Sisters Speak Out: On the Road with the Sisters of Providence

“We cannot do our work if we all stay in the nest.” – Saint Mother Theodore Guerin

Nearly 300 women religious and others gathered together in our nation’s capital on June 24, 2025, for “Sisters Speak Out,” a campaign focused on prayer and advocacy for those on the margins of our society.

The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, joined more than 50 congregations to stand firm in our shared commitment to Catholic Social Teaching. Our faith requires that we advocate that all legislation, budgets and declarations of the federal and state governments be aligned with basic human rights principles.

A ‘Public Witness’

Sisters of Providence Postulant Maité Rodriguez-Mora said participating in “Sisters Speak Out” was a “public witness of our vows. It’s standing up and speaking out. It’s not just women religious, you know, even as human beings, as members of the human race, (we are) speaking up for people’s dignity.”

Traveling by van, sisters, Providence Associates and staff members hit the road by 5 a.m., June 23 to spend the next day on the streets of Washington, D.C., in public prayer and time with elected officials.

Meet and Greet

The heat index of 110 didn’t deter them. In addition to meeting with many other sisters and praying the Rosary, our team was able to secure a meeting with Senator Todd Young (R-Ind.). They prayed with and for the senator’s leadership and representation of Hoosiers. Senator Rev. Raphael Warnock (D-Ga.) also met with “Sisters Speak Out” attendees and requested prayers for his role as a public servant.

At a national level, we are seeing proposed legislation that the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops says, “takes from the poor to give to the wealthy.” Over and over again, Scriptures call us to care for the needs of the poor. And our own Saint Mother Theodore reminds us that our work cannot always be accomplished from a place of comfort.

Other ‘Echo’ Events

In addition to “Sisters Speak Out” in Washington, D.C., many Sisters of Providence participated in four other echo events. At Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, community members and sisters gathered outside of the Church of the Immaculate Conception to pray the Rosary. In Indianapolis, Providence Associates gathered in prayerful solidarity on the campus of Providence Cristo Rey High School.

And in Eloy, Arizona, Sister Tracey Horan, SP, and members of the Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration and Kino Border Initiative prayed in and for collaborative justice and peace.

Postulant Maité was also asked to participate in a Canadian echo event (virtually) by providing Spanish translation for the event.

Continuing to Speak Out

Sisters often work side by side with vulnerable populations and have firsthand experience with their daily struggles. The extent of their suffering is a measure of how far we are from being a true community of persons. Our faith calls us to respond. And we do!

At the local and regional level, we address inequity through our sponsored institutions and ministries including Providence Food Pantry, Connecting Link, Providence Healthcare and Providence Cristo Rey High School. Our sisters and the Providence Community serve as the hands and feet of Jesus to people in need.

Looking back on that hot summer day in Washington, D.C., and the “Sisters Speak Out” experience, Sister Joni Luna, SP, said she felt uplifted.

“You know, I think it really gave me hope that one day, one day soon, it’s not going to be black or white or Mexicans — it’ll be just the human family, all worthy of dignity, respect. All worthy of having our needs met because we’re part of the human family, not because of the color of our skin,” Sister Joni said.

We’ll be following up with our “Sisters Speak Out” participants to share blogs about their individual experiences at SistersofProvidence.org/Blog. Please watch for these follow-up testimonies of hope and faith in action!

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Originally published in the fall 2025 issue of HOPE magazine.