Providence Associate Arthur Snyder: a rewarding faith journey with the Sisters of Providence
Arthur Snyder has been a Providence Associate since 2015. Get to know him better!
Can you give us a bit of background on your life so far?
That may take quite some time since I am 68 years old! I have been married to Camille for 42 years, have two grown and married children, Melanie and Christopher. My life has been wonderful, but not without challenges. I am a Vietnam War veteran, and I attended college after my six-year military service. I have been fortunate in that I have had two rewarding careers, one as a businessperson and the second in higher education academia as a professor and then an administrator. I am deeply grateful for a challenging working life and a family life second to none.
What first drew you into the Providence Associate relationship?
I was a member of the SP’s National Development Council, and then the Mission Advisory Board (MAB). It was during my time serving on the MAB that my wife, Camille, became a Providence Associate. I followed in her footsteps because of my belief in the SP charism.
How do you live out your commitment to the Providence Associate relationship?
Love, mercy and justice is the core of how I want to serve the Lord and my fellow man.
Are there any particular Sisters of Providence with whom you have an especially deep bond? Who and why?
Yes, many SPs are friends and mentors. At the top of the list is Sister Denise Wilkinson. Sister Denise is my companion [in the process of becoming an associate] and a dear friend. Sister Paula [Damiano], Sister Jan [Craven], Sister Joan [Zlogar], Sister Marie [McCarthy], Sister Marsha [Speth], and Father Dan are great friends …. and many other delightful SP acquaintances. All of these fine people have made my faith journey more rewarding than it was before our relationship. I have been mentored and learned a great deal about spirituality and life in general. I now know the real importance of living a life based on love, mercy and justice — not just the meaning of the words.
If someone asked you about becoming a Providence Associate, what would you tell him or her?
I would share my journey and how becoming a Providence Associate can be life changing and personally rewarding beyond human understanding.
What do you see as the future of the PA relationship?
There will be many more faithful people taking this journey with the Sisters of Providence. My hope is that our commitment as associates will lead to more women becoming religious as Sisters of Providence. I have a plaque that reads, “Prayer Works” — indeed, it does!
Learn more about becoming a Providence Associate. Applications are being accepted for the coming year until May 31. Apply today!
