Sisters of Providence

Sisters of Providence

The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, are a congregation of Roman Catholic women religious (sisters) who minister throughout the United States and Taiwan. Saint Mother Theodore Guerin founded the Sisters of Providence in 1840. The congregation has a mission of being God's Providence in the world by committing to performing works of love, mercy and justice in service among God's people.

Connecting with Creation

This article is reprinted from the summer 2012 issue of HOPE The Sisters of Providence have been connecting with creation since their foundation more than 170 years ago. “We have a little green-house where we shelter our flowers from the…

Prisoners & Probationers of Conscience

Throughout the history of SOA Watch’s yearly vigils at the SOA/WHINSEC at Ft. Benning, Ga., various participants have chosen to take direct action by breaking federal law and trespassing onto the military base. After prayerful consideration and discernment, several Sisters…

A bit of anti-racism history

The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods have a long history against racism and issues of discrimination. The Congregation’s foundress, Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, was concerned about the welfare and freedom of a group of slaves she saw in Louisiana…

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‘Nuns of the Battlefield’

First published in 1927, “Nuns of the Battlefield” was written by Ellen Ryan Jolly. In this book, the author gives a description of the women religious congregations that provided medical aid during the Civil War. Many of these religious congregations…

Tribute to sisters in Vincennes

From time to time, The Vincennes Weekly Sun ran articles on the emergency hospital in that city. Much of the praise for this medical facility was directed toward Sisters St. Felix Buchanan and Sophie Glenn and Dr. Baty, who was…

Vincennes emergency hospital

In addition to their work at the Military Hospital in Indianapolis, the Sisters of Providence also had charge of the emergency hospital in Vincennes, Ind., that was opened in July and August of 1861 and then again on May 29,…

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Sisters who served during the Civil War

Sister St. Felix Buchanan Sister Helena Burns Sister Frances Ann Carney Sister Athanasius Fogarty Sister Sophie Glenn Sister Eugenia Gorman Sister Mary Francis Guthneck Sister Henrietta MacKenzie Sister Mary Louise Malone Sister Mary Rose O’Donaghue Sister Matilda Swinley Sisters Mary…

Civil War diary entries

In the Sisters of Providence Archives there is a bound transcription of the diary of General Superior Mother Mary Cecilia Bailly. She served as general superior after the death of Mother Theodore Guerin in 1856 until 1868, covering the turbulent…

Tribute to Sister Athanasius

Sister Athanasius Fogarty, directress of the Military Hospital in Indianapolis during the Civil War, was greatly respected as a sister-nurse. She served at the hospital from May 17, 1861, to August 1865. The necrology (obituary) in the Sisters of Providence…

7 Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Quotes

The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods are blessed to have a foundress who loved to record her thoughts and prayers. The following is a handful of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin quotes. 1. “I have already exceeded the amount of…