White Violet Center: Thriving for 30 Years
Like flowers in springtime, the beginnings of the idea sprung to life in 1991 during a sit-down with Sisters Ann Sullivan, SP, and then General Superior Sister Nancy Nolan, SP.
And only five years later, the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, were able to dedicate White Violet Center for Eco-Justice (WVC), a ministry which continues to thrive to this day.
An Organic Vision
Sister Ann had a vision of the Congregation utilizing much of its land for organic farming. After she produced a one-page proposal, the Congregational leadership leaped into action.
The goals were to educate for eco-justice and to research sound practices while implementing them using the land at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.
At the time, the Congregation also made a commitment to advocating for laws that protected the climate.
A committee was established to move the plan forward, and by 1995, croplands at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods were no longer farmed with chemical agriculture.
Local farmers were invited to join the project and study existing practices while looking into newer ones which would help nurture Earth while producing nutritious foods.
In just one year, Sister Ann and others helped develop a Community Supported Agriculture (CSA) program.
Introducing the Alpacas
In only a handful of years, the ministry brought livestock back to the grounds of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods with a herd of alpacas.
After reading about the benefits, Sister Ann said the alpacas, a no-kill animal, were necessary as they would help contribute natural fertilizer. An initial gift of approximately $70,000 provided the funding for the alpacas.
As the ministry grew, it expanded into offering educational programming to interested persons and added beehives and more. WVC now also has a flock of laying chickens and a five-acre USDA certified organic garden.
With the help of many full-time staff members, year-round interns and others, the ministry continues to grow.
In a WVC newsletter from 2016, Sister Ann said, “The support from the leadership of the Sisters of Providence to move the work of eco-justice forward was critical to establish the foundation of the programs that remain today as an expression of the grounding of the Sisters of Providence spirituality in the interconnection and interdependence of all sacred life.”
Originally published in the summer 2026 issue of HOPE magazine.
