The Sisters of Saint
Joseph were among a group of civil rights icons honored during a special
ceremony at The National Voting Rights Museum & Institute in Selma, Alabama
on March 1. Ahead of the 54th anniversary of “Bloody Sunday,” the museum
inducted the Sisters of Selma into its Ministers Hall of Fame. Sister Pat
Flass, who is currently missioned in Selma, attended the ceremony and spoke on
behalf of the SSJs. Sister Pat talked about the significant role the SSJs played
in helping treat protestors who were injured during the historic 1965 march
from Selma to Montgomery. Sisters Mary Paul Geck (dec’d), Barbara Lum, Josepha
Twomey, Marie Albert Alderman (dec’d), and Mary Weaver (dec’d) were all
missioned in Selma during the time. Sister Barbara was the nurse supervisor at
Selma’s Good Samaritan Hospital. The hospital was staffed by the Sisters and
was the only one in the area that would care for African Americans.