Sisters of St. Joseph

Mary Louise was taught by the Adorers of the Blood of Christ through high school, and she greatly admired and appreciated these Sisters. However, she was drawn to the joy and friendliness of the Sisters of St. Joseph whom she met on the campus during her college years. So when she decided to enter religious life, she chose to go to Mt. St. Mary Convent. When she was received into the novitiate she was given the name Sister Maureen.

Before entering, Mary Louise spent three years teaching grades 1-8 in rural schools. This teaching experience prompted her to say she would never teach again unless she was “starving to death.” Apparently the Holy Spirit failed to check her opinion on the matter, because after her Novitiate year as a Sister of St. Joseph, she was assigned to the teaching

Sister Maureen Dougherty was born in Wichita, KS and was baptized at St. Joseph’s Church where she was given the name Mary Louise. Mary Louise remembers a happy family life strengthened by a steadfast and deep faith. Attendance at Sunday Mass was not taken for granted, and the Dougherty family was not only on time for Mass but usually 15 or 20 minutes early. Promptness was definitely a highly valued virtue. One Sunday, due to unforeseen circumstances, the family arrived after Mass had begun. Mr. Dougherty would not go in late but instead drove the family across town to the cathedral for the next Mass.

ministry in elementary schools. For the next 32 years,
Sister taught in all grades, including college at St. Mary of
the Plains. .In all of those years, she was in no danger of
starving to death.

In the summer of 1972, Sister Maureen’s life took a different path into administration and management. She returned to Mt. St. Mary’s where she served as assistant General Superior for eight years and then another eight years as associate administrator and C.E.O. of St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Ponca City. Further career changes brought her to the Mount as Director of Senior Health Care and the C.S.J. Health System and management of the renovation and building projects at the Motherhouse.

60 Years

Sister Maureen Dougherty

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Sister Maureen balances her very active life with daily prayer and contemplation with an enjoyment of many recreational activities. Maureen has a deep appreciation for the beauty of God’s creation and through her gardening skills she makes it possible for others to enjoy the beauty as well. You will generally find her now, either in the garden or in her office, which very appropriately is in the Mount Arts and Craft room, where she invites other sisters in to sit a spell and join her as they develop their own talents in many forms of handiwork. Truly, a guiding principle in Sr. Maureen’s life has been “joyful service in God’s loving presence.”