
- 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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- Visit
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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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- Get involved
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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
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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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- Prayer Requests
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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.

Reflecting on Leadership
The goal is to offer the community the best possible choice for a team to provide collaborative leadership in the next five years.

Sister Jeanne Hagelskamp: on choosing life as a sister, urban education and SP mission
A young Jeanne Hagelskamp was working as a teacher, dating a medical student and discerning what God wanted her to do with her life when one day she got her answer during prayer. Get to know Sister Jeanne Hagelskamp in these short video clips.

Leadership response to gun violence
When will this end?

An unpublished note from Saint Mother Theodore Guerin
Did you know there's more from Saint Mother Theodore? The Archives department for the Sisters of Providence has several of Saint Mother Theodore's letters that were not included in Journals and Letters.

A Sister of Providence mom reflects on Mother’s Day
I said yes in 1968 when I was pregnant with my son, Mark. I was 21 and totally unprepared to face what was to come. My feeling of love for Mark came in an instant when they put him in my arms. I never knew I had so much love.

Mercy in Islam
In this small glimpse of mercy in Islam, we reflect the hope of Pope Francis that this Jubilee year will “foster an encounter,” “open us to even more fervent dialogue” and “eliminate every form of closed-mindedness” toward Islam, Judaism, and “other noble religious traditions.” Inshallah! (God willing!)

Imperfect mercy
I realized that in both stories, Jesus was open and vulnerable enough to allow others to call him to mercy. In the end, when it came to choosing mercy or sticking with his original plan, Jesus did not dig his heels in based on his own sense of the “right time” or the “right people.”

Grieving gracefully into a future full of hope
Saint Mother Theodore once said, “Treat yourself as you treat others, with kindness and indulgence.” I firmly believe that, above all, to comfort oneself or another involves being gentle with oneself or another. It means allowing grief to be a teacher who reminds us that we are wired for resilience. We are meant to find meaning and purpose in life.

Forgiveness and mercy
Forgiveness is a process, and a slow one at that. We cannot rush forgiveness. If we do it becomes insincere. It takes time, patience and mercy and it is never an easy journey to make.

Reaching out as mercy
“As Pope Francis has spoken so many times, at least the way that I understand it, mercy is shown by reaching out to people where they are and not waiting for them to come to you. So in a way, it is to be alert to the needs of someone. The need to be loved, to be accepted, to be important. I think Pope Francis’ approach to a year of mercy has again called people to be more aware, more alert, to that,” said Providence Associate Daniel Hopcus, the priest chaplain at Saint Mary-0f-the-Woods.

Newsnotes
Newsnotes from the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

Poem: Human Violence
Tragic legacy
pervasive pattern repeating
itself through the ages
a rippling effect on relationship
at every level …
