
- About
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Love, mercy, justice
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.
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- Justice
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Break boundaries, create hope
Spirituality and justice go hand-in-hand. We are committed to walking with those on the margins. Join us on our journey to make Earth better for all.
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- Be inspired
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What inspires you?
We all need a little spiritual inspiration sometimes. Let the wisdom of our Providence Community support you on your journey.
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Experience the Woods
From the moment you step onto the grounds at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, you know you're somewhere special. There's something for everyone at the Woods.
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Where do you fit in?
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.
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Join the Providence Family
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.
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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.

Counting down: Seven days and seven random Indiana facts from 1840
There are only seven days remaining before the grand opening of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin’s Shrine. In 1840, Mother Theodore Guerin and her five sister companions traveled to the United States from France to establish a Congregation of women religious,…

9 things you may not know about Saint Mother Theodore
She owned a pocket knife. She loved all creatures except snakes and mosquitoes. She had a special fondness for birds. On her voyage to America, via the ship, the Cincinnati, she counted the teeth of a porpoise caught with a…

Counting down: 10 days to go and 10 reasons to LOVE the new shrine
It’s official! In just ten days we will have a brand new shrine for Saint Mother Theodore Guerin to share with the world, and we’ve got at least ten reasons off the top of our heads for why you are…

So very human: Making an e-book of Mother Theodore’s words
Christina talks about the process of making "Journals of Letters of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin" into an e-book, now available for purchase. Saint Mother Theodore is so very human in these pages! It's a delightful book.

Mother Theodore feast day: prayers to our faithful
After an emotional Mass in celebration of the feast of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin on Friday, Oct. 3, the Woods community is still buzzing with excitement.
During Mass yesterday, Sister Lisa Stallings, Sisters of Providence Vicar, shared the prayer below, written by Sister Donna Butler.

A feast-day letter to Saint Mother Theodore
Saint Mother Theodore, you showed us the way. It wasn’t easy, but you never let up. You believed in your Provident God. Providence was your shield of faith and hope, and you lived it to the fullest.

Letter: Jan. 13 1849
Saint Mother Theodore Guerin is considered a saint today, but during her time on Earth, she was a down-to-earth mother of many daughters. She expresses her love for one of her daughters in this letter.

Sisters Lucy and Mary Fran cook up a good time
“We prepare about 30 pounds of meat. The pulled pork sandwiches are complemented by a great horseradish coleslaw which Sister Lucy takes pride in making.”
Sisters Lucy Nolan and Mary Fran Keusal lovingly feed the volunteers and shoppers at the annual Providence Family Services rummage sale, held this year Oct. 4-5 in Chicago. They share their experience and even their recipe here.

Comforting prayer
I’ve been a devoteé of the prayer of the rosary since I was a grade-schooler. I still pray the rosary (or most of it) nightly. I have even learned the Luminous mysteries introduced by Pope Benedict XV.

Filled with the life of our dear Mother Theodore
It has been months of waiting patiently for the beautifully curved BUT bare walls of the new shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin to be filled with the life of our dear Mother Theodore.
Then in a matter of days, the whole place was bursting with the spirit of our amazing saint. Stunningly colorful panels, chronicling the story of her faith-filled life, offer a glimpse of what holiness might look like in pioneer Indiana.

Letter: January 1, 1854
It is yet another one of our favorite Saint Mother Theodore quotes! Who would have thought that a religious woman in the 1800s could give us millennials such great advice?

Finding courage and joy as a caregiver
For seven years, Sister Bernadette Mary Carroll was a caregiver for her ailing sister, Catherine. She cooked, cleaned, shopped for groceries, administered medications, and drove her sister to and from her many appointments; anything she could do to make her life as comfortable as possible.
