Bob Farnsworth, Jacksonville, FL: “Patronesses of ordinary good people”

This Rooted for Tomorrow story was contributed by Bob Farnsworth, Jacksonville, FL, for the 175th anniversary of the Sisters of Providence arriving in Indiana.

Thirteen of my twenty years of teaching were spent in two Sisters of Providence schools in Chicago–St. Mark and St. Francis Borgia. At the time, I knew I was blessed to be working with such wonderful women who truly cared for their students–and for their colleagues. I have so many happy memories of good times with all of them–and realized when I moved to Florida and taught with other good people that the SP’s are indeed a special group and set a standard which is very difficult for others to meet.

Without the intent of sounding impertinent, I felt that acknowledging one of the order–Mother Guerin–as a saint took way too long to acknowledge the obvious. As the founder of the order and an extraordinary person, she deserved it.

However, having known some of the sisters for over forty years, I can state without fear of contradiction that Mother Guerin is not the only Sister of Providence who deserves sainthood. There are so many in the Order who could be named as “patronesses of ordinary good people.”

I thank all the Sisters that I taught with for their friendship and love–and I extend my very best wishes for many more years of true Christian and Catholic service!