Pilgrims of Hope: Jubilee 2025

For more than a century, thousands of people have visited the sacred grounds of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, walking in the footsteps of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, foundress of the Sisters of Providence.
Many of those people expressed, at the conclusion of their visit, a sense of inner calm within their soul, a peace they had not felt before. 

A Thin Place of Peace and Reflection

General Superior Sister Dawn Tomaszewski, SP, describes Saint Mary-of-the-Woods as a “thin place.”
“That’s because of the experience of the people who come to our Woods,” Sister Dawn observed. “They speak of feeling deep peace and tranquility. They experience a deeper connection to nature, themselves and the Holy One.

“As defined by Celtic spirituality, a ‘thin place’ refers to a location where the veil between the physical world and the spiritual realm is perceived as particularly thin, allowing for a heightened sense of connection to the divine. A ‘thin place’ is often considered a sacred site.” Jubilee 2025: A Year of Pilgrimage

This year, the Catholic Church is celebrating Jubilee 2025. On Christmas Eve 2024, the late Pope Francis declared the Jubilee year would be granted the theme “Pilgrims of Hope.”

The Archdiocese of Indianapolis, under Archbishop Charles Thompson, has designated three pilgrimage sites in Indiana for the Jubilee year. Among them is the Church of the Immaculate Conception and The Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. The other sites include Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral in Indianapolis and Saint Meinrad Archabbey Church in St. Meinrad.

All pilgrims, whether visiting for the first time or returning after many years, are invited to experience the Woods.

Step into History and Faith 

Visitors and pilgrims can explore the Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, who was canonized as the only Saint in Indiana on October 15, 2006. The Shrine tells the story of her journey from France to Indiana in 1840, where she and her companions established a ministry of education in the wilderness of Indiana. 

Walk through the Shrine and see actual items Saint Mother Theodore brought with her on her journey and other artifacts she used while here at the Woods — including her writing desk, prayer book, shoes and more.

Sacred Spaces for Prayer and Reflection

The Church of the Immaculate Conception stands as a beacon of faith, welcoming visitors to attend Mass with the Sisters of Providence. On the second Tuesday of each month, the Congregation hosts ecumenical Taizé Prayer services, providing a time of contemplation and worship.

Other sacred spaces include the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, Saint Anne Shell Chapel, Log Cabin Chapel and the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes. Pilgrims can also walk the Stations of the Cross along the Shrine Path or take in the serene beauty of the Nature Trail at St. Joseph’s Lake.

A Pilgrimage of Hope

“Saint Mary-of-the-Woods has always been sacred to Sisters of Providence, and certainly, a focus of our lives as Sisters of Providence is to make space for the divine,” Sister Dawn commented. 

“We hope that by welcoming pilgrims into this sacred space, we will enable them to encounter God in new ways and be filled with hope that God is truly present with us and with our world.”

Walk in the footsteps of the eighth American Saint while strolling the sacred grounds of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Embrace your inner spirit during this holy year.

Originally published in the summer 2025 issue of HOPE magazine.

To read the article in Spanish, as translated by Sister Marilu Covani, click here.