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
Stations of the Cross at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
Some of the first items installed in the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods were the Stations of the Cross. They were made in Munich, Germany. The Stations are sculptures that show various scenes of Jesus in his…
Reflection from Burundi, Africa
Note from the Sisters of Providence leadership team: Sister Deborah Campbell is currently in Burundi, Africa conducting an audit for Catholic Relief Services (CRS). As we approach Lent this seems a fitting reflection for all of us; we invited her…
Forty Hours Devotion a solemn tradition for Sisters of Providence
The Solemn Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, also known as Forty Hours Devotion, will take place Sunday, Feb. 19; Monday, Feb. 20; and Tuesday, Feb. 21; in the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. This period, the three…
Movies that stay with you
After not going to the “real” movies in more than six months, I’ve been twice in the past six days – once to see “Iron Lady” and once to see “The Descendants.” In spite of the many less than positive…
Grace
Most people who have spent much time at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods have a favorite season here. Mine is winter. Actually, in January, it’s winter. In April, spring will be my favorite. In July … well, you get the point. Recently, I had…
‘Thomas the Tank Engine’ takeaways
I spent a little time over the Christmas holidays with my goddaughter’s 2-year-old son, Jax. As a consequence, I watched quite a bit of “Thomas the Tank Engine;” and I am now familiar with the various personalities and idiosyncrasies of…
Sister Mary Evangelista, Jessye the Cat, and Advent Waiting
A number of years ago, when she was well into her nineties, Sister Mary Evangelista Herber (RIP) told me that she had decided to learn to wait. Her life involved a good deal of waiting, she reported. She had never…
Sister Diane Ris publishes new book about Saint Mother Theodore Guerin
Picture this: A Sister of Providence hovered over a desk in her writing room. A candle swaying delicately through currents of air as the sister works intently on her project. Sound familiar? Saint Mother Theodore Guerin did that when she documented events in…
The wisdom of Saint Mother Theodore: Letter to Sister Gabriella
Letter from Saint Mother Theodore to Sister Gabriella in Fort Wayne, Ind. Jan. 3, 1853 “My dear Sister: “I have received with true pleasure your good and affectionate wishes. The heart understands the heart. As yours was speaking in your…
Spirituality of Acceptance: Accepting Diminishment, Illness and Loss
This article is reprinted from the fall 2011 issue of HOPE. “You just get up and go and keep living. … It’s the best thing to do!” “There’s only one way: take each day as it comes!” One might think…
Sister of Providence authors new book on healing touch therapy
Sister Betty Hopf’s new book is only a little larger than the palm of a hand. It’s about as thick as a fast-food hamburger. It retails for $4.95. It can be read in just a few minutes. But it packs…
Letter from a saint: to Sister Gabriella
Portions of a letter to Sister Gabriella of Fort Wayne, Ind. (Sister Gabriella O’Neill was Mother Theodore’s first postulant of 1841. She was born in 1804 and died in 1875. The letter was dated Sept. 23, 1855.) “It is with…