Reverend Joseph E. Kurtz, D.D. Bishop | Archdiocese of Louisville

Three congregations of women religious from the Archdiocese of Louisville have been recognized for their research into the history of people enslaved by their communities. The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, the Sisters of Loretto, and the Dominican Sisters of Peace received the Fr. Louis J. Luzbetak, SVD, Award for Exemplary Church Research from The Center for Applied Research in the Apostolate (CARA).

The award ceremony took place on November 13 at Georgetown University. The honor is named after CARA’s first executive director and acknowledges individuals or groups who have distinguished themselves in church-related research.

Representatives from each congregation attended to accept the award: Sister Eleanor Craig, historian for the Loretto Community; Dominican Sister Rosemary Rule, who worked with a team on this research; and Sister Theresa Knabel from the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, who was involved in organizing her congregation’s bicentennial in 2012 that included a monument listing those enslaved by the sisters.

According to a press release from the Dominican Sisters: “All three congregations have dedicated time and energy to not only documenting the names of individuals and families enslaved in Kentucky in the 19th century, but have also put effort into healing and reconciliation with African Americans in their community through recognition and reconciliation programs and outreach.”