
- 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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Providence Spirituality
“The God of Providence carries the entire mystery of the divine, ever trustworthy, never failing. The God of Providence offers all the possibilities for ourselves and the world, including both what God wants to happen and what God is willing to let happen because God honors the gift of human freedom. The choices are ours — truly free, but ever grounded in the grace of God, the Holy Mystery of Providence, about which there is ever more to be discovered.” – Sister Ruth Eileen Dwyer

Giving thanks from the heart
The two words thank you are so simple! But if said from deep within our hearts they can open a field of compassion and gratitude to others. If said from deep within our hearts, the saying of thank you becomes real. When we are real, we are able to melt the frozen places in others and ourselves.

Stitching a thanksgiving “quilt of words” together
Sister Denise Wilkinson's Thanksgiving Day reflection for 2014 weaves a quite of words together to encourage us.

Life is changed … not ended
Autumn, in all its beauty and decline, reminds us that this is a time to harvest our blessings in a spirit of thanksgiving, as well as a time for letting go and preparing for the season ahead.

Warm hearts welcome postulant Anna Fan
The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods welcome postulant Anna Fan in a heart-warming entrance ceremony on Nov. 13.

All Saints Day
As a kid, saints always fascinated me. I liked hearing their stories from my Sister of Providence teachers and reading their stories on my own. The martyrs, in my young mind, were the best! I really liked those stories and reveled in the fantasy that someday I, too, would die for my faith, just as they did — burned at the stake or fed to the lions. Well, forget that! Reality soon set in and with it a desire to stay as far away from that kind of suffering (make that any kind of suffering) as possible!

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.

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.

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.

Providence is profound
For me, Providence is God’s unconditional and interdependent love for each and every creation, given freely to be shared with, by and for every creation. God is present and acting. I may not recognize or sense God’s Providence, especially in times of struggle or pain.

Question and answer with Sister Jane Iannaccone
I stay in this ministry because of love. Love for all the people of God. Jesus’ commandment is to love everyone, not just the members of the church I like.
