Saint Mother Theodore Guerin’s original log cabin church nears completion

Do you want to pray? Do you want to experience a little history? Do you want to sit quietly in a peaceful, natural place?

The new old cabin at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods might be just the place for you. The Sisters of Providence, their staff and a group of volunteers have had this project in incubation for five years. Now, it has become reality.
Erected near the stone marking the place where Saint Mother Theodore Guerin first visited when she arrived here in 1840, the new replica of the first log cabin chapel is nearly complete. Some trim work needs to be finished. Work is continuing on the interior furnishes and the sidewalk needs to placed when the ground dries sufficiently. Benches also will be placed inside and outside to accommodate those who wish to stay a while.

The cabin will be open to visitors soon. A dedication and blessing is planned for Women in History  Month in March, but no date has been set yet.

The cabin was made possible by a donation from David and Faye Masterson of Owensville, Indiana, and was brought to life by Terre Haute volunteers Keith Ruble, Max Miller and Earl Rodgers. Funding assistance was provided by the Terre Haute Convention and Visitors Bureau. Also, some of the men from the U.S. Penitentiary camp near Terre Haute provided labor to build the replica.

“This is a wonderful opportunity to share an important piece of our history with our friends, companions and visitors. Our sisters are really excited about it. We believe Mother Theodore would look at this project fondly for the amount of loving effort that went into it. We are truly fortunate to have this available for everyone to enjoy and we are grateful to all who made this possible,” said Sister Denise Wilkinson, general superior.