Sisters of Providence, SMWC prep for 175 years

On Oct. 22, the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, will begin a celebration of 175 years since their founding.

On Oct. 22, 1840, Saint Mother Theodore Guerin and five sister companions arrived in the wilderness of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, establishing a Catholic women’s religious Congregation.

Less than one year later, Mother Theodore Guerin established the Academy, now known as Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. And Saint Mother Theodore’s mission has continued through many entities.

The Sisters of Providence and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College have joined together to begin the celebration on Foundation Day, Oct. 22, with a year-long theme of “Rooted for Tomorrow.”

The anniversary year will begin with the celebration of Mass at 11 a.m., in the Church of the Immaculate Conception.

There are several other events taking place throughout the year, including:

• Oct. 25 – The official opening of the Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin. Tours and light refreshments will be available to all from 1 to 4 p.m. The event will be highlighted by a prayer service at 4 p.m.,

• Dec. 3 – The official ribbon cutting for the Jeanne Knoerle Sports and Recreation Center. The Pomeroys’ basketball squad will face the Rose-Hulman Fighting Engineers in the first home game that evening,

• Feb. 21, 2015 – Rooted for Tomorrow: Wine and Design. Explore art at The Woods at the Le Fer Ballroom while enjoying a sampling of wine from some of Indiana’s finest wineries. Those in attendance will have the chance to create their own piece of art for others to enjoy,

• April 12-18, 2015 – Rooted for Tomorrow: Planting New Seeds. The Sisters of Providence, Providence Associates, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College students, staff, faculty and alumni, along with all friends of Saint Mother Theodore, are invited to participate in a day of service in honor of the 175th anniversary year. All are urged to engage in service in their local communities. Log on to www.RootedforTomorrow.org to share service experiences,

• Sept. 12 through November 2015 – Grace and Beauty: The Collection of the Sisters of Providence. The works of Sisters of Providence artists will be featured in an exhibit at the Swope Art Museum, 25 S. 7th St., Terre Haute. For more information, call the museum at 812-238-1676 or log on to www.swope.org,

• Oct. 3, 2015 – Feast Day of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin. All are invited to participate in the festive Mass marking Saint Mother Theodore Guerin’s Feast Day at 11 a.m., in the Church of the Immaculate Conception,

• Oct. 16-18, 2015 – Saint Mother Theodore Fest. The weekend celebration of the Saint Mother Theodore Fest at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods will provide opportunities for prayer and reflection, learning about and sharing the legacy of Saint Mother Theodore, and

• Oct. 22, 2015 – Foundation Day. The anniversary year will conclude as it began: With the celebration of Mass at 11 a.m., in the Church of the Immaculate Conception.

In addition, the year’s events will also include an exhibit during spring 2015 at the Indiana State Museum, Indianapolis, featuring artifacts from the Sisters of Providence and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. For more information, log on to www.SistersofProvidence.org or www.SMWC.edu.