Barbara Spencer, SCN, 90, (formerly Sister Mary Bridget) was born January 31, 1935, in Tupelo, Miss., to Jack and Ruth Spencer. She was the second of three children with an older brother, Douglas and a younger sister, Dorothy. After her father’s early death, she was raised by her step-father Joseph Cottingham. She died October 8, 2025, in Louisville, Ky. She was a Sister of Charity of Nazareth for 68 years.
The funeral arrangements for Sister Barbara Spencer are as follows:
- The Wake will be held at 6:30 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 12, 2025, in St. Vincent de Paul Church
- The Funeral will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Monday, Oct. 13, in St. Vincent de Paul Church
- Burial will follow in the Nazareth Cemetery.
- Services will be streamed live at nazareth.org/live.
Memorials may be made to the Office of Mission Advancement, PO Box 9, Nazareth, KY, 40048.
To view a full obituary and memorial video for Sister Barbara Spencer, click here.
Dixie Hibbs: It is with deep sadness that we share the passing of a dear friend of the Community and OMA Advisory Council member, Dixie Hibbs, on Oct. 3. Dixie served on the Development Advisory Council for many years and was an invaluable source of wisdom and guidance. She also served her Bardstown, Ky., community as the first female mayor for four years and as a member of the Bardstown City Council for 20 years. She will be greatly missed.
SCNA Recognized: Congratulations to the 2025 Mother Catherine Spalding Visionary Award Recipient, Joetta Carpenter Davis. Joetta served as an educator at two schools founded by the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth: St. Mary’s Academy in Leonardtown, MD, and at Presentation Academy in Louisville. She has been involved in religious education and pastoral ministry in diverse settings with various ages in the United States and in England, and also works as a property manager in Louisville. In 2008, she created Presentation Academy’s first Giving Circle for the Class of 2009. The 2026 Giving Circle marks her 18th year as the volunteer coordinator of this philanthropy education program for Presentation’s senior class.
Joetta and other Tower Award recipients were recognized at the 30th annual Tower Awards for Women Leaders on Oct. 8, 2025, at The Galt House in Louisville. Congratulations, Joetta.
Corporate Voice: In our ongoing efforts to promote peace, U.S. citizens are invited to sign a petition to President Trump and Congress urging them to do all they can to address the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and stop the famine from spreading. To take action, click here.
Directory Changes:
REMINDERS
Botswana 25th Jubilee — Oct. 25: With joy and deep gratitude, the Central Leadership Team, together with the Botswana SCNs, is pleased to share that the Botswana Mission will be celebrating its 25th Silver Jubilee on Oct. 25, 2025, at Thapelong Mission in Kanye. Archbishop Frank Atese Nubuasah, SVD, will be the celebrant. To view the invitation, click here.
Click and See Zoom Sessions: The Office of Charity Connections is launching an exciting new venture: Click and See!
Click and See is an online version of the Come and See program, a time to learn about religious life and connect with women religious. Via Zoom, we will meet monthly with young women interested in religious life. Each meeting will cover a topic related to religious life, with different Sisters leading the conversation.
Click and See will be advertised in Vocation publications and in Catholic media in the United States and Belize. As an online program, we hope to attract women from different locations and diverse backgrounds.
We need your help! If you know of someone from your ministry, family, church, or other organization who might be interested, please reach out to them and invite them to attend a session. Alternatively, you can share their name with the Office of Charity Connections, and we will contact them.
We ask for your prayers for a successful endeavor!
PRAYER LIST
Prayer Requests:
- Kim Neiss, niece of Valerie Miller, SCN
- Joe Monks, volunteer and friend of SCNs Anne Marie O’Shea and Ann Whittaker
- Kay Land, friend of Jackie Smith, Nazareth employee
Prayers for the Deceased:
- Bob Holland, family friend of Kacie Emmerson, Nazareth employee
Notes of Thanks:
- “With grateful hearts, we extend our deepest thanks to our family, community, and friends who helped make our 50th Anniversary a truly memorable celebration. Your presence, support, and kindness have blessed us beyond measure. We are especially thankful for the thoughtful cards, gifts, and those who assisted in the preparations to make it a wonderful, festive celebration.”
— Linda Soltis, SCN, and Marcy Navarro, SCN