
- 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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Features
Welcome to our features page. Here, we will share with you updates on what is currently happening within our Congregation. Feel free to take time to explore the area.

Newsnotes HOPE summer 2017
Updates from the Sisters of Providence spring 2017.

Providence spirituality in action: Sister Kathleen Desautels and 8th Day Center for Justice
I started thinking about everything I had seen from Sister Kathleen during my time at 8th Day. What I saw was Providence Spirituality in action. In our conversations over those two years, I had heard many of Sister Kathleen’s stories, her thoughts and her prayers. I found a woman willing to put herself on the line for the greater good time and time again.

“You don’t give up on a person” Sister Rita Clare’s journey with a prisoner
“He’s always felt remorse. I’m not condoning the evil that he has done. But he’s also a human being who needs support. He needs someone who is a positive influence in his life and can help him improve."

Unity and difference: blessings of engagement for local church members and the Sisters of Providence
To date, 11 members of Central Christian Church have become Providence Associates or are candidates, including the pastor! Karen Sagraves says many synergies exist between Central Christian Church and the Sisters of Providence. “We’re both very inclusive, related to ecumenical issues and relationships with others. We’re both justice-oriented and progressive.”

Disrupting apathy and injustice: Sister Tracey Horan and World Meeting of Popular Movements
“Now, we must all become disruptors.” Bishop Robert McElroy of San Diego addressed a crowd of nearly 600 clergy, women religious, and grassroots activists at the first regional meeting of the World Meeting of Popular Movements. Bishop McElroy called on them to disrupt apathy and injustice, racism and rejection of the stranger.
“This is not a moment for us to stay on the sidelines,” Sister Tracey Horan said. “The gospel calls us to step up."
No time for despair: climate change reality
So, why must we change? Drought, floods, fires, extreme weather, uninhabitable places, rising sea levels, species extinction, refugees, disease, food insecurity, inescapable heat … I could go on. Virtually nothing that we know about Earth is untouched by climate change. And no one.

Providence in the Desert: Efforts to provide access to clean water
Sister of Providence Carol Nolan, the director of Hispanic Ministry at Providence in the Desert, located in Coachella, California, is requesting prayerful support for efforts to bring clean water to the eastern Coachella Valley, where she ministers. This brief video…

Sister Helen Vinton and the Southern Mutual Help Association
Take a few minutes to watch this video about some of the amazing work of the Southern Mutual Help Association (SMHA). Sister Helen Vinton began ministering with SMHA in 1980 and today is the organization’s Senior Executive Officer and Senior…

What is Eco-Justice?
Note: The following was provided with permission by Joan Brown, OSF. Sister Joan is a Kansas native and a member of the Franciscan Sisters of Rochester, Minn. She lives in Albuquerque, where she is the Executive Director of New Mexico…

Sister Editha Ben
All her life, Sister Editha Ben has been a risk taker, working to break boundaries in her own life and in society. From running away to join the convent, to being blacklisted by the Filipino government for teaching social justice, to transferring to the Sisters of Providence after more than 30 years in her former congregation, Sister Editha has proven herself willing to follow the Spirit’s lead even in the face of opposition.

The Smile of a Sister: Where a Life of Love Began
My religious vows have offered me the freedom I needed to give all my energies to love and serve many and in various ways. Together with my sisters, who have always inspired and supported me, we have reached out wherever there has been great need. A wonder that dawned early in my mission life was that I have always received so much more in this life than I ever could give.
Poem: Blessed are you who bear the light
Blessed are you who bear the light
in unbearable times,
who testify to its endurance amid the unendurable,
who bear witness to its persistence
when everything seems in shadow and grief. …
