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.
Sister Mary Catherine Guiler (from left) along with Sister Denise Wilkinson, Sister Maria Saracco and Sister Margaret Norris (in back) wait to sign as Sister Florence Norton signs the Providence Climate Agreement.
The Providence Climate Agreement was developed by the Climate Crisis Task Force in order to provide — for the Sisters of Providence, Providence Associates, family and friends, and all others concerned — an action of resistance to climate change that is significant, doable, and at least roughly measurable.
Read the Climate Change Manifesto, which sets out some of the reasons for action. Below, you can find the Providence Climate Agreement (our collective goal), a pledge form enabling individuals or households to commit to specific actions and estimate the results, and resources, to help you with your Providence Climate Agreement pledges.
As in the Paris Climate Agreement of 2016, the goal and the actions are stated as pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2). This “greenhouse gas,” emitted into the atmosphere by the burning of fossil fuels, is a primary cause of global warming.
Our progress
Our original goal was to reduce our Carbon Dioxide (CO2) emissions by 2 million pounds in one year. We came close, but by September 2019, we exceeded our goal!
Whereas this precious and beautiful planet is our mother and our only home. Yet, for more than two centuries, many humans in Western societies have
Treated Earth with superiority and disdain
Made choices based on greed and privilege
Failed to speak and act for the common good
Related to Earth with attitudes of irreverence, exploitation, and control
and whereas the results of these attitudes and actions, such as the following, intersect and demand continuous justice:
Severe weather events, crop failure, pests, and sea level rise, affecting all who depend for their livelihood on subsistence farming
Low rainfall, lengthening the time spent (mostly by women and girls) in fetching water and caring for crops, thus precluding time for school and necessary self-care
Extreme and prolonged heat levels, which foster increased violence and assault, especially within families and in crowded cities
Desertification, famine, and drought, forcing people to endure certain misery and probably death in flight from their homelands
and whereas all of these destructive realities and countless others disproportionately affect women, children, and people of color,
therefore, we the members of the Climate Change Task Force, enter and invite all others to enter into the Providence Climate Agreement.
Providence Climate Agreement
Mindful of the effects of climate injustice on the cosmos, Earth, and all creatures of Earth, particularly the most vulnerable, we commit to work against climate injustice. We pledge that by July 1, 2021 we will have collectively reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 4 million pounds (in personal activities and in local or broader communities). We pledge, in addition, to advocate for strong environmental policy.
How to get involved
Make your own pledge!
Join us in the Providence Climate Agreement by making your own pledge:
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.
