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Sister Denise Wilkinson

Content written by Sister Denise

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Do extraordinary things: Foundation Day 2012

Happy Foundation Day! We celebrate with deep gratitude the six Sisters of Providence who arrived here 172 years ago today! I know you can name them – Mother Theodore Guerin, Sister St. Vincent Gagé, Sister Basilide Sénéchal, Sister Olympiade Boyer, Sister Mary Xavier Lerée, and Sister Mary Ligouri Tiercin. These six ranged in age from…

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Story

Asking questions: Feast Day 2012

A couple of years ago, two sisters provided me with something to smile over, puzzle about, and learn from. At the time, we Sisters of Providence were in the midst of making an important decision. As always, there were different points of view. As always, these different points of view were articulated with the passion…

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Story

The shepherd’s crook and staff

  In the past two weeks, two of our sisters have died. We celebrated their lives with stories, prayer, and Eucharistic liturgy. Psalm 23 — the song of praise to the Good Shepherd — was part of both celebrations. For days, a particular verse of that psalm has taken up residence in my mind and heart:…

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Story

A nudge to see the people around me

Much about the Leadership Conference of Women Religious National Assembly in early August was memorable. Much has been written about it and its outcome; but much of what happened will never be deemed newsworthy. I refer to so many tender moments shared between sisters attending the meetings and staff people working at the Millennium Hotel,…

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Story

Recognizing Jesus

Reflection on the event of Arrianne Whittaker entering the Novitiate. “This is the good news of Jesus Christ!” Arianne, I don’t know about you, but the good news proclaimed for us just now has a different feel for me today than it did when we heard it a few days after the celebration of Easter….

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Story

Experiencing a deep and authentic unity

The following reflection is from the Sisters of Providence General Council: Sister Denise Wilkinson, Sister Lisa Stallings, Sister Jenny Howard, Sister Dawn Tomaszewski, and Sister Mary Beth Klingel. The April 2012 announcement of the Vatican’s doctrinal assessment of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) has been widely covered in the national media, evoking a…

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Story

Praying for rain in a drought, other water issues

Being in drought conditions in our part of Indiana makes me think about water quite a bit – usually when I’m watering our garden. My meanderings take me to Scripture – Hebrew and Christian — and all the references to parched ground, the desert blooming or conversely the grass withering. I think about Jesus at…

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Story

The little hula hooper

Family Day 2012 brought me two assignments — ring toss and children’s golf. To win at ring toss, one had to toss a Frisbee over a liter bottle of pop. Just an observation, boys took this way more seriously than girls. Hardly anyone managed to ring the bottle; but many boys took it personally. We…

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Prayer

Providence Prayer

My life, with all of its ups and downs,I gently place into your hands,Provident God. My loved ones, those here andthose living in the fullness ofyour life,I gently place into your hands,Provident God. My daily work and all who comeinto my life through it.I gently place into your hands,Provident God. Our Church and all of…

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Story

Hope and healing for Earth: Earth Day 2012

Anyone who knows the Sisters of Providence and our Providence Associates knows of our commitment to hope and healing of Earth. We channel much of our energy in this regard through the ministry of White Violet Center for Eco-justice. However, it is the rare Sister of Providence or Providence Associate who is not individually committed…

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Story

Providence never fails is a good ‘saying’

I have no idea why I started to think of “sayings” the other day, but I did. I was remembering that, as a kid, I simply did not get the point of the saying: “I see,” said the blind man as he tripped over his hammer and saw. My poor mother tried a million different…

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Story

Hardy harbingers of spring: Spring 2012

Yellow is one of the first colors of spring here at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Bright and bouncy daffodils dot gardens and spring up in the middle of ravines and lawns. Yellow crocus dot tended gardens, small areas in our cemetery and the edges of some of our woodlands. Brilliant yellow crocus are blooming in front of…

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Sister Denise was the general superior of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods from 2006-2016. She previously served as a high school teacher, college administrator, postulant/novice director and director of advancement and communications for the Congregation. Currently, Sister Denise serves the Congregation in various volunteer positions.

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To learn more about Sister Denise, view her sister profile page.