Celebrating Saint Mother Theodore Guerin

As the third of October approaches, Saint Mother Theodore Guerin’s Feast Day, I am remembering the first time I found out about her.

Sister Barbara Bluntzer, SP, gave me the book, “Journals and Letters of Mother Theodore,” to read. I instantly fell in love with her; her courage, stamina (even though she was not a healthy person), her determination, and forward thinking for a woman in her era.

I received the book in preparation for her Beatification in Rome on Oct. 25, 1998, which I was blessed to attend. What a joyful event! I also was able to attend her Canonization on Oct. 15, 2006. What an amazing experience to celebrate both events and share it with the sisters, alumni and friends of the Woods.

I had visited Saint Mary-of-the-Woods many times before becoming a Providence Associate in November 2017. After visiting with the sisters and associates for many years, Providence finally gave me the nudge to become an associate.

This summer in July, I was able to travel to France with Sisters Sue Paweski and Janice Smith and several Providence Associates as we Followed in Footsteps of Saint Mother Theodore. It was exciting to visit the place she was born and grew up.

You could almost feel her presence as we journeyed to many of the places she visited. We visited the France Sisters of Providence, celebrated Mass with them, and had a wonderful lunch.

We were able to visit a room with her memorabilia and visit the grounds of the convent front and back and visit Mother Theodore’s statue like the one at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

As we celebrate Saint Mother Theodore’s Feast Day, let us unite in prayer with all those who have gone before us, those with us now, and those who will follow: