St. Rose Academy, Vincennes, Indiana

St. Rose Academy Alumnae 2023 Reunion Information

The year St. Rose Academy Alumnae will celebrate their 29th Annual Reunion on Saturday, September 9, 2023. The day will begin with Mass at St. John’s at 10:00 AM. The Mass Intention will be for all deceased members of the Vincennes Catholic Schools. We invite all alumni, families and friends and the Vincennes Community to join us at Mass. Following Mass, the St. Rose Alumnae will proceed to the Fort Sackville Rooms in the Beckes Student Union (Vincennes University Campus). Doors will open at 11:00 AM. A light buffet luncheon will begin at noon for St. Rose Alumnae and Rivet Ladies, only. Tables will be reserved for each class. There will also be a short program and presentations by some of our alumnae.
Donation for the reunion is $20 and must be paid in advance.

St. Rose Academy Alumnae 2022 Reunion Information

Last year, St. Rose Academy Alumnae celebrated its 28th annual reunion. The reunion took place on Saturday, Sept. 24. The day began with Mass at St. John’s at 10 a.m. Father Tony Ernst and Father Gary Kaiser were the celebrants.

Following Mass, the St. Rose Alumnae proceeded to Green Activities Center on the Vincennes University Campus.

Classes honored last year included the graduating classes of 1942, 1947, 1952, 1957, 1962, 1967 and 1972, as well as those who were celebrating a little late.

Additional Reunion Information

For more reunion information, you may contact Mary Ann Thacker at marypearl66@yahoo.com or call/text to 812-890-2902.

Cami Pritchett, Constituent Engagement/Planned Giving Manager, is heading the alumnae/i relations area of our department at this time. You may reach her at 812-535-2807 or email cpritchett@spsmw.org.

History of St. Rose Academy

Two other congregations taught in Vincennes before the Sisters of Providence: Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Kentucky, from 1824-1834, and then Sisters of Charity from Emmitsburg, Maryland, until 1843.

Then, when Mother Theodore was in France, Bishop de la Hailandiere sent three Sisters of Providence to Vincennes. They were at first located in a house on Main Street between Fourth and Fifth – the Bishop’s Block. In 1847, Bishop Bazin relocated them to the former seminary on Second Street. This building also housed resident students, and from 1849 to 1863, orphan girls.

When the orphan boys were moved to the Old College (St. Vincent’s), the girls took their place. This left St. Rose as boarding school and academy, and as before, the sisters’ residence. In 1845, with the consent of Bishop Chatard, the city was to cut a street in the path of St. Rose, the school building was razed and a new St. Rose Academy was built. The third and last building was dedicated in 1964. In 1970, St. Rose Academy joined with Central Catholic High School for boys at Vincennes Rivet High School.