Sister Fran Wilhelm, often called the Mother Teresa of Western Kentucky, is being remembered fondly for her unselfish devotion to serving the Hispanic community and being a shining light in all walks of life.
Wilhelm, a 91-year-old member of the Ursuline Sisters of Mount St. Joseph, died Thursday morning.
“She was a wonderful person, wonderful soul,” said Deacon Chris Gutierrez, Director of Hispanic Latino Ministry for the Diocese of Owensboro. “For almost 30 years, she just unselfishly gave her life to the service to Hispanic immigrants in Owensboro and the surrounding areas. She was someone that people could call 24/7. As a religious sister, she was so kind.”
Wilhelm was a pioneer of sorts for the area. According to Sister Ruth Gehres, Wilhelm answered a worldwide call from the Pope in 1952 to send sisters to Latin America.
“At that time we were not ministering in Latin America,” Gehres said. “Sister Fran was one of the first sisters to go there, and her whole life was changed by that experience. For our community, she was our contact with the wider world and the world that needed people. She brought a richness to our community because of that connection.”
Upon returning, Wilhelm brought back with her a desire to help the Latino community. She founded Centro Latino, a ministry designed to help Hispanic immigrants to the local area.
As her efforts grew, so too did the Hispanic community. No matter the time of day or not, Wilhelm was always willing to take immigrants to doctor appointments, translate for them, or support them in any other way.
“I don’t know of any person that has served so greatly the needs of Hispanic immigrants like she did for 30 years,” Gutierrez said. “Her kindness, her gentleness, her service just left a mark on people.”
And so, he said, that community especially is saddened by the loss.
“She was always serving those that are the voiceless, that are in the shadows of our community. People are mourning,” Gutierrez said. “Hispanic immigrants are mourning greatly. She just loved that community.”
Sister Elaine Burke echoed those sentiments.
“They were so devoted to her,” she said. “She would have gone anywhere at any time day or night to help them with their needs. There was nothing she didn’t do to take care of them, and they just loved her with all their hearts.”
Gehres said it was a painful loss, but she took comfort in knowing Wilhelm had been called to her true home.
“People are very sad that she’s gone, but her death brings back their appreciation and love for her and inspiration that she was to all of us in Owensboro,” she said.
Gehres pointed to a Facebook post from the Catholic Charities of the Diocese of Owensboro that reads, “Our hearts are broken but filled with thankfulness and joy for we know our ‘Mother Teresa of Western Kentucky’ Sr. Fran Wilhelm, or Hermana Panchita as many affectionately called her, has been called home to be with Jesus who loved her most and Whom she loved so much that she spent her good life in service to His people.”
Gutierrez said while a lot of people talk about the Gospel, Wilhelm trule lived it.
“She brought to life the Gospel,” he said. “She lived the Gospel on the streets of Owensboro by being with the marginalized, the voiceless, those that feel like they are not part of and don’t have a lot of access to services. She brought the Gospel alive in the most exemplary way I’ve ever witnessed in my life.”
And Wilhelm always did it with a smile, according to Burke.
“Even when she was getting really close to death, she always had a smile,” Burke said. “It was amazing. Through all of her illness and her pain, she had that smile on her face.
