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.
When you think about Thanksgiving, what first comes to mind? Turkey? Dressing? Family? Friends? Laughter? Praying with gratitude? Sarah Josepha Hale?
“What,” you ask, “who in the world is she?” “She certainly isn’t my first (or even last) thought about Thanksgiving.”
That was my exact response as well.
It was only a few weeks ago that I learned about Sarah Josepha Hale. Sarah was born in Newport, New Hampshire, on Oct. 24, 1788. She, along with many New Englanders, celebrated Thanksgiving during the autumn season.
She so enjoyed the family gathering together for a luscious feast and giving thanks for the harvest bounty that she wanted to share the experience with others.
Mrs. Hale’s husband died in 1822 and she turned to writing to support their five children. She was already known for writing the nursery rhyme, “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” She later published a novel, Northwood: A Tale of New England, in which she detailed the various traditions and customs of the region.
In the book, she provides a comprehensive description of the New England Thanksgiving meal: turkey, stuffing, plum pudding, custards and various pies, especially pumpkin! Her hope was to spread the word, encouraging others to celebrate Thanksgiving.
She believed and hoped that “When Thanksgiving shall be observed, on the same day, throughout all the states and territories, it will be a grand spectacle of moral power and human happiness, such as the world has never yet witnessed.”
The success of her novel led her to accept the offer to become the editor of Ladies’ Magazine. Under her guidance, it became the most widely circulated women’s magazine of its time.
Sarah used her platform to champion various causes: abolition of slavery, preservation of historic sites, education for women, and – her own personal mission – creating an annual, national Thanksgiving holiday.
She believed that in doing so it would help relieve tensions between the North and South.
She encouraged her readers to lobby their representatives and even went so far as to publish numerous recipes and various ways to observe Thanksgiving.
But her work on promoting Thanksgiving as a national holiday didn’t end there. Beginning in 1840, Hale famously lobbied five U.S. presidents over 17 years to make Thanksgiving a national holiday. She reminded them that there were only two national holidays: Washington’s birthday and the Fourth of July. She wrote in her many letters that these holidays “reflected men’s patriotic and political events.”
“Should not the women of America have one festival in whose rejoicing they can fully participate?”
Her efforts culminated in President Abraham Lincoln’s 1862 proclamation establishing Thanksgiving as a national day of gratitude. However, more than 70 years would pass before the U.S. Congress approved legislation in 1941, ensuring that all Americans would celebrate a unified Thanksgiving on the fourth Thursday of November every year.
Sarah Josepha Hale died on April 30, 1879, in Philadelphia.
Sources: Saturday Evening Post, Poor Richard’s Women by Nancy R. Stuart.
During your Thanksgiving, take some time to remember the blessings you have with this prayer.
Remember Blessings on this Thanksgiving
Gracious and Loving Creator,
On this day of thanks, we pause to remember the blessings that fill our lives: the warmth of family, the gift of friendship, the abundance of harvest and the hope of peace.
We give thanks for those who came before us, who dreamed of unity and worked for compassion. Today, we especially remember Sarah Josepha Hale – a woman of vision and perseverance, whose gentle yet persistent voice helped shape this day of gratitude.
May her legacy remind us that one person’s faith and determination can inspire a nation to pause, reflect, and give thanks.
Bless this gathering, O God. Bless the food before us, the hands that prepared it, and the hearts that share it.
In the spirit of thanksgiving, may we walk with humility, live with generosity, and love with courage.
Sister Paula has been a Sister of Providence since 1967. She has ministered as a teacher, director of vocations, pastoral associate and as a General Councilor for the Sisters of Providence. She is currently in between ministries.
Glad that I am enjoying each day and Hope that my Health improves, and that God
will always listen to me
This is a wonderful prompt for reflection. It’s so easy for the modern narrative of Thanksgiving to become simplified, but your question rightly opens the door to a much more complex and personal tapestry of memories, traditions, and even complicated histories. The answers must be as diverse as the community itself, spanning from cherished family recipes and football games to more solemn reflections on gratitude and history.
For those who have shared their thoughts, what is one “new” Thanksgiving tradition—perhaps adopted in the last 5 or 10 years—that has become just as meaningful to them as the more long-standing ones from their childhood?
I was definitely among the “who in the world was she?” Thanks, Paula, for introducing me to Saraha Josepha Hale. Thank you very much for the prayer of thanks.
I was definitely among the “who in the world was she?” Thank you for introducing me to Sarah Josepha Hale. Thank you very much for the lovely prayer of Thanksgiving.
Having just taken the opportunity to read your reflection just now, Paula, I am inspired to keep a spirit of thanksgiving all year long. I wonder how many Sarah Josepha Hales are present throughout our history and need to be recognized as you have done for us. Thank you.
This site uses cookies to track visits anonymously so we can make your experience better and know how to provide you relevant content. If you click "Ok," you consent to this.
Glad that I am enjoying each day and Hope that my Health improves, and that God
will always listen to me
This is a wonderful prompt for reflection. It’s so easy for the modern narrative of Thanksgiving to become simplified, but your question rightly opens the door to a much more complex and personal tapestry of memories, traditions, and even complicated histories. The answers must be as diverse as the community itself, spanning from cherished family recipes and football games to more solemn reflections on gratitude and history.
For those who have shared their thoughts, what is one “new” Thanksgiving tradition—perhaps adopted in the last 5 or 10 years—that has become just as meaningful to them as the more long-standing ones from their childhood?
I was definitely among the “who in the world was she?” Thanks, Paula, for introducing me to Saraha Josepha Hale. Thank you very much for the prayer of thanks.
I was definitely among the “who in the world was she?” Thank you for introducing me to Sarah Josepha Hale. Thank you very much for the lovely prayer of Thanksgiving.
Having just taken the opportunity to read your reflection just now, Paula, I am inspired to keep a spirit of thanksgiving all year long. I wonder how many Sarah Josepha Hales are present throughout our history and need to be recognized as you have done for us. Thank you.