In this April 1995 file photo, Sr. Mary Victor Rogers, OSU, awaits visitors for Mount Saint Joseph’s museum open house. COURTESY OF ARCHIVES
Mount Saint Joseph exhibit at the Owensboro Museum of Science and History
BY EDWARD WILSON, ARCHIVES
If you attended a Catholic school in the Diocese of Owensboro, then it is likely that at some point you took a class trip to Mount Saint Joseph. My class came all the way up from Christ the King in Madisonville. (I can still remember how to Irish line dance just like Sr. Elaine Burke taught us that day.) The MSJ museum was another standout feature of a visit to the Mount. If you missed the chance to experience the Mount’s museum, or if you yearn for the childhood experience of gazing upon the historic treasures of Mount Saint Joseph, then you will be happy to hear that you will have a chance to do so in November.
The Mount is celebrating its 150th anniversary and we have had several events to commemorate this occasion. One of the final events is an exhibit at the Owensboro Museum of Science and History at 122 E 2nd St. in downtown Owensboro. The exhibit will display some of the oldest and most sacred items in the entire diocese. This is your chance to see the historic items of some of the saintliest individuals to ever reside in western Kentucky.
The deconstruction of the 1874 academy building necessitated the rehousing of several thousand items, many of these worthy of archival preservation. Due to archival overcrowding, several of the large items were stored in offsite, temperature-controlled storage facilities while the appraisal process took place. The process is now nearly complete, and the stored items will make their way back to the Mount. However, we thought this would be a perfect opportunity to share these historic items with the community before they return home.
The Owensboro Museum of Science and History seemed like the perfect fit for such a display. With some items dating back even further than the 1874 opening of the academy, there is so much local history to be taken in. We will feature items from the Mount’s founder, Fr. Paul Joseph Volk, the Mount’s first local superior, Mother Augustine Bloemer, and its first mother superior, Mother Aloysius Willett, after gaining independence from the Ursulines of Louisville. The deep German roots of the Mount will also be illustrated.
Whether you are interested in Catholic history or local history, this exhibit is for you. The official public opening is Nov. 6. We in the archives very much appreciate the help and hospitality of our friends at the Owensboro Museum of Science and History for assisting us in bringing this history straight into the heart of Owensboro. For hours and information about visiting the museum, check out owensboromuseum.org/visit.
Edward Wilson is the director of the Diocese of Owensboro’s Archives and the Archives of the Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph. Comments and questions may be sent to [email protected].
Originally printed in the November 2024 issue of The Western Kentucky Catholic.
