Brett Ballard plays the piano as Carolyn Sue Cecil ’73 plays the flute and Jennifer Speaks McGee ’70 cantors during the opening hymn “Gather the People” during Mount Saint Joseph’s annual Alumnae Weekend. The Mount Saint Joseph Academy Alumnae Weekend Mass took place in the Motherhouse Chapel in Maple Mount. COURTESY OF MOUNT SAINT JOSEPH
Two 1968 classmates chosen for Maple Leaf Award during Alumnae Weekend
BY DAN HECKEL, MOUNT SAINT JOSEPH
The annual Alumnae Weekend, an all-class reunion of Mount Saint Joseph Academy students, was a rousing success on Aug. 22-23, 2026. Two members of the class of 1968 were awarded the prestigious Maple Leaf Award.
The weekend began with a “Happy Days” themed event on Aug. 22 at St. Martin Parish Hall just outside Owensboro, Ky. On Sunday, Aug. 23, nearly 90 alums gathered at Mount Saint Joseph, where the day began with Mass at 9:30 a.m. Fr. Ray Goetz presided at his final alumnae Mass. He is retiring this fall as chaplain at the Mount, and was honored during the program later in the day with an oversized card and a plaque with praying hands.
During the Mass, Alumnae Association officers Alicia Harrington ’82 and Lisa Calhoun Mulligan ’75 read the names of the alumnae whose deaths have been reported since Alumnae Weekend 2025. You can read the list of those names here: https://ursulinesmsj.org/alumnae-memorial-mass.
During the annual business meeting, there was a unanimous decision for the Alumnae Association to make $1,000 donations to each of four ministries – Casa Ursulina, where Sister Mimi Ballard ’66 serves; Water By Women, where Sister Larraine Lauter ’77 serves; Catholic Charities; and the Louisville Days for Girls chapter, which makes washable period products for girls in impoverished nations so that they don’t have to miss school while on their periods. Sheila Ward ’71 spoke about the charity during the meeting. Several alums made individual contributions to each of the charities.
The highlight each year is the naming of up to two graduates who have esteemed themselves to be selected for the Maple Leaf Award. Every year since 2000, the award has been given to those who “personify the values of their Mount Saint Joseph education in contributions to their local faith communities, civic communities, and/or Mount Saint Joseph.”
This year’s recipients were both members of the class of 1968 – Pat Wedding Stelmach and Carole Caummisar Sanders.
Deborah Lord Campisano ’68, read the nomination for Pat Stelmach, noting her 34 years as a secretary in the Owensboro Public Schools.
“In her office, she displayed a poster of a high-heeled shoe with the words, ‘Put your best foot forward!’ That saying became more than a cheerful decoration. It captured the way Pat approached her work, her service, and her life. … Pat retired in 2014, but continues to volunteer, including dressing as Mrs. Claus for the children at holiday time.”
Pat is active at Immaculate Catholic Church in Owensboro and faithfully volunteers to call Quilt Bingo for the Ursuline Sisters every year.
In her acceptance speech, Pat thanked her husband of 57 years, Todd Stelmach, “who’s always been my biggest cheerleader.” Her three children were present, along with two sisters. She thanked her parents for instilling her faith in her. They sent all 10 of their children to Catholic school, she said.
Sr. Pam Mueller read the nomination for her classmate, Carole Caummisar Sanders. Carole taught in Catholic and public schools in Louisville for 40 years, serving as an academic competition competitor. Even in retirement she continues to volunteer her skills with young people. She is active at the Parish of St. Peter the Apostle, where she is considered a “treasure.”
In her acceptance speech, Carole credited Sr. Victoria Brohm for guiding her and encouraging her to go to college.
“I don’t know that my life would have taken that direction without her seeing something in me that I didn’t see in myself,” she said.
Carole quoted St. Irenaeus saying, “The glory of God is man fully alive,’ and related it to the education she received at Mount Saint Joseph Academy.
“I see that in this place,” she said. “We were instilled with a passion for art, for music, and for beauty.”
Alumnae Weekend next year is scheduled for Aug. 21-22, 2027.
