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
Providence Associates retreat with Saint Mother Theodore Guerin
See photos of Providence Associates and Sisters of Providence gathered March 7-9 for a retreat on Saint Mother Theodore Guerin. Together they explored her life and virtues and spent time in prayer and reflection, including an all-night vigil at Saint Mother Theodore's shrine.
Sister Patty Wallace walks in the footsteps of her elder sisters
Sister Patty stands on the shoulders and walks in the footsteps of Sisters of Providence who taught, encouraged, listened to, and challenged her to continue to give the best of herself in ministry, prayer, and living the vows in our community. Read more...
A positive way to approach Lent
A quote from Ilia Delio, OSF, a contemporary theologian, both challenges and stirs a sense of excitement within Sister Denise Wilkinson, general superior, as she begins to prepare for Lent and the practices of prayer and action that would help me choose "in love and for love" for the good of the whole. She shares her reflection with us just in time for Ash Wednesday.
A Valentine’s Day reflection for 2014
Sister Denise Wilkinson, general superior, asks us "how are our hearts physically and/or metaphorically," this Valentine's Day? How will we answer?
Community prayer via Skype™
Sisters Brigid Ann and Eileen Bonner are in Louisville and Sister Mary Morley (formerly Sister David Mary) is in Cincinnati. The time to pray is marked on the computer monitor. They gather “face to face” by way of Skype. You’ll find them there weekdays at 4 p.m. and weekends at 10 a.m.
Do spirituality and technology connect?
Sister Cathy Campbell reflects on the relationship between technology and spirituality through the lens of Providence.
Winter solstice ritual
Tomorrow is the first day of winter, the longest night of the year.
The following is adapted from "Prayers for a Planetary Pilgrim," by Edward Hays.
Materials needed: solstice candle; a fire pit, if possible, if you will be outside or a fireplace indoors; smaller candles for everyone; flash light for the leader.
(Begin by sitting in darkness for a short time)
Leader: Let us take into our hands a solstice candle
or Let us light the sacred solstice fire.
We pray on the night of ancient fear, when those who have gone before us were fearful of what lurked outside the ring of fire of light and warmth. They feared all that prowled in the darkness: evil, disease, death, beasts that might destroy them and the hidden dangers of winter.
Light candle or fire
“Put yourself gently into the hands of Providence.”
After a lot of deliberation and an invitation for input from sisters and associates, the quote that will be inscribed on the limestone platform that will support Saint Mother Theodore's coffin, has been decided.
Reclaim the season of Advent
Advent is my favorite season of the Liturgical Year. I love this quiet time before Christmas.
It isn’t a penitential time like Lent. It is a time of quiet anticipation.
Anticipation is naturally in the air. Children certainly anticipate Santa Claus and time off from school. Adults anticipate a break from work, getting together with family and friends, the chance to kick back and relax from the frenzied pace of life.
Advent is the season of waiting and longing. Our society makes it almost impossible to wait.
I noticed that Christmas TV programming began in early November. Certainly, Christmas advertising and shopping crept in even earlier — before Halloween!
The greatest challenge in Advent is to refrain from celebrating Christmas. Christmas is coming and it will be more than a day. In fact, there are 12 days for celebration, as the song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” suggests (Christmas Eve on Dec. 24 through Epiphany on Jan. 6).
Never consent to take our books
I can not imagine life without books. My parents tell a story of when I went missing when I was two years old. My mother checked on me in the middle of the night and found I wasn’t in my…
Surrounded by the dead
I always think of my maternal grandfather, Alex “Casey” Gutgsell, on Halloween. He was very German and very stern. But he also had a mischievous side.
As kids, we went first to “trick or treat” at my grandparents’ home. Someone always dressed up like a witch and wore a treasured, horrific mask to complete her costume.
Without fail, Grandpa Gutgsell would remove the mask from the little witch, put it on and proceed to scare us. It so delighted him and so annoyed my grandmother.
“The Promised Land of Providence”
Happy Foundation Day! 173 years ago today, Saint Mother Theodore Guerin and her five companions finally arrived in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. This lovely, old poem written by Sister Loretta Therese Bierman (1886-1919) tells of their first view of the “deep forest.”
