The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods are a community of vowed Catholic women religious. Inspired by our foundress Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, we are passionate about our lives of prayer, education, service and advocacy.
Reconnect or find new opportunities with the Providence Community. Volunteer in one of our many ministries, be an intern on the farm, explore job opportunities or reminisce about your alma mater.
Live joyfully! Single, Catholic women ages 18-42 are invited to explore a fulfilling life as a Sister of Providence. All women and men of faith are invited to join the family of Providence as Providence Associates.
Note: In 2016, during General Chapter, the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, in collaboration with Providence Associates and others, placed a critical importance on environmental justice. In 2021, the Congregation continued to further develop its direction on environmental justice and are still doing so this day. The following is their current action platform plan for 2025-26.For a PDF download of our current plan, click here.
Providence Community has a strong commitment to love, mercy and justice. This is expressed in love for all of creation, deep trust in the mercy of God for the harm humans have done to Earth, and the social mission of Jesus the Christ, who calls us to co-create and care for all of creation.
2021 Chapter: Prior to this Chapter, the General Council of the Sisters of Providence invited the Climate Crisis Task Force to engage the Providence Community’s participation in the Laudato Si Action Platform (LSAP)
Current and Past Actions: Our White Violet Center for Eco-Justice (WVC) has been a 29-year commitment to maintaining our wetlands and forests and using organic farming. WVC has committed to land restoration through the growth of alpacas; our chickens provide cage-free eggs. Through the USDA, we have made a 10-year commitment to put large tracts of land into pollinator habitats.
Additionally, we continue to protect and maintain our forest for the good of creation. Our land ethic details our commitment to responding to the Cry of Earth.
The Providence Climate Agreement/Manifesto was adopted by the Providence Community five years ago — it was a personal invitation and commitment of individuals within the community to reduce her/his carbon footprints.
We have posted a billboard in Terre Haute advocating for ecological justice for Earth. It is rather impressive that since its beginning in 2017, the Climate Crisis Task Force has met faithfully each month.
Responding to the Cry of the Poor
Current and Past Actions: Our connections and work with NETWORK since its inception and more recent engagement with NETWORK allow us to do advocacy at a national level.
Many more work in impoverished neighborhoods of urban cities such as Chicago. For more than 40 years, we provided staff for 8th Day Center for Justice and numerous other persons and doing/have done extensive work in justice ministry.
Our work with police in neighborhoods, our long-time commitment to abolishing the death penalty, our establishment of St. Mary’s Senior Living and Miller Parrott Lofts, our Justice Promoter work, and our temporary housing of an asylum-seeking family and assistance with Afghan refugees are all responses to the cry of the poor.
We have posted billboards in Terre Haute calling people to share the Gospel message of love, mercy and justice for immigrants, feeding the hungry and climate justice.
Building Ecological Economies
Current and Past Actions: Our commitment to do impact investing, not only in our alternative investments but also with some of our investments is a real commitment to “put our money where our mouths are.” We have also made a commitment to purchase hybrid cars. We make the sale of Fair Trade items in Linden Leaf Gifts and White Violet Farm Store a priority. WVC hosts interns who learn organic farming and alpaca husbandry and carry those practices out in their careers and lives.
Adopting Simple Lifestyles
Current and Past Actions: Many of us have committed to eating lower on the food chain, and some have committed to vegetarian and vegan diets.
Our Motherhouse community currently has two meatless days per week and individual sisters have committed to even more meatless days.
Sister Marilu Covani signs the Providence Climate agreement during the Sisters of Providence annual meeting in 2018.
The widespread adoption of the Providence Climate Agreement has kept us as individuals attentive to the ways that our living more simply can contribute to the good of the world through such actions as the use of less plastic, shorter showers, reusing or recycling as much as possible, using less electricity, etc.
Our newsletters to our own community (Sisters and Providence Associates) regularly carry suggestions for eliminating plastics and other wasteful practices and provide information on living justly and lightly on Earth.
Creating Ecological Education
Current and Past Actions: Our White Violet Center programs provide formal and informal education. We have offered programs on climate awareness and impacts of eating lower on the food chain.
Members of the Providence Community have given homilies in churches and done presentations at parish gatherings re: integral ecology.
Our Earth Day each year is a massive educational endeavor. A substantial library on ecological subjects is available in the Providence Hall Resource Room.
Ecological Spirituality
Current and Past Actions: We continually offer eco-spirituality programs through Providence Spirituality & Conference Center; create Earth/Creation-Centered prayers.
Through the years, we have engaged in rethinking Providence Spirituality and multiple speakers have connected Providence spirituality to ecology. We regularly celebrate the Season of Creation.
Promoting Community Action and Advocacy
Current and Past Actions: Housing for refugee family; work with refugees and immigrants; walking with incarcerated; actions against death penalty; actions against negative immigration practices and laws; actions to change wealth gap and raise awareness of unjust/unfair tax laws; anti-human trafficking work in collaboration with others in Chicago area and elsewhere; The Connecting Link; work with Citizens Climate Lobby to promote a carbon fee and dividend law; tracking the work of Biden/Kerry — all are ways that we in the Providence Community are engaged in community action and advocacy.
A group of Providence Associates, Sisters and members of the Terre Haute NAACP have met regularly since the death of George Floyd to better understand systemic racism, its causes and effects, and how to counter it. NETWORK has provided forums to educate the community on effective advocacy with our Representatives and Senators.
Climate Crisis Task Force/Laudato Si Action Platform Team provided opportunities at the Annual Meeting for the community members to learn “Climate Action Now” app.
Newsletters to Sisters and Associates post suggestions and reminders to advocate to local and national politicians for eco-justice.
The community has joined Land Justice Futures to explore possibilities for the future of our land to repair injustices and bring about healing and sustainability.
In Laudate Deum, Pope Francis pints to the current climate crisis:
“Despite all attempts to deny, conceal, gloss over or relativize the issue, the signs of climate change are here and increasingly evident. No one can ignore the fact that in recent years we have witnessed extreme weather phenomena, frequent periods of unusual heat, drought and other cries of protest on the part of the earth that are only a few palpable expressions of a silent disease that affects everyone. Admittedly, not every concrete catastrophe ought to be attributed to global climate change. Nonetheless, it is verifiable that specific climate changes provoked by humanity are notably heightening the probability of extreme phenomena that are increasingly frequent and intense.” (Laudate Deum 5)
“If we consider that emissions per individual in the United States are about two times greater than those of individuals living in China, and about seven times greater than the average of the poorest countries, (LS 44) we can state that a broad change in the irresponsible lifestyle connected with the Western model would have a significant long-term impact. As a result, along with indispensable political decisions, we would be making progress along the way to genuine care for one another.” (Laudate Deum 72)
As we prepare to elect local, state and national leaders, we as a community of believers are called to envision our contribution to the common good by choosing to be multi-issue voters as we use our collective voice to support policies that respond to the cry of Earth, the voices of the poor and minorities, and the diversity of creation.
FOCUS of SP 2025-2026 LSAP Plan: Goal 7: Community Resilience and Empowerment
The 2025-2026 LSAP Plan continues to focus its energies on the seventh Laudato Si Goal: Community Resilience and Empowerment. We celebrate the dynamic, active, transformative presence of Providence at work in the world and in us — grace becoming action, prayer becoming compassion, contemplation becoming service. We discern that God calls us both inward and outward — into loving action, courageous truth and deep presence.
In light of U.S. government movement away from concern about Climate Crisis, we are called to empower groups, particularly the Providence Community, to advocate for specific climate justice policies at local, state and national levels. As together our Providence Community engages in strategic advocacy actions, we hope to influence public opinion as well as institutional and government policies to include the voices of the poor and minorities, Earth and the diversity of creation.
Three Pillars of 2025-2026 LSAP Plan:
Guided by a vision for a just and sustainable future, this Plan centers on three spiritual pillars: Deepening our reverence for God’s creation through concrete actions, bearing prophetic witness as a moral voice for climate justice, and advancing the common good through advocacy grounded in faith.
Deepen our reverence for God’s creation through concrete actions
Integrate Laudato Si and Laudate Deum themes into liturgical celebrations and retreats.
Explore the possibility of granting a “Season of Creation” Award.
Celebrate the Season of Creation annually.
Encourage community gardens and seed banks.
Participate in Earth Day celebrations at the Woods and in our diverse home communities.
Engage with members of the SMWC Community, in particular the president of the Student Senate, to learn about any climate justice work and explore advocacy partnerships.
Continue publishing short descriptions of organizations that lobby governments and corporations for climate justice.
Collaborate with Ministry of the Woods to provide workshops on climate literacy and ecological citizenship. (WVC Earth Day, Every Day series; WVC permaculture design; renewable energy; climate adaptation, etc.)
Develop and maintain an Ecological Book Display in the Providence Resource Room.
Review, select and purchase current climate books for Resource Room.
Cultivate a culture of care and responsibility for our common home.
“Put yourself gently into the hands of Providence.”
Bear prophetic witness as a moral voice for climate justice
Sow seeds of Hope as we provide Spiritual Leadership by being a Moral Voice in support of advocacy actions for climate justice.
Develop homily helps for daily readings to be used during Season of Creation 2026.
Present “Climate Action Now,” Citizens Climate Lobby and other election-focused groups, to Providence Community, foster advocacy discussions within the Providence Community and encourage others, especially PA Circles, to do the same.
Deepen our focus on Goal 7, rooting advocacy in eco-spirituality and developing a strong, active voice to support this goal.
“Have confidence in the Providence that so far has never failed us.”
Advance the common good through advocacy actions grounded in faith
Foster policies and practices that safeguard our shared environment and promote inclusive well-being.
Advocate for policy reforms that prioritize sustainability and equity.
Promote letter writing to legislators in collaboration with LCWR process of in-person delivery.
Encourage the development of policies and practices that protect our common home and promote the dignity and participation of all peoples, especially the most vulnerable.
To prepare for mid-term elections, research candidates’ positions on climate justice policies using resources such as LCV, LWV, Sierra Club, Vote Climate U.S. PAC, Climate Hawks Vote, NETWORK, Faith in Place, and Interfaith Power & Light. Encourage family, friends and community members to support climate-friendly candidates at all levels.
Research and share resources that track candidates’ voting records on climate change, democracy, environmental spending energy, public health, worker protections and public lands.
Advocate for global solutions to plastic pollution through Earth Day initiatives.
Support vulnerable communities through services and advocacy, especially Providence Food Pantry, The Connecting Link, Providence Cristo Rey High School and Miracle Place.
Advocate for policy reforms that prioritize sustainability and equity.
“We are not called upon to do all the good possible, but only that which we can do.”
Conclusion
While this LSAP Plan calls the Providence Community to advocate for community resilience and empowerment as well as environmentally friendly policies, we also are called to continue observing our commitments made in previous LSAP Plans.
Each member of the Providence Community is called to continue to do even more than we have in previous years.
Rooted in the mystery of Providence and in communion with Earth, we commit ourselves to walk with courage toward ecological conversion. We do so not alone, but in resilient, participatory communities grounded in love, mercy and justice.
The Climate Crisis Task Force, formerly the The Climate Change Task Force, was created by our Justice Coordinating Commission as the first task force in order to take the lead in addressing climate issues for the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.
The accomplishments of the Sisters of Providence and the Providence Community, and the vision going forward are admirable. Reading through, I am reminded of Margaret Mead’s statement: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Thank you for your leadership in all of these endeavors.
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The accomplishments of the Sisters of Providence and the Providence Community, and the vision going forward are admirable. Reading through, I am reminded of Margaret Mead’s statement: “Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.”
Thank you for your leadership in all of these endeavors.