100 years since its predecessor began, the Mount Saint Joseph Junior College for Women. The video further explores the death of Bishop Francis Cotton and the changes brought on by the Second Vatican Council.

Some great photos showing Brescia being built. The last part was interesting too learning about changes in the sister's clothing. Today, there are sisters who wear everything from traditional habits to their own clothing. However the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph choose to dress, their mission remains the same. Serving God by serving people not just here in Daviess County, but all over the world.

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