
- 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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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.

Our immigrant saint: Saint Mother Theodore Guerin moment
Mother Theodore Guerin came to the United States from France in 1840, an immigrant. Like many immigrants today she did not speak English, she knew very little about the United States and its customs.

Celebrating a new shrine for Saint Mother Theodore
October of 2014 was a month of celebration at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, with the grand celebration of the opening of the shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin and the festivities leading up to it. See some photos here.

How will you live out her words?
We live in constant fear of the future because it is the one thing that we feel like we don't have complete control over. That's just it. We don't have complete control over the future and we should accept that fact. This year, I'm going to try very hard to do these things that I think will help me better live through the words of Mother Theodore:

Letter: Jan 18. 1856
"When we are cold is not the time to keep away from the fire." It's a fitting statement for the weather here lately, but what does it really mean?

Providence prayers for the journey of Advent
Advent means coming (Latin adventus; Greek parousia): the coming of Emmanuel (God-with-us) into our lives, the coming of Providence into the universe. This start of the Christian liturgical year invites us to prepare for the coming of light, liberation, and love into the universe. It challenges us to stay awake to Providence in our midst and to witness to this relationship.

Historical museum exhibit features sisters, college
In celebration of 175 years, the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College (SMWC) have created an exhibit which is currently on display at the Vigo County Historical Museum. The exhibit features various artifacts from the…

Letter: Jan. 13, 1853
"Be careful not to give way to your temper, which makes you unsupportable. You would be a thousand times happier in resisting it," wrote Mother Theodore on Jan. 13, 1853.

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!


Sharing stories, building relationships
An important part of the orientation toward becoming Providence Associates is the sharing of stories.
Several spoke of seeking something more in their lives, of seeking a deeper spirituality.
One young woman saw this as a way to keep her accountable to community service. Another was seeking intentionality.
Several were friends of Providence Associates who had heard their tales of life-giving experience as a Providence Associate and were looking for the same.


ONE of several, but Indiana’s first
Mother Theodore is one of several U.S. saints, but Indiana's very first!
