Sister Anne Marie Joshua prays the rosary after mass at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Bowling Green on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025.
Bright morning light pours through the stained-glass windows and disperses into a multitude of colors that rest on a single woman sitting in the sanctuary. Her head is adorned with a white habit, and her hands are clasped. Wooden beads gently bump the pew while she habitually moves from bead to bead, each representing a prayer.
Anne Marie Joshua is no ordinary parishioner; she’s called to a vocation beyond herself. For almost 31 years, Joshua has belonged to the congregation, the Franciscan Sisters of the Immaculate Conception.
Joshua is the only nun in Bowling Green and explained her vocation is all about serving humanity. A duty seen in her work serving refugees as a social worker and Program Director at the International Center of Kentucky in Bowling Green.
“My motto is humanity and compassion,” Joshua said. “Jesus came, he was compassionate to everybody, he loved everybody and he commanded us to love one another.”
Joshua sings during Mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Sunday, March 9, 2025. “I loved God from my childhood,” Joshua said. “One of the best ways that I always prayed was to sing.”
“When you say you love God, you got to love other people around you.”
-Sister Anne Marie Joshua-
-Sister Anne Marie Joshua-
Joshua plays with Larrysam Berinyuy, 3, during Bible study at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Sunday, March 9, 2025. Joshua describes the Berinyuys as her own family. Later that day, she went to their house to have dinner. “As much as I love kids, kids also love me. That love is like magnets,” Joshua said, chuckling.
Joshua embraces her friend Nora, a parishioner, while Nora’s daughter Amanda watches before mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Sunday, March 23, 2025. “I love God, and I love my humanity,” Joshua said. “Every day I cannot see God, but I see God in everybody that I see. That is what life is all about.”
Joshua grew up in Nigeria in a religious family. Her grandfather was responsible for bringing Catholicism to her village. Her father was a choir director, her mother was a prayer leader and both her brother and cousin are priests.
Joshua explained that although she is the first nun from her village, her mother doubted that she’d make it through convent school because of her outspokenness and stubbornness.
“Every year I come home for vacation and every time I joke with her I say, ‘Hey, I’m still going back. Are you still expecting me back at home?’” Joshua said.
Joshua prays the rosary after mass at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Bowling Green on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025.
Joshua makes herself a plate of food before going straight to work from mass and prayer at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Bowling Green, Ky. on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025.
Joshua prepares to deliver food to the home of a refugee who recently lost her job. At work, Joshua does not wear her habit to respect people of other faiths. “I want people to understand that I’m not here because I’m a Catholic, and I’m not here to help Catholics alone,” Joshua said. “When I come here (work), I feel like I’m a social worker, and I’m coming to deal with people who have social problems. So I leave my own religion on one side, and I’m here as somebody to make a difference in your life regardless of who you are.”
Eventually, Joshua furthered her vocational school in Scotland. Joshua explained how hard it was for her because she didn’t know English. One of the reasons she helps refugees is because of her experience learning to live in two countries different from her home."
I always feel I have empathy for people because I like to put myself in people’s shoes,” Joshua said. “Even though I don’t speak their language, I still do make so much effort to make sure that their needs are met.”
Joshua delivers food to the home of a refugee who recently lost her job in Bowling Green on Tuesday, March 11, 2025. The woman came to Joshua directly after mass the previous Sunday and asked for help. “I go anywhere they tell me there is food,” Joshua said. “I will go pick it up, and I will go give it to some families.”
Joshua attends an online class in her office after her work day at the Kentucky International Center in Bowling Green on Thursday, March 27, 2025. Joshua is currently pursuing a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Western Kentucky University.
Sister Anne Marie Joshua goes to pick up food to deliver from Feeding America at Lampkin Park in Bowling Green on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. Joshua explained that she usually delivers food to 70-80 families a month. Most of the families are refugees but some are just people Joshua has encountered that need help. “I grew up in Africa,” Joshua said. “I know how hard it is sometimes for people to have enough food to eat. Since I came to Bowling Green, one of the things I love doing so much is making sure that children have food.”
If she’s not in her quaint office in the International Center of Kentucky, she’s working in the community assisting refugees at the hospital, at doctor's appointments or in their homes. Additionally, Joshua seeks to help those facing food insecurity as much as she can.
Once a month, Joshua drives around the Bowling Green area, delivering food from the non-profit Feeding America to those who need it. In March, Joshua estimates that she usually delivers food to around 70-80 households a month. According to Joshua, at one point, she was assisting about 150 families with food.
Sister Anne Marie Joshua says the Lord’s Prayer under a statue of Mary during mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church before serving as a Eucharistic Minister on Sunday, March 23, 2025. Eucharistic Ministers are appointed by Catholic priests to administer communion.
Parishioner and refugee Anjela Biaba asks Joshua for assistance directly after Mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Sunday, March 9, 2025. “Working with refugees requires a lot of compassion because sometimes they will keep calling you for things they are not even supposed to be calling you for,” Joshua said. She went on to explain that she gets calls well after her work hours from refugees seeking her assistance.
Joshua walks with her friend Judy Siniremera, left, while holding Michail Siniremera, five months, after mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Sunday, March 23, 2025.
At mass (St. Joseph’s Catholic Church or Holy Spirit Catholic Church), Joshua’s love for people is shown through her actions. Before mass, she greets people with a gentle wave or a hug. It’s not uncommon to see Joshua holding a parishioner’s child, waving and fist-bumping those around her.
Every Sunday following mass, Joshua attends Bible study with her good friends the Berinyuy family. During the study, when she isn’t reciting scripture or participating in discussion, she’s tenderly loving the young Berinyuy children.
Joshua attends Bible study at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Sunday, March 9, 2025 with her church family the Berinyuys. “They are very close friends,” Joshua said.
“I love to pray,” Joshua said. “That has always been my thing.”
Parishioner Debbie Hughes and Joshua embrace after Mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Sunday, March 9, 2025. “She (Joshua) was one of the first welcoming people that made me feel home,” Hughes said. “Makes you feel special no matter who you are.”
Joshua walks off the altar with a chalice to serve Communion during mass at Holy Spirit Catholic Church on Sunday, March 9, 2025.
Though she finds community with parishioners at her church, Joshua only gets to spend time with other nuns when she goes to other towns like Owensboro, Kentucky. Two nuns are expected to come work with Joshua from Africa but are still waiting for the proper immigration approval.
“I know God is always with me, so I never feel like I’m alone,” Joshua said. “I’m hoping to have more sisters very soon.”