Sisters of Providence ministry snapshot

Sisters of Providence ministries present to gathered sisters, Providence Associates and ministry partners at the SP annual meeting. Here White Violet Center for Eco-Justice Director Lorrie Heber presents.

Ministries of the Sisters of Providence make a positive impact on the lives of real people every day. At the sisters’ recent annual meeting day with Providence Associates and ministry partners, representatives of each of 15 Sisters of Providence ministries shared a bit about their ministry right now. Seeing all these ministries together painted a powerful picture for us. We’d like to share it with you. Below is a brief description of each ministry. Click the title to learn more.

The Connecting Link in West Terre Haute, Indiana. Sister Dorothy Rasche at the Connecting Link acts as a referral to individuals in need of food, furniture, clothing and other basic necessities and services. In addition to referrals, she provides advocacy and support in the local community. All services are free.

Educational/Family Services in West Terre Haute, Indiana. Since 1996, the ministry has provided free after-school tutoring for children and basic education and GED instruction for adult residents of West Terre Haute and surrounding areas. The ministry is currently exploring new ways to meet the needs of people in the area by traveling to various locations to offer literacy instruction and GED preparation to adults in need.

Penny Sullivan, director of Educational/Family Services in West Terre Haute works with a student on literacy skills.

8th Day Center, Chicago, is a coalition of more than 30 religious congregations, of which the Sisters of Providence were a founding member. The ministry applies the principles of nonviolence, mutuality and cooperation while acting as a critical alternative voice to oppressive systems in society and in the church and working to change those systems. Sister Kathleen Desautels has been the Sisters of Providence staff representative for 28 years.

Guerin College Preparatory High School, River Grove, Illinois. Founded in 1962 as Mother Theodore Guerin High School, it merged with Holy Cross School in 2004 to become Guerin College Prep. The school strives to share in the mission of the Sisters of Providence as a Catholic learning community committed to works of love, mercy and justice. It is dedicated to the education and faith development of young women and men and to the cultivation of individual values and skills.

Miracle Home in Taishan, Taiwan. Founded in 2000, this ministry helps provide for unmet needs of elderly and disabled low-income residents of the Taishan and Wugu townships. Some of the services provided include meal delivery, in-home care, respite care, day care and community services. Sister Rose Chiu serves as the current director.

Sister Maureen Fallon poses with three of her former students at Providence Cristo Rey High School who went on to attend college at her alma mater, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.

Providence Cristo Rey High School in Indianapolis. The school was founded in 2007 in the near-central city area of Indianapolis. It serves economically disadvantaged youths from a variety of racial and cultural backgrounds. Students participate in a professional work program one day a week that helps to pay for their schooling. Last year every student in the graduating class was accepted to college.

Providence Family Services in Chicago. For 20 years Providence Family Services has offered affordable bilingual counseling to the struggling immigrant population in the West Humboldt Park area of Chicago. They also offer English as a second language classes, computer classes, after-school homework help and citizenship classes. Sister of Providence Patty Fillenwarth founded the ministry and continues to run it and provide counseling services.

Providence Food Pantry in West Terre Haute, Indiana. In collaboration with area churches and organizations, Providence Food Pantry has provided nutritious food to a community with many people in need for the past 20 years. Sister Joseph Fillenwarth is the current director.

A rehabilitation patient at Providence Health Care at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods visits his grandkids in his room.

Providence Health Care at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, is a top-rated health care facility in a peaceful setting. It strives to offer healing for body, mind and spirit through short term rehabilitation, long-term skilled care, assisted living and outpatient therapy. The facility received top five-star ratings from the centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and was recognized as one of the best nursing homes by US News and World Report.

Providence in the Desert in Coachella, California provides English as a second language instruction to immigrants, music instruction to their children and assists with needs as able. Sister Carol Nolan founded the grassroots ministry in 2002 and continues to run it along with Sister Loretta Picucci.

Providence Self-Sufficiency Ministries’ Villas of Guerin Woods are built in a residential style and provide assisted living and comprehensive nursing care for frail elders age 62 and older.

Providence Self-Sufficiency Ministries in Georgetown, Indiana was founded in 1994 by Sister Barbara Ann Zeller, who continues to serve as president and CEO. PSSM collaborates with local agencies and organization to provide need-based services for families and senior citizens. Some of the many aspects of their multi-generational living area include family reunification homes and group living facilities for children and families who have experienced abuse and neglect, affordable housing for people of limited income, including senior citizens, and a skilled nursing and assisted living facility. The ministry is financially sustainable and continues to grow and expand through collaboration with government funding and grants.

Providence Spirituality and Conference Center at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. Tours, retreats, a new shrine to Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, facility rental, a newly renovated gift shop, Taize prayer, spiritual direction and more! The welcoming center for the Sisters of Providence is a busy place that fills many spiritual and practical needs for residents of the Wabash Valley and beyond.

Sister Lawrence Ann Liston, chief operating officer at Wabash Valley Health Center, left, works with volunteers, doctors, medical students and many others from the community to help provide basic medical care to those in need.

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. Founded by Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, SMWC has offered quality education to equip women for leadership for nearly 175 years. More recently, the Woods External Degree program has provided quality, distance education to men and women alike. The College strives to instill students with the legacy and charism of Saint Mother Theodore and the Sisters of Providence.

Wabash Valley Health Center (also known as St. Ann Medical and Dental Service) in Terre Haute, Indiana. Provides medical and dental care to area residents who otherwise would not have access to such care. The center recently transitioned to become one of 23 federally qualified health centers in Indiana. This allows it to receive government funding, expand services and accept insurances including Medicare and Medicaid in addition to serving those who are uninsured regardless of their ability to pay.

White Violet Center for Eco-Justice at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. The environmental justice center has organic crops and farmland, a community supported garden, interns, a herd of alpacas, chickens, educational workshops and events and more. The center seeks to offer hope and healing for Earth.