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.

1956: a year of commemoration

The year 1956 was one of remembrance and celebration for the Sisters of Providence. This year marked the 100th anniversary of the death of Mother Theodore Guerin, who died May 14, 1856. The year also commemorated the 150th anniversary of…

Congregation centenary treasures

One of the boxes in the Sisters of Providence Archives has treasures from the 100th anniversary of the Congregation in 1940. There are several novelty items that were given away as part of the celebration. One of the most unique…

Rhythms and Tension

Rhythms and Tension was published by the Sisters of Providence in 1981. This booklet shares the stories of several sisters of a variety of ages and ministries. The introduction of this publication explains its purpose: “Thomas Merton once wrote that…

Sister Barbara Bluntzer

Sister Barbara Bluntzer knows just how to start and end her day. “Saint Mother Theodore (Guerin) said, ‘Send your heart a thousand times a day to the tabernacle.’ I try to do that, maybe not a thousand times, but very…

Sister Catherine Alberta Kunkler

“ … the greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves.” (Luke 22:26b) “Today we talk much about the nobility of service for others, but strangely enough, few want to…

Q and A: The new cosmology: a Providence perspective

This article is reprinted from the fall 2009 issue of HOPE. Editor’s note: In the previous article, “The new cosmology: an evolving universe,” Sister Jeanne Knoerle provides an overview of the new cosmology. In the following article, Sister Jeanne explores…

Theology: faith seeking connection

How do you picture God? Pray to God? Understand God? Throughout the centuries, theologians have tried to help us grasp the idea of God. As our knowledge of the world around us changes, so, then, does our way of thinking…

A Guide to the Trees at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods

In the early 1990s, the Mission Advancement office (OCA) in conjunction with the Eco-justice Task Force published A Guide to the Trees at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind. The research and drawings were completed by Sister Alma Louise Mescher and the booklet…

Foley Hall: A Portrait

Foley Hall — the name conjures up many memories for graduates of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and for countless Sisters of Providence. Foley Hall was known throughout its long history by several names including Saint Mary’s Academic Institute and the Academy.…

The pipe organ

Did you ever wonder what the largest instrument in the world is? You might be thinking a tuba or a grand piano? No, the largest instrument in the world is a pipe organ! The pipe organ is a musical instrument…