Blog
Welcome to our blog. Here, we will share with you stories of our lives as Sisters of Providence. We invite Providence Associates to write in this space also. We hope you find these posts enjoyable and inspirational.
Stations of the Cross at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
Some of the first items installed in the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods were the Stations of the Cross. They were made in Munich, Germany. The Stations are sculptures that show various scenes of Jesus in his…
Treasures from Archives: Father Goossens
In one of my recent forays in the stacks of Archives, I stumbled upon a unique item. In an archival box marked chaplains I discovered a black leather wallet in the file of the late Father Emile J. Goossens. No,…
CNN to show documentary on Saint Mother Theodore Guerin
If you have traveled the world in search of truth, justice and the American way, or whatever else you might seek, you could be a difficult person to impress. Jen Christensen travels the world for CNN. She works as a…
Treasures from Archives: Foley Hall Elevator
Foley Hall conjures many memories for many people. For those of us who never had the privilege of seeing this magnificent edifice, old photographs help us to imagine what an awesome structure Foley must have been. Another way in which we…
Reflection from Burundi, Africa
Note from the Sisters of Providence leadership team: Sister Deborah Campbell is currently in Burundi, Africa conducting an audit for Catholic Relief Services (CRS). As we approach Lent this seems a fitting reflection for all of us; we invited her…
At Providence St. Mel, we believe …
I recently had the opportunity to visit Providence St. Mel School (PSM) on Chicago’s West Side. If you’re not familiar with the school and the good work that goes on there, spend some time browsing the website to learn about the school.…
Movies that stay with you
After not going to the “real” movies in more than six months, I’ve been twice in the past six days – once to see “Iron Lady” and once to see “The Descendants.” In spite of the many less than positive…
Remembering Sister St. Francis Xavier
After the arrival of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin and her companions to the Woods in October of 1840, the small Congregation was beset with many losses and trials. One of the most grievous and personal losses to Saint Mother Theodore was the…
Treasures from Archives: Marleau-Hercules Fence Co.
Back in the far recesses of Archives is a wonderful archival box filled with tantalizing details about the convent cemetery. One of the items that caught my attention was the bill for the wrought iron gate at the entrance of the cemetery.…
Grace
Most people who have spent much time at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods have a favorite season here. Mine is winter. Actually, in January, it’s winter. In April, spring will be my favorite. In July … well, you get the point. Recently, I had…
Debbie Dillow ‘excited & humbled’ by new position
The Providence Associates Advisory Board is excited to welcome Debbie Dillow, PA, as the new assistant director of the relationship. Debbie has been an associate since 2008 and has served on the advisory board since last spring. Debbie hails from…
‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ takeaways
I spent a little time over the Christmas holidays with my goddaughter’s 2-year-old son, Jax. As a consequence, I watched quite a bit of “Thomas the Tank Engine;” and I am now familiar with the various personalities and idiosyncrasies of…