
- 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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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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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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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 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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Saint Mother Theodore Guerin
An unshakeable trust in God. It set Saint Mother Theodore Guerin apart and makes her a model for us in our daily living. Get to know our brave and inspiring foundress better through these stories.

Reflections for Foundation Day 2019
Well, the fact that we are still here 179 years later is certainly testimony to the Providence of God. It is also testimony to all those sisters in the U.S. as well as in China and Taiwan AND to the many other Dotties, Mandys and Margies in our larger community of Providence who have not let appearances keep them from doing good, doing lots of good.

A Reflection for the Feast of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin
'Give me, give us, this heart of Mother Theodore with which to treasure the power and promise of the cross.'

Day by day with Saint Mother Theodore Guerin
I feel inclined to talk with Saint Mother Theodore about what’s worrying me, or making me happy or driving me crazy. "Another means for preserving the peace is to let little things pass without noticing them," she said.

Saint Mother Theodore Guerin moment: a mother’s letter to new postulants
"Long ago we offered prayers for you, for your generous mother. When you write to her tell her that I shall try to be a mother to you, that I love you already as my beloved child, and that all the Sisters are anxiously waiting to have you among them," writes Saint Mother Theodore to soon-to-arrive postulants.

A matter of hope: the future of religious life
I trust that there will be courageous women and men who will continue to answer the call of Providence to respond with integrity and passion to the most urgent needs in society.

Discovering the Woods: A visit from a fresh perspective
Each day we get visitors, pilgrims and tour groups who explore the many wonderful things that are here for all to discover.

A reflection for first vows
What we make of Saint Mother Theodore’s legacy will be our legacy – will we follow and not look back?

Grumbling with Saint Mother Theodore
Saint Mother Theodore, truly I have great need of your prayers. I am quite a grumbler.

Digitizing the letters and journals of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin
The original manuscripts of all the existing letters and journals, mostly in French, have been carefully preserved in the Sisters of Providence Archives. But these fragile pages have never been available to the public. Now, thanks to a Library Services and Technology Act (LSTA) grant from the Indiana State Library, digital representations of the personal letters of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, along with transcriptions and translations, will be available sometime after July.

Saint Mother Theodore: The real woman behind the image
I find this image of Mother Theodore very compelling. Because it hangs in my work space, I see it often. For me the image conveys an entirely different way to know Mother Theodore. This isn’t the iconic formal portrait of…

Saint connects sisters across the ocean
Saint Mother Theodore Guerin is at the root of a special connection that still exists between the original Sisters of Providence in France and the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

Reflections for Foundation Day — Oct. 22, 2018
“This is our inheritance — that on an October day in 1840 — six women entered a log cabin chapel and life was never again the same.”
