Reflections from Sister Denise
Sister Denise Wilkinson was the general superior of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, from 2006 to 2016. As a gifted writer and speaker, she is often called upon to share her reflections. These are some of her writings.
Valentine’s Day 2011
My cousin’s son and his wife have a son, Jack Alfred. (At family gatherings, use of his middle name is required to distinguish him from his cousin Jack Louis.) In my lamentably too few encounters with Jack Alfred, I find…
Be merry: Christmas reflection 2010
I have a fondness for the word “merry.” For years, my Christmas card complementary closing has been “Be merry!” What am I encouraging with this sign-off? “Merry” is defined as: full of fun and laughter; lively and cheerful; mirthful; conducive…
The Days of Our Waiting – Advent 2010
I find myself very taken with these ideas taken from Judy Cannato’s lovely book Field of Compassion: One way to speak of the Christian story is to say that God is always doing something more. Incomprehensible holy mystery is always…
Saying thank you: Thanksgiving 2010
How many times have we witnessed (or participated in) this scenario? An adult hands something to a small child and a parent says to the little one, “What do you say?” The expected response? Thank you! We all know the…
Day of the Dead — All Souls Day
My least favorite explanation for anything is that’s just the way it is. I can instantly feel the resistance rise up inside me. Reflection over the years has brought me to the realization that I resist the statement of fact…
Foundation Day – Oct. 22, 2010
Happy Foundation Day! Happy 170th anniversary of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods and of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College! In the name of the Sisters of Providence and our Providence Associates, I extend a warm welcome to all present here…
Gratitude – Thanksgiving 2009
It’s a rare thanksgiving season that I don’t hear my grandma’s oft-repeated admonition to us for any breach of good behavior. “Don’t be such an ingrate.” My mother’s corrections were much more behavior specific. “Don’t be fresh.” “Stop bickering.” “Be…
How to become a saint – Saint Mother Theodore Guerin’s Feast Day 2009
Many of us here remember the safe landing of US Airways Flight # 1549 into the Hudson River this past January. A total of 155 persons aboard — no lives lost; pilot and crew performing gracefully and competently under the…
Principles of non-violence
Paging through the newspaper the other day, I came across an interview with Ambassador Andrew Young, a close associate of Martin Luther King, Jr. The interviewer asked Young many questions about his early days in the civil rights movement. Young’s…
O Death, where is your victory? O Death, where is your sting? – Easter 2009
Whenever I stumble upon this passage from 1 Corinthians 15, I have the same knee-jerk reaction: I can go with the victory part; but death does sting. When a loved one dies, sensations of loneliness, loss, grief — sometimes even…
Honor Divine Providence
This article is reprinted from the winter 2009 issue of HOPE. Of the many gifts membership in the Congregation bestows on us, a commitment to life-long learning is among the most valuable. This commitment extends not only to professional education…