Sister Rosanne Spalding, OSU:   ".....I try to follow her ways and her teachings."  

             Sister Rosanne Spalding, OSU, is pastoral associate and director of religious education at Precious Blood parish in Owensboro, a job that finds her involved in a wide range of projects in her office in the church rectory. Her duties include supervising the parish RCIA and religious education programs and the parish’s ministry to the sick.          

             “But what I enjoy the most,” admits Sister Rosanne, “is preparing the children and adults to receive the sacraments of the Eucharist, confirmation, reconciliation, and baptism. That’s what I really like.”
              And those she ministers to really like her: “I think she’s wonderful. She’s taught me to be willing to help other people, to pray for them, to do the right thing.” – Scott Norris (RCIA catechumen).
              “She’s a great role model. I try to follow her ways and her teachings.” – Renee Shultz (First Penance Catechist).
              “Oh, goodness, her visits are wonderful. I always look forward to them because we always have some good chats that I really enjoy.” – Fern Thompson (Heritage Manor resident)

             “She has been a very big, steady influence in my RCIA training and has been special to my wife and kids.” – Ron Paul (RCIA candidate).
              A native of Springfield, Kentucky, Sister Rosanne ranks fourth among the nine children born to Pete and Alice Spalding, a farming couple in Washington County.
              Her first eight years of schooling were at the hands of Dominican sisters, two in the two-room Saint Agnes School in Washington County, six at Saint Rose grade school in Springfield.
              Young Betty Rose Spalding’s first contact with Ursuline Sisters from Mount Saint Joseph was at Fredericktown High School, where they were on that public school faculty. After three years at F.H.S., she finished her senior year at Mount Saint Joseph as a postulant, completing two classes for her high school diploma and then began college at Brescia.
              Sister Rosanne’s teaching career began at Saint Bernard School in Clementsville and Mary Carrico in Knottsville before she attainted her master’s degree through Western Kentucky University.

She continued teaching at Precious Blood (first of three stops at this Owensboro parish), Saint John in Plattsmouth, Nebraska, Saint Catherine in New Haven, and Saint Peter in Stanley.
              It was back to Precious Blood in 1979 as principal and teacher for two years, teacher for two more years and then on to Christ the King in Madisonville as principal for two years and teacher for four years before Sister Rosanne began her parish work.
              Her first parish ministry was in 1986 at Our Lady of Lourdes parish in Owensboro where she served as director of religious education for 12 years before returning to Precious Blood in 1998.
              “When I was a teacher at Madisonville I was also in charge of the CCD program, which is now religious ed,” Sister Rosanne recalls. “While working with that program I discovered I liked working with teachers and children and had something to offer. The pastor at Madisonville went to Lourdes and asked if I’d come there and help him in that capacity. He said he saw gifts in me that I would be good in that ministry.”
              What are the biggest challenges she’s found since her move into parish work?
              “Working with adults,” says Sister Rosanne. ‘You have to be on your toes. You can be more relaxed with kids, but with adults you have to be very, very well prepared for a class.”
              “One of the highlights of my week is taking communion on Thursdays to the shut-ins. It makes me feel good to see the smiles on their faces and they enjoy even a short visit.”           

Eighty-eight-year-old Fern Thompson, a native of Flora, Illinois, who moved to Owensboro six years ago to be closer to her daughter, Donna Stuerzenberger, has been a resident of Heritage Manor since last spring. Sister Rosanne brings Fern communion every Thursday and always finds time to talk with her before she leaves. What does Fern think of Sister’s visits? “Oh, goodness, they are wonderful!” she says with no hesitation. “I always look forward to the visits because we always have some good chats that I really enjoy. And I’m not the only one. I think all of the others here look forward to her visits too.”
              Ron Paul, a 42-year-old truck driver, is an RCIA candidate taking classes from Sister Rosanne.
              “My wife, Lisa, and our two children have been attending Precious Blood for ten years or so,” says Paul, “and since Sister Rosanne has been there she has really been special to them. I got to know Sister Rosanne through Lisa and the kids. Their friendship with her has been a big influence on my becoming an RCIA candidate.”  He continues, “Sister Rosanne makes the RCIA program easy to understand. It’s actually fun and enjoyable to be there because of her.”             

Scott Norris, a patrolman for the Owensboro Police Department, is an RCIA catechumen. “My wife Tammy and our five children are members at Precious Blood and I’ve always gone to Mass with them,” says Norris. “Through them I got to know Sister Rosanne and now I’m in her RCIA class. I think she’s wonderful. Her teaching style is wonderful. She gets everybody involved and interested in what’s going on.”
              Sister Rosanne works closely with Renee Shultz, the First Penance Catechist for Precious Blood. Together they prepared the 2005 First Peanance class at the parish. A second grade teacher, Renee is religious Ed teacher and teacher of first sacraments at Precious Blood.
              “She’s the best religious education teacher we’ve ever had here,” says Renee of Sister Rosanne. “She’s easy going. I’ve never seen her get upset with a child. Never! And if we ask for something she’s always got it there for us the next week.”
              Renee says she’s not alone in this admiration for Sister Rosanne. “The kids really love her too,” she says. “They just run up to her. She is just really good with them. They are always on the edge of their seats waiting for the next thing she has to say.”
              Sister Rosanne also finds time to volunteer. As 2005 came to an end, she joined with a group of high school students from the Precious Blood Confirmation class to help complete a Habitat for Humanity project in Owensboro.
              Father Brad Whistle, pastor of Precious Blood parish, has known Sister Rosanne longer than anyone she is associated with today. “Sister Rosanne and I have been friends for over 25 years, before I was ordained a priest,” he revealed, “most people may not know that. When I was in school I would come home for the summer and work in the parishes, like Saint Paul’s in Princeton and Saint Charles in Bardwell, and Sister Rosanne was working there in their vacation bible schools. That’s where we first met.”
              A quarter of a century later, Father Brad has Sister Rosanne as his assistant at Precious Blood.
              “She brings an atmosphere of friendliness and professionalism to Precious Blood,” he says. “She is a very approachable person, not afraid to do anything you ask, from stuffing envelopes to visiting the sick, from working with funerals to working with kids.”