Newsnotes Fall 2020

Sisters profess perpetual, first vows

We are so blessed! Sunday, July 26, was a beautiful day as Sister Corbin Hannah professed perpetual vows as a Sister of Providence and Sister Teresa Kang, professed her first vows. COVID-19 with its masks and physical distancing and loved ones watching from afar via livestream could not dampen the joy and the beauty of this celebration. We are so thankful to Sisters Corbin and Teresa for joining their lives to our Congregation and giving themselves to bring God’s loving care to a world in need.

Farm store responds

This past March when the world shut down, the White Violet Center team knew we needed to come up with a plan. After all, the chickens and the crops we had already planted didn’t know there was a pandemic. So within a week of the stay-at-home order, our new website was up and running.

At a time when there was a lot of food insecurity, customers could submit their orders online and we would bring fresh produce, eggs, meat, cheese and other goodies right to their car. Later we expanded our services and began meeting customers with their orders on Wednesdays in Terre Haute in the St. Patrick’s Catholic Church parking lot. Although the Farm Store officially re-opened to customers on July 15, we continue to offer curbside service and weekly in-town pick up. We also regularly supply produce, flowers and eggs to local businesses including Baesler’s Market, Bar Bosco and The Butler’s Pantry. And we have a stand on Saturday mornings at the Terre Haute Farmer’s Market. Soon we will be offering shipping on our nonperishable products. Go to FarmStore.WhiteViolet.org and see what’s new.

New President at Providence Cristo Rey High School

Tyler Mayer was recently named president of the Sisters-of-Providence-sponsored Providence Cristo Rey High School in Indianapolis. Tyler comes from Bishop Chatard High School in Indianapolis, where he most recently served as Executive Vice-President. In that capacity, he was responsible for overseeing all phases of the fundraising, marketing, communication, special events, alumni outreach and enrollment efforts. Under Tyler’s leadership, Bishop Chatard High School experienced significant growth in both fundraising and enrollment. Tyler brings a passion for the mission of Providence Cristo Rey. Welcome, Tyler!

St. Mary’s Senior Housing construction begins

Construction on the soon-to-be St. Mary’s Senior Housing, formerly Owens Hall, began July 23. The Sisters of Providence are partnering on the project with Flaherty and Collins, based in Indianapolis. The finished building will offer 64 senior living units — 33 one-bedroom units and 31 two-bedroom units. Twenty percent will serve people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

“The first step is essentially deconstruction, since they will take the building down to its bones in most areas and then create 64 restricted income and four market rate apartments,” said Sister Lisa Stallings, Sisters of Providence general officer.

The Congregation was awarded tax credits from the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) in November 2019 for the repurposing of Owens Hall as low-income housing.

The project, estimated at $13.5 million, is funded by more than $1 million in rental housing tax credits, $400,000 from the U.S. Housing and Urban Development fund and $500,000 in development funds from IHCDA.

Sister Lisa said the project is estimated to be completed on Nov. 11, 2021.

Owens Hall was built in 1959. It was originally used as the novitiate for the Sisters of Providence. It was later used as administrative offices and as a residence hall for many sisters.

(Originally published in the Fall 2020 issue of HOPE magazine.)