


Community: a place for sharing, love, acceptance, support. A place to be challenged, to be strengthened. For Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, living in community and being part of a larger spiritual community are integral to life. Are you seeking community? Become a Sister of Providence. Or join the larger community as a Providence Associate.

Sister Gloria has found music to be a tremendous way to relate to people, from kindergartners through all ages of people in a parish. It has afforded her the experience of ministering to wonderful parishes and communities.

Being a Providence Associate has helped me to improve on my prayer life (which is still a work in progress). I find praying various prayers like the Litany of Nonviolence very satisfying. Also, my faith has become stronger through being an associate and knowing the Sisters of Providence all these years.

Why become a Providence Associate? Here are five reasons.

At 5 o’clock that same day, Sister Lawrence died. “I regret nothing,” she said, “in leaving the world. I have worked hard, very hard, with my body, perhaps my mind has not worked hard enough; our sisters will pray for me.”

Catch up on news from the Sisters of Providence, from COVID-19 to Earth Day to a new alumni association.

Experiencing the Woods in person the first time assured us we made the right decision. We were called here for God’s purpose, to the right place, at the right time. I imagine Saint Mother Theodore Guerin felt that way too.

“I am so grateful that I am in the ministry I am in because I have been able to work and feel like I’m contributing to our resolution to fight this disease.”

“She has a strong determination to live and has never let anyone do for her what she can do for herself.”

“Having Sister Marsha sit, listen, pray and offer her gentle guidance brings the matter up into the light. And once the struggle has been shown the light, the resolution begins.”

For many sisters, extended time in prayer has been both a coping mechanism and a time of real growth for them during the pandemic. Sister Joni Luna put it this way: “I find that if I fill my cup a few times a day by entering into this God space, it helps get me through the chaos and unpredictable events of my day.”

There were others in the group ‘who had walked in my shoes.’

The meals have proven to be a Eucharistic action. One recipient hadn’t had home cooked meals in years. Wheelchair bound and unable to use a stove or oven safely limited his cooking, so his meals had largely consisted of microwavable frozen meals. Now he gets a home-cooked meal twice a month and gets to visit with the parishioner who delivers it.