Mary Joy was born on a farm in the neighborhood of Clyde, on Sept. 8, 1859. She entered the convent in March, 1891, was invested on May 30, 1891 and professed on June 21, 1892. Perpetual vows were made on Feb. 14, 1898, and consecration of virgins received on Nov. 16, 1954.

Sister was a tiny person, full of energy and animation, hard-working and sacrificial, always anxious to do things for others. In later years she loved to tell how, as a postulant, she returned home three times before finally settling down and overcoming her homesickness. She had a feeling that her people were grieving over her absence, but on nearing the house on her last return home she heard loud laughter and merry-making; convinced at last that they were getting along quite well without her, she returned to the convent and became a stable member.

Among her varied duties Sister was charged with the task of preparing lunches daily for ten or more seminarians who worked at the convent between times. This was for her an honored duty. She did the white sewing, but found relief in doing other tasks, as it was tiresome for her to be sitting all day. She had a motherly solicitude for her four young nephews, the Malone boys, who were left motherless at an early age and who worked and lived at the convent. Two of them became monks at Conception Abbey: Fr. Edward and Fr. Michael (later transferred to Mt. Michael at Elkhorn). Sister was prayerful, loved the Divine Office and prayed the fifteen decades of the rosary daily. She had a good voice and even in her last years was always ready to sing the Salve Regina, but would insist on having the tone given first (though she wasn't always able to keep it).

Sister M. Anselma died on June 7, 1936, the feast of the Most Holy Trinity, a few hours before Father Charles Bresson, O.S.B., Sr.M.Juliana's brother (ordained the previous day) offered his first holy Mass in our Adoration Chapel. She had been semi-conscious for two days, but revived sufficiently to receive a small particle of the Host. The chaplain, (Fr. Paul) and several sisters had been praying at her bedside for more than an hour when she passed away peacefully at 4:45 a.m., at the age of 77 years. Father Edward Malone officiated at her funeral Mass.