HOPE winter 2020 — The needs in our backyards
Download HOPE:
Responding to the needs around us
We each see from where we stand. Sometimes it requires movement to be able to see from someone else’s perspective. In this issue of HOPE magazine, we take a look at some of the issues that surround us. We explore transformations that some of our sisters have experienced in their lives that have led them to looking with fresh eyes at the needs of people around them.
As seen in HOPE:
A lifetime of meeting needs around the world and in our own backyard: Sister Patty Fillenwarth
She heard their stories of abuse, of problems with their children, of anxiety about their immigration status. Many of them needed professional counseling, but this was almost impossible for poor families who had no insurance and were struggling with English. Sister Patty came to see that her greatest missionary opportunity now was not in Africa, Peru or Taiwan, but in her own backyard.
A journey to wider acceptance and love: Sister Tracey Horan and immigration
Like most stereotypes, my beliefs about immigrants most likely came from a combination of sources: messages I heard from the news, friends, and media that convinced me that immigrants were an inherent threat to my well-being.
Immigration injustice: what can I do?
Even a brief scan of daily headlines describing how immigrants are being treated at the Southern borders of the U.S. can cause a person of faith to cringe and cry out: “What can I do?”
From fear to tranquility: Sister Dorothy Rasche and prison ministry
“Who wants to go in a prison?” Sister Dorothy lamented. “We were scared. We were afraid.”
After a brief pause, Sister Dorothy said, “It was ignorance and fear that made us scared.”
After the first visit to the facility, Sister Dorothy said the three Sisters of Providence were ready to leave. “We were so relieved to get out of there,” she said. “It was so uncomfortable.”
Ending the death penalty: what can we do?
When any state has a scheduled execution, we Sisters of Providence hold a prayer vigil for the convicted and the victims family. When federal executions resume in Terre Haute, during an execution we will join with others in a peaceful prayer vigil at the facility.
From farming to teaching to counseling to care of Earth: Sister Ann Sullivan’s story
Meanwhile the issues of land, air and water degradation weighed heavily on her, especially the effects that were becoming more problematic on our own Sisters of Providence land.
Do something to care for Earth
Saving our planet. It sounds like a daunting task that only a superhero from a movie would undertake. Where would you even start and what can one person really do to help? The answer is simple. Do something. Do anything. Yes, it may seem overwhelming but the small changes you make really can add up.
Sisters of Providence respond to compelling need for health care
The willingness of the Providence Health Care staff to forgo the efficiency of a set schedule in favor of a more spontaneous model of care speaks volumes for their commitment to recognizing and respecting the dignity and individuality of persons in their care.
Providence Associates addressing the needs in our backyards
What can we all do to help? Don’t count anyone out. … The work of bringing our nation back together will start with each of us, taking the time to listen and consider life from a different vantage point.
What would you like from the Sisters of Providence?
We are asking you to help us improve how we share information with you. We want to ensure that you are receiving sufficient information about how your financial generosity helps further our mission.
Providence Community Cemetery blessed
In the summer issue of HOPE magazine, we Sisters of Providence laid out our plans for our newest outreach ministry: the creation of Providence Community Cemetery. Here we will receive for interment the cremains of persons other than members of the Congregation.
