New White Violet Center internship program coordinator

Sister Mary Montgomery, left, is the new internship program coordinator at White Violet Center for Eco-Justice, a ministry of the Sisters of Providence. With her is Julia Duphiney, summer intern who completed her internship Aug. 1.

The new internship program coordinator at White Violet Center knows the ministry well.

Sister Mary Montgomery has been a Sister of Providence for 50 years.

What excites her most about this opportunity is “working with women and men who are interested in eco-justice, care of creation and spirituality and being a part of that relationship building that comes with service and community,” she said.

White Violet Center has year round internship opportunities for those 18 and older wishing to learn what it takes to run a small organic farm, complete with a vegetable share program, chickens and alpacas.

Sister Mary has been making interns feel at home since she started in June.

Sister Mary Montgomery with Alexis Taylor, summer intern and senior at Southeastern Louisiana University.

“My hopes for women and men who become WVC interns is that they come open and eager to learn all they can about the various aspects of the eco-justice work of the Sisters of Providence at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, including the organic gardens, working with alpacas, chickens and egg-share program, and fiber arts,” she said. “Visiting with sisters who have been teachers and administrators for years is a bonus. This is a working internship with lots of opportunities to be involved beyond the campus if someone desires.”

Sister Mary has served many years as a pastoral minister with special interests in spirituality, service with the poor and justice, as well as eight years as director of Providence Volunteer Ministry, a ministry of the Sisters of Providence. She offers retreats, spiritual direction and workshops. Sister Mary has a deep appreciation of nature in every season, the Sacred in the Ordinary, and the arts.

She graduated from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College with a bachelor’s degree in education. She earned a master’s degree in pastoral theology from the Catholic Theological Union/Catholic Graduate School of Theology, Chicago.