The Ursuline Sisters of Mount Saint Joseph announced Friday they have decided to deconstruct the Mount Saint Joseph Conference and Retreat Center, one of the oldest buildings in Daviess County.
The Retreat Center has operated since August 1983, when it took over the buildings that occupied Mount Saint Joseph Academy, the all-female high school that opened in 1874. The Academy graduated its last class in the spring of 1983.
Since 1989, the Retreat Center has also been the Spiritual Life Office for the Diocese of Owensboro.
The Retreat Center is actually a number of buildings that were added throughout the years when the Academy was growing. The original building was constructed by Father Paul Joseph Volk in 1874. Additions were built in 1882, 1904 and 1962. A major renovation occurred in 1996-97, which included adding the glass-enclosed façade that serves as the entrance to the Retreat Center and provided space for an elevator.
“The original bricks are now disintegrating, and the foundation of the building is crumbling, which would be expensive to repair,” according to the announcement from the Ursuline Sisters. “It’s not just the oldest parts of the building that are in need, as the fire suppression system and the heating and cooling systems — both installed during the 1996-97 renovation — all need replacing.”
According to the announcement, “The Ursuline Sisters recognize that their many supporters expect the Sisters to be good stewards of their donations. This money is given to support the Sisters in their ministries and to care for their needs. As good stewards of these funds, the Sisters did not believe it was wise to spend an extensive amount of money to maintain the buildings.”
Sister Amelia Stenger, congregational leader for the Ursuline Sisters, said “We will look at possibilities for the future of the retreat ministry. We need time to investigate the needs of the Diocese and surrounding areas. In 1983 when the Academy closed, we began something new. Now, we must look to the future again and decide what God is calling us to do.”
Sister Amelia is a 1967 graduate and also served 13 years as director of the Retreat Center.
“Our wonderful, historic building has reached the end of its life,” she said. “The oldest building is 147 years old and several of the others are at least 115 years old. We had engineers and architects evaluate the buildings. The cost to repair would be extreme. There is nothing we can do to make the bricks better. All things come to the end of life. It has served its purpose well. Father Volk probably didn’t expect them to last this long.”
The Retreat Center closed on March 13, 2020, when the rest of the Maple Mount campus was shut down due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Not having people in the building has hastened its decline, Sister Amelia said.
A timeline to deconstruct the building has not been determined, but it will likely not happen until 2022.
