Source of Support

Maple Mount serves as a place of comfort for those needing support Sister Cheryl Clemons talks to attendees at the Sept. 27 “Fall into Fun” luncheon for cancer survivors and those whose lives were affected by cancer.

By Dan Heckel, Mount Saint Joseph Staff Sister Cheryl was explaining how the Ursuline Sisters arrived at Maple Mount.

When Ruth Connor was diagnosed with breast cancer 37 years ago, there were no support groups in Owensboro, Ky.

“My doctor gave me the name of another patient to talk to,” she said. “As time went on, I saw other women struggling with breast cancer, but there isn’t much you can do on your own.”

It was 18 years later that the Susan G. Komen organization brought funding for breast cancer support programs to the Owensboro area. One program it began was Mount Hope weekend retreats, held annually at the Mount Saint Joseph Conference and Retreat Center, Connor said.

“We met for three or four years at the Mount,” she said. “It was wonderful, everybody enjoyed themselves. Sometimes you just need someone to talk to.”

Connor was among more than 20 women who returned to the Mount Auditorium on Sept. 27 for “Fall into Fun: A Cancer Survivor Celebration.” Just two days earlier, a group of law enforcement personnel gathered at the Mount for a “Day of Peace and Renewal for Police Officers.” These two support programs are typical of what the Mount Saint Joseph Retreat Ministry can offer, said Maryann Joyce, director of Retreat Ministry.

“These programs stand on the shoulders of a ministry that has reached out to care for the needs of many segments of our community for many years,” Joyce said. “I am now more aware than ever of how programs like this build relationships of empathy and understanding for all involved. I also hope we planted a seed for others to recognize and respond to their need to take some space and time to tend to their hearts – this brings peace and grounding during life’s challenges.”

Donna Riney enjoyed her time at “Fall into Fun,” and said the Mount offers a perfect setting for such support programs. Riney attended Mount Saint Joseph Academy through her junior year, until the school closed.

“It’s obviously a very spiritual place, a very comforting place,” Riney said. “It always has been for my family. You don’t find time for peace. You don’t find time for yourself. While I was there for the retreat, things were lifted from me. It was so nice to just breathe.”

Riney said it is beneficial to gather with people who are going through cancer as she is.

“It’s very important to socialize with people who are like-minded,” she said. “It lifts your spirits. It gives you hope.”

The day for police officers brought a smaller group, but it was an important first step, said Ken Bennett, who has been an Owensboro Police officer for 34 years and a deacon for the Diocese of Owensboro for four years.

“With everything going on in the country, from Covid to the protests of the last year and a half, it seemed appropriate to recalibrate and reconnect with our purpose,” Bennett said. “I think the people who came were pleased with what they heard. It helped to reconnect us with what we’re here for – to be advocates on behalf of crime victims.”

One speaker was Kate Hartman, a somatic integration practitioner from Evansville, Ind., who specializes in trauma and the nervous system.

“My hope is it increases awareness of how trauma works in the body,” Hartman said. “These are basic skills that our society has gotten away from.”

Talking about trauma requires a cultural shift to take place, she said.

“It has to begin from within.