A nudge to see the people around me

Much about the Leadership Conference of Women Religious National Assembly in early August was memorable. Much has been written about it and its outcome; but much of what happened will never be deemed newsworthy.

I refer to so many tender moments shared between sisters attending the meetings and staff people working at the Millennium Hotel, site of the assembly. Let me mention my chance (or Providential) meetings with a gentleman named Richard.

Richard was an extremely efficient and friendly waiter. The first time we met, I was the guest at a luncheon hosted by Great Lakes Advisors, an investment manager the SPs employ.

The luncheon was lovely, and Richard enjoyed the sisters he served — just as we enjoyed his humor and attentiveness. Our table loved the dessert served and made much of it!

The evening of that same day, I attended our annual Women of Providence in Collaboration (WPC) dinner. WPC is a group of congregations in the U.S. and Canada who share the charism of Providence. We have gathered for more than 30 years in order to explore the spirituality of Providence for our times.

The dinner is always a gathering of friends. Richard was on duty again — again he served the table where I sat. Again he charmed us. He delivered two desserts to me that evening — since it was the same dessert we had at the luncheon and he knew I liked it. (I didn’t eat either — not to worry.)

The next night was the final banquet of the assembly. You guessed it — Richard served our table. His same friendly and fun self. Again, all at the table enjoyed him.

At the end of the dinner, as we were all leaving the ballroom, I managed to track down my personable and kind Richard to thank him for being such a wonderful waiter and more than that — a wonderful man.

He gave me a hug and said, “Sister, it’s been wonderful to have you sisters here. We’re all going to miss you. None of us are invisible to you — the way we are so much of the time we serve others.”

Oh my! It was a lovely compliment and a better reminder. How often those around us are invisible to me!

Thank you, Richard, for your many kindnesses and your gentle nudge to see the people around me.

Reconnect with friends at an upcoming reunion

Immaculata High School, 1928.
 More photos available on the SP stream on Flickr.

Sometimes, it’s just good to get back to your roots.

At least 13 current and former Sisters of Providence schools have scheduled reunions soon — most in the next two months.

From St. Rose School in Chelsea, Mass., to St. Rose Academy in Vincennes, Ind., from Marywood High School in Evanston, Ill., to Marywood High School in Orange, Calif., reunions are on the calendar. Check on our website for more information. You will find 15 association pages in our alumnae/i section.

We maintain alumnae/i associations with many schools and are always willing to support any former SP school in planning a reunion. Let us know if you have a school or class reunion planned by emailing us at oca@spsmw.org or by calling 812-535-2800. If you are planning a reunion and would like to have SPs in attendance, we will be glad to try to accommodate your request.

We also welcome updates from these events. If you have photos to share — current or historical — we might be able to use them on our website.

The alumnae/i of our schools are dear to the SPs. Sisters consider alumnae/i to be the living legacy of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin. It is always heartening for them to hear from former students, so do keep us informed! If you would like to reach out to a former classmate or teacher individually, you can use the Contact a Sister request form to find a sister.

A Step in the Journey of Providence for Sister Arrianne Whittaker

“This is the path traced by Providence. And I follow it.” — attributed to Saint Mother Theodore Guerin

On Saturday, August 18, Arrianne Whittaker, following her time of postulancy, took the next step on her Providence journey as she was received into the novitiate of the Sisters of Providence.
Our Constitutions state that “the primary purpose of this canonical year is to foster the internalization of Gospel values. The novitiate program includes extended time for prayer; spiritual direction; service to the Congregation; and instruction in religious life, Scripture, theology, and the history and traditions of the Congregation.”



Arrianne Whittaker receives her Sisters of Providence cross
pin from Sister Denise Wilkinson, general superior, Saturday
in the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-
of-the-Woods, Indiana.

When asked how she feels about this transition time, Arrianne said, “Entering the novitiate is another step along this Providential journey. I’m finding on this journey that each step I take brings me a little closer to knowing more fully, who God is calling me to be.”

Last Saturday, this beautiful and simple reception into the novitiate ceremony was held in the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. The image of journey is very significant for Arrianne, and she chose the scripture passage for reflection from the Gospel of St. Luke 24:13-32 — the story of the disciples on their journey to Emmaus.

When Sister Denise, our general superior, posed the question to Arrianne, ”What do you ask?”

Arrianne responded, “I have heard God’s call; and it is with faith and great joy that I respond to the call. I humbly ask to be received into the novitiate of the Sisters of Providence. And I ask you, my sisters, to continue to walk with me on this Providential journey.”

Please join with us in prayer and gratitude as we welcome Sister Arrianne Whittaker! Let us journey the path of Providence together.

Treasures from Archives

Another foray into the inner sanctum of Archives has produced another gem. In the Properties/Buildings/Shrines area is a large Hollinger box with a plethora of information about the Blessed Sacrament Chapel. One of the folders within that box contains invoices and other communications regarding the building of this gorgeous chapel.

The invoice that particularly struck me was the one dated Aug. 29, 1923, from the Daprato Statuary Company’s Chicago studio. This was the bill for the 8,000-pound block of Carrara marble as well as for the design for the altar and platform upon which the monstrance resides. The total bill for this altar was $29,500. This invoice also caught my eye because the printing is stunningly beautiful!

The Congregation received permission for perpetual adoration of the Eucharist after Mother Mary Cleophas Foley, general superior from 1890 to 1926, was granted a private audience with Pope Pius X on Nov. 19, 1913. On June 10, 1914, the Right Rev. Francis Silas Marean Chatard, bishop of Indianapolis, formally opened Perpetual Exposition in the crypt of the Church of the Immaculate Conception. On June 7, 1920, the cornerstone of the chapel was laid. Inside the cornerstone is a box that contains a list of the Sisters of Providence who were living at that time, some medals, a relic of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, and a short history of the “Development of Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament at Saint Mary’s.”

Four years later, on May 19, the Blessed Sacrament Chapel was consecrated by the Most Rev. Joseph Chatrand, bishop of Indianapolis. The consecration included a procession as the Eucharist was transferred from the crypt of the church to the chapel.

Included in the Hollinger box is a file containing information about the donations that were received for the building of this magnificent chapel. A ledger lists the names of people who donated to this sacred structure. Each donation, from the smallest at 50 cents to the largest in the thousands of dollars, was received in deepest gratitude by the Congregation. Also inside this file is a typed page from Sister Ann Kathleen Brawley (RIP), former archivist of the Congregation. Sister Ann Kathleen wrote:

“ … most of the cost of the erection of the Blessed Sacrament Chapel was covered by the gifts and donations from the family and friends of the Sisters. … All of the jewels and most of the gold in the monstrance came from the families of the Sisters. According to correspondence there were many jewels left over and returned to us to be used in other sacred vessels. …”

To learn more about the Chapel of Divine Love as Bishop Chartrand called it during its consecration in 1924, visit our website.

An interesting side note about the Daprato Statuary Company is that it is still in business today with offices in Chicago, New York and Pietrasanta, Italy, just as they were in the 1920s! You can learn more about the company by visiting its website.

Arrianne enters the novitiate

Arrianne Whittaker entered the novitiate of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on Saturday. Read Sister Denise Wilkinson's reflection from Saturday.

By Sister Arrianne Whittaker

My time in the postulancy certainly stretched and challenged me to grow in many different ways. I find that transitions through change tend to do that; and I certainly had my fair share of transitions this past year!

I thoroughly enjoyed my ministry visits. They gave me many opportunities to see, first hand, the varied types of ministries the Sisters of Providence are involved in; they also allowed me to get to know individual sisters a little bit better.

Sister Arrianne Whittaker entered the novitiate of the
Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind.
on Saturday. The time she spent at White Violet Center
for Eco-Justice, a ministry of the Sisters of Providence,
this year provided a good base for understanding eco-
justice and right relationship with Earth, she said.
Arrianne plants peas last spring in the photo above.

I also highly enjoyed my time at White Violet Center for Eco-Justice, my home ministry. My time at WVC provided a good base of understanding in eco-justice; and illustrated to me how these values of right relationship with our Mother Earth connect deeply to our congregational roots, here at the Woods. This in particular is a topic which I have become quite passionate about!

Entering the novitiate is another step along this providential journey. Just as the postulancy helped me learn about the external ministry and identity of our congregation; the novitiate, as I understand it, will challenge me to explore the internal spirit of both the congregation and of myself.

A multitude of emotions run through me as I think about this next step. I’m excited for the new adventure and eager to fully engage this year. Still, as there always are, there are parts of me which are anxious.

Many questions run through my mind. What will this year hold for me? What experiences will stretch me? Will I continue to follow God’s path marked out by Providence? I’m finding on this journey that each step I take brings me a little closer to knowing, more fully, who God is calling me to be. And yet as I gain more answers I also gain an exponential number of questions.

I cannot say that I know what this next year will be like for me. And even if I tried to say, experience has taught me that my efforts to predict such things never turn out the way I envision them. What I can tell you is that I know I will spend a lot of time in reflection and prayer. I will have the opportunity to learn more about the community’s history. I know the year will provide time and opportunity to further deepen relationships I have with individual sisters. I know that the year will be full of joys, laughter, and probably some tears, too.

I know, too, that I don’t walk this path alone. Standing by my side I have my sisters, my family, and my friends; they walk with me providing the support and encouragement I need to take each step. And I know, above all else, God walks by my side.

God has called me to follow this path and by entering the novitiate I willingly respond to that call. As for the rest of the details — I’m going to leave that up to Providence!

“The Sisters are always there”

Given the magnitude of the issues facing the Leadership Conference of Women Religious during its recent annual assembly Aug. 7-10 …

Given the amazing presence and presentation of keynote speaker Barbara Marx Hubbard…

Given the inspiring presidential address offered to 900 members of the conference who responded with a sustained (and sustaining) standing ovation …

“Force the dawn to be born by believing in it.”
From the presidential address of Sister Pat Farrell, OSF.

Given all of this, the lingering image in my mind as I reflect on being part of what everybody called an historic assembly is that of a young woman speaking to us during an optional session on the last day of the conference. (Optional meant that only about 850 of the 900 attendees were there.)

Katie was actually part of a three-person panel, sponsored by one of the LCWR regions about human trafficking. (Fortunately, we didn’t only talk about the CDF mandate!) Although the other two persons on the panel were equally compelling in their remarks, it was something about Katie’s tears — the spontaneity of them, the sincerity of them.

Referring to us as both “sisters” and “you guys,” this young woman shared her story of the web of drugs and stripping and prostitution and trafficking in which she had been entangled for a significant part of her young life.

The good news is that Katie is now free of that web and is caught up in creating new life for other victims through something she has named the Healing Action Network in St. Louis. And as she faces new challenges she told us, “the sisters are always there.”
These sisters do not belong to just one congregation, but come from various orders and comprise a sisterhood, I believe, that now extends beyond the boundaries of congregations and regions.

That’s what LCWR has become for me — a sisterhood — a sisterhood that desires always to be there with Katie and others like her in greatest need of healing action, with each other around the tables of our lives and with our brother bishops in dialogue for the sake of the fresh in-breaking of the reign of God.


________________________________________________________
At the annual assembly of the Leadeship Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) in St. Louis Aug. 7-10, more than 900 participants, including the Sisters of Providence General Officers, gathered for sustained prayer and dialogue, to consider various responses to the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) report, with the goal of deciding together the next best steps for the conference following the assembly.

The address of outgoing LCWR President Sister Pat Farrell, OSF, provides insights to the content and spirit of the gathering, as does the press release issued by LCWR on Friday, Aug. 10.

Experiencing a deep and authentic unity

Pictured above, from left, are members of the
Sisters of Providence General Council: Sister
Dawn Tomaszewski, Sister Denise Wilkinson,
Sister Lisa Stallings, Sister Mary Beth Klingel
and Sister Jenny Howard.

The following reflection is from the Sisters of Providence General Council: Sister Denise Wilkinson, Sister Lisa Stallings, Sister Jenny Howard, Sister Dawn Tomaszewski, and Sister Mary Beth Klingel.

The April 2012 announcement of the Vatican’s doctrinal assessment of the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) has been widely covered in the national media, evoking a variety of responses from many persons.

True to its commitment to shared leadership and communal discernment in reaching decisions, the presidency of LCWR had been cautious in responding until it could consult with its members during the recent August LCWR National Assembly.

All of us on our leadership team participated in this assembly. During this past week, we took some time to process what we had experienced during these important days. We’d like to share some of our experience with you.

A bit of background information: LCWR organizes itself into several regions across the U.S. to facilitate relationship building and decision making across the large organization. The Sisters of Providence belong to Region 7 (Indiana and Michigan). Regions ordinarily meet twice a year – autumn and spring. To prepare for this important National Assembly, regions gathered in June or July, as well.

The special pre-assembly meetings across the U.S. allowed the national board and presidency of LCWR to get a sense of how members wanted to move forward in terms of responding to the assessment.

At the August assembly, the LCWR leadership presented us with a list of common values that had emerged in each of the 15 regions summer meetings. These values included a desire to act from our best selves; to proceed in a spirit of shared dialogue based on communal contemplative prayer and a commitment to speak for the authenticity of the way we live as apostolic women religious.

During the days of the assembly, all five of us experienced a deep and authentic unity among the more than 900 women religious present. Sitting at different tables, we each experienced prayer and table conversations marked by a deep level of trust and openness. None of us experienced any sense of fear or, on the other hand, bravado among table members or in the assembly as a whole.

Sharing at microphones was candid, respectful, and thoughtful. The sharing demonstrated again and again unanimity of thought and feeling among the members. A palpable peacefulness emanated from the entire assembly and from individual members.

Before and during the National Assembly, we received an outpouring of love and support from many of our associates, friends, alums and benefactors. On each of more than 100 tables in the assembly meeting room, we found 20-30 letters of support from people across the country. What all the support made abundantly clear to us is that this assessment has touched the hearts of the faithful who are counting on us to find a way to open up dialogue in our Church and  assist in a reconsideration of the role of women in our Church.

Barbara Marx Hubbard, in her keynote address, expressed her belief that US women religious are a “perfect seedbed” for furthering the reign of God. She named the following characteristics of women religious that convince her that our lifestyle holds promise for the “good of the whole:”

• deep gospel living;
• mystical presencing;
• faithfulness and responsiveness to unmet needs;
• solidarity with Earth;
• building of community;
• risk-taking for the sake of mission;
• social entrepreneurship;
• practice of dialogue and discernment;
• ability to speak truth to power;
• commitment to seeking “the more.”

We left the meeting hopeful and justifiably proud to be part of this gathering of women religious. Each of us sensed the tangible presence of God throughout the meeting days. We were buoyed up by the knowledge of being held in prayer by our sisters, associates, friends, and many others.

A special thank you to all who organized and participated in prayer vigils held during the days of LCWR’s meetings.
_____________________________________________________________________
For additional information about the assembly, read the LCWR  Aug. 13 press release.

Sisters of Providence and LCWR

In April, 1956, in the Roman Catholic Church, the Vatican Congregation for Religious asked the U.S. sisters to form a national conference and in November, the Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) was born. (It was initially launched as the Conference of Major Superiors of Women but in 1971, the organization was renamed.) It is a “voluntary organization whose members are dedicated to apostolic service in the Spirit of the Gospel” (Bylaws of LCWR, introduction). The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods are members of the LCWR to communally carry out its service in furthering the mission of the Church in today’s world. Today, LCWR has nearly 1,500 members who are elected leaders in their religious orders, representing approximately 57,000 Catholic sisters. It is the largest organization of Catholic women religious.

 

Recent events

On April 18, 2012, in a document entitled Doctrinal Assessment of the LCWR, the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) has called for renewal of the LCWR. The CDF named Archbishop Peter Sartain of Seattle as its Archbishop Delegate for the initiative. Upon receiving the CDF document, the LCWR leadership asked its members to spend time in prayer as they began the process of discerning a response. The Sisters of Providence leadership asked the Congregation to especially pray the Litany of Non-Violence.

Dozens of Sisters of Providence, Providence Associates and
Candidates, staff and friends gathered in the Church of the
Immaculate Conception on Aug. 9 in prayerful support of
the Leadership Conference of Women Religious national
  meeting in St. Louis. The theme focused on enlightenment
and justice as participants shared prayer and hymns.
Leaders of the vigil also raised up the names of powerful,
enlightened women and held them in prayer; women from
  the Hebrew Testament, women who were leaders in Church
history and holy women of today.

 

August update

At the annual assembly of the LCWR in St. Louis, Aug. 7-10, more than 900 participants, including the Sisters of Providence General Officers, gathered for sustained prayer and dialogue, to consider various responses to the CDF report, with the goal of deciding together the next best steps for the conference following the assembly. The address of outgoing LCWR President Sister Pat Farrell, OSF, provides insights to the content and spirit of the gathering, as does the press release issued by LCWR on Friday, Aug. 10.

The funny thing about calendars

Calendars are funny things.

Historians need constantly to be aware of calendars, as various cultures in different periods of time were using different calendars. The first day of a new year in another country might fall in January, March or any number of other months on our Western calendar.

Farmers are much more concerned about good weather versus bad, so they start their work year in the spring, after pursuing indoor endeavors during the winter.

Teachers mark their year when school starts in August or September.

At my house, with an active 11-year-old girl, I joke that our calendar has five seasons:  planning for her birthday, softball, 4-H, Halloween costume and Christmas. The time between Christmas and her birthday is not considered a season because that is when mom collapses.

As a non-profit organization, the Sisters of Providence must follow a fiscal calendar in planning for how to budget finances. Our fiscal year starts on Sept. 1. What that means is money raised through Aug. 31 is used to develop a budget for the next year.

We are still more than 20 percent away from our fiscal year-end goal. You can change that and impact our mission and ministries in the coming fiscal year by sending a gift now. It’s easy to donate online or you can mail your gift to The Office of Congregational Advancement, 1 Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876.

Thank you so much for supporting the Sisters of Providence. Your gifts — whether of your time, talent or money — are appreciated greatly.

It's another successful chapter for book sale

The first day of the Sisters of Providence Used Book Sale, on
Aug. 4, brought several people out to the Providence Center
Conference Room at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind.

On Aug. 12, The Gift Shop at Providence Center wrapped up its annual Used Book Sale, featuring one of the largest sales ever.

“We had more books than we have ever had before,” Debbie Victor, manager of The Gift Shop, which hosts the event, said. “Each year, [the book sale] gets bigger.”

Used Book Sale items are collected throughout the year and donations come not only from the Sisters of Providence, but the Sisters of Providence staff members and friends of the sisters as well.

A customer takes a closer look at a
book she may decide to purchase.

If you had a topic in mind, needed information of general interest or just wanted a good read, the Used Book Sale was the place to be. A lot of people look forward to the event, according to Debbie.

“We have a family that comes from Bedford (Ind.) every year,” Debbie said, noting the family made it a point to show up this year, too. “The wife couldn’t come, but her husband said his wife puts it on the family calendar each year.”

Wabash Valley residents make up the largest group of customers. “We had people from Paris, Ill., Spencer, Ind., and Marshall, Ill.,” Debbie noted. “Even a couple of ladies from Texas, who were in Indiana visiting, came to the sale.”

Providence Center at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., was packed Aug. 4, the sale’s opening day, as people waited patiently to enter the Conference Room, where the sale was conducted through to Aug. 12. 

“People were elbow to elbow,” Debbie recalled. “Sister Rose Marita [Riordan] counted that we had 70 people waiting in the lobby [for the sale to start].”

The books are “sold” via donation, as customers determine the amount to be paid. The generosity of the public is appreciated, Debbie said, because all of the sale proceeds benefit ministries of the Sisters of Providence. Any books left over are donated to Goodwill Industries Inc. in Terre Haute, Ind.

Debbie was pleased with this year’s sale, saying she enjoys seeing familiar faces and new people too.

“I’d say the number of attendees this year is equal to or above what we had the previous year,” she said. “[The sale] is always successful.”

A busy mother finds a little peace

Lenore Renier, PA, (right) is the companion of Rachel Renier.

Any woman who is married and has young children knows that there is never enough time to do everything that needs to be done. Add to those jobs the responsibility of serving as a learning coach for your children who attend a virtual charter school through the Chicago Public Schools, and there’s little room for a mother to breathe, let alone attend to her spirituality. But Rachel Renier has finally decided that carving out a little time for herself and her spirituality is a good thing. Thus, she is a Providence Candidate-Associate.

“With young children and a long running list of things to do, I have a hard time untangling myself from the practical needs of my family and redirecting my focus on my spiritual development. I also have to fight the urge to reject every thought that isn’t a perfectly profound reflection. I try to remind myself that this journey is not a straight path to greatness, but a spiraling loop of discoveries that will build on each other,” shares this mother of four.

And an added bonus for Rachel is the fact that her Providence Associate Companion is her mother-in-law, Lenore Renier, PA.

“Without a doubt, knowing Lenore has inspired me to be a better person. She has shared her faith, encouraged, and supported me since I joined her family. Through this experience, Lenore and I have shared and cried and laughed. I look forward to deepening our relationship as we continue to work together,” continues Rachel.

You can learn more about Rachel and Lenore on our website.

Sister Nancy Reynolds watches London Olympics with keen interest, especially swimming competition

Sister Nancy Reynolds has used a lot of her free time recently watching the Olympic competition in London; after all, she might have been an Olympian herself once.
    Sister Nancy grew up in Indianapolis where she learned to swim in age groups when she was about 9 or 10 years old. She was a member of the Jewish Community Center where many athletic opportunities were available. She learned to play several sports there.
    A lifeguard recognized that she may have some potential for competitive swimming and young Nancy was asked to join a competitive team. “Very quickly, I took to the competition element of swimming,” she said. “I would say that I was serious from the time I won my first race. Competition is in my blood and I was serious about winning. I worked hard in the pool.”
    She was still swimming in high school. During summers, she swam on a district park team in Indianapolis. The park system had summertime competitions between its different districts. “For most of the time I swam for my park, I would win my races and end up with the high-point trophy at the end of the season,” she said.
    “I also swam Junior Olympics competition, but they were not as organized in the 1950s as they are now. I swam all four strokes. By my times, I had qualified to be part of the Olympic trials for the 1960 games. If I remember correctly, my best times were in the backstroke,” she continued.
    (Ironically, the 1960 Olympics were in Rome.)
    Young Nancy was working at a local drug store and she entered the Sisters of Providence on Sept. 12, 1960, which was the day after the Rome games ended. “There was no way I could have gone to the trials, but it was nice to know my times were up there with some of the good swimmers who did go to the trials,” she recalled.
    “I watch the Olympics every possible minute that I am able. Swimming is still my favorite. I still swim to this day,” Sister Nancy said. “I also love to watch diving. I competed in diving also, but only on the one-meter board.”
    In another element of irony, Sister Nancy is on sabbatical in Nevada and she recently met a man working there who was in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. He said the experience was like nothing he had enjoyed previously. He spoke of the spirit of just being there with other athletes.
    She enjoys watching Michael Phelps, she said. Dana Torres is another U.S. swimmer she admires. She also got to see all of the outstanding swimmers at the National Short Course Championships in Indianapolis a few years ago.
    Her athletic experience extends further. After a conversation with the football coach at Our Lady of Providence High School in Clarksville, Ind., where she was on staff, she became the team’s statistician. She also coached tennis and cross country for a while, but moved into the role of basketball officiating. In her officiating career, she had five sectional tournaments, five regional tournaments and three semi-states tournaments, a noteworthy achievement. She retired from that because of a broken ankle.
    She also keeps her high interest in women’s basketball, having attended five of the NCAA Women’s Final Four tournaments.
    Through the demands of training and the commitment to coaching and officiating, God’s grace was the beam of light that attracted Sister Nancy, and it still does. “We sometimes miss it because we are too tied up in ourselves. Swimming is a wonderful sport where you are more or less alone and meditation comes very easily. I have had many grace-filled moments in a pool,” she said.
    “There are grace-filled moments no matter where we are or what we do. As Mother Theodore has said, in order to be saints, all we have to do is keep doing everything we do, but do it for the love of God.”

"Come and See" us in California!

By Sister Editha Ben, vocation director

If you’re thinking about religious life and are near Orange, California, why not “Come and See” what the Sisters of Providence are all about? Catholic women ages 18-42 will gather Saturday, Aug. 11, at Marywood Retreat Center to attend our “Come and See” Day from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. There are still a few spaces available for this bi-lingual event so call me today at 812-230-4771.

You’ll enjoy an introductory video about our foundress, Saint Mother Theodore Guerin and a lively panel discussion of sisters. We’ll help answer questions such as what drew us to the Sisters of Providence, how we are currently serving the Church, how we are living out lives of prayer and community life, how religious life brings meaning to our lives and the lives of others and why religious life is important today.

You will enjoy time for reflection, group sharing and Eucharistic Adoration, as well as time to ask questions and share thoughts and concerns. Past participants agree that it’s been very helpful to meet with other women who are also considering religious life because they realize they aren’t alone in their journeys.

The free day includes continental breakfast, lunch, snacks and all materials. Marywood Retreat Center is located at 2811 East Villa Real Dr. and the Center’s phone number is 714-282-3098. You can also get more information at SPVocations.

Providence Center rocks Sunday Brunch Live

Diva Natalie, of MIX-FM, interviewed Stephen R. Knight, of Florida, on Aug. 5
during Sunday Brunch Live. A 1962 graduate of West Vigo High School,
Stephen returned to Terre Haute, Ind., to attend his class reunion.

The party was definitely on Sunday, Aug. 5, as Providence Center hosted Sunday Brunch Live at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind.

Linda Malooley (right), associate director of Providence Center,
helped a couple obtain one of the many door prizes given away.

Hundreds of people turned out for the annual event and it quickly became evident that people were having a good time enjoying Sunday Brunch, going to the Sisters of Providence Used Book Sale (which runs through Aug. 12 in the Providence Center Conference Room), seeing what's new in The Gift Shop and signing up for door prizes.

Diva Natalie, of the Terre Haute, Ind., radio station MIX-FM, kept things lively with her radio broadcast from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. One of her interviewees was Stephen R. Knight, an Indiana native who now resides in Florida.

As a 1962 graduate of West Vigo High School, Stephen, now CEO and president of S.R. Knight Group LLC, came back to Terre Haute to attend his 50-year class reunion. He ended up at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on Sunday because his classmates suggested they come to Sunday Brunch.

Stephen recalled his mother, Wanda Knight, enjoyed being out and about at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. "She absolutely loved this place," he said. "It's a great environment and a great place for people to come together."

Ayden Bradbury, 17 months, gave Sister Jan Craven
a "high five" at Sunday Brunch Live. He is the son of
Eric and Krysti Bradbury, of Coalmont, Ind.

At one time, Stephen's mother resided at Providence Place, which was established in 1999 by the Sisters of Providence to provide affordable housing rehabilitation opportunities and community organization for the people of West Terre Haute, Ind.

Stephen, who left the area at age 17, said "it's been great" to return to Indiana, to see his West Vigo classmates and to be back at the Woods. He also enjoyed Sunday Brunch.

"The food is just outstanding," Stephen said, adding the Sodexo personnel who staff Sunday Brunch were just the best.
 .
Stephen was also impressed with O'Shaughnessy Dining Room, where Sunday Brunch is served in Providence Center.

"There's no place like this and I've been to a lot of places. This is a good place to come. Where else would you go?" Stephen added, with a smile.

Student shines in the Desert

Providence in the Desert student-turned-
teacher Martha Langarica with her
academic awards.

Congratulations to Providence in the Desert student-turned-teacher Martha Langarica on being named Student of the Year and earning a certificate as a top achiever in her English language classes at the Adult School in Coachella, Calif.

Seven years ago when Martha first met Sister Carol Nolan and her small band of sisters who serve the needs of immigrant field workers in southern California, she had been in the United States for 20 years working in the fields, in date packaging and in housekeeping. Yet despite two decades in the US, Martha did not speak English.

As Martha began classes with Providence in the Desert, Sister Carol recognized Martha’s untapped talent for learning. Sister Carol worked her magic and found a local company, Burrtec Waste Management, willing to subsidize Martha’s living expenses so she could attend English-language school full time.

Since meeting the Sisters of Providence, Martha has flourished. In recent years she earned her US citizenship, began teaching a beginning English class for Providence in Desert and has become a Sisters of Providence candidate-associate.

“Martha is one of our best teachers. Her organization is phenomenal,” said Sister Carol.

Read more about Martha, our ministry at Providence in the Desert and all our Guerin Outreach Ministries.

Happy Friendship Day - Aug. 5!

By Sister Jenny Howard

Friendship comes in many forms.

Friendship Day is celebrated on the first Sunday of August every year. The tradition of dedicating a day in honor of friends began in the U.S. in 1935. Over time the idea has gained popularity and today “Friendship Day” is celebrated in a large number of countries around the world.

Recently, a “30-year friend” of the Sisters of Providence, Rosemary Huang, visited Saint Mary-of-the-Woods from Taiwan. Rosemary is a married woman with two young adult children and has served in various roles at Providence University in Taichung for many years.

One of the “hats” she presently wears is as dean of General Affairs. In this role at the University she will be involved in much of the design and planning for the construction of a new building on campus – the Church of Our Lady of Providence.

Sister Marget Kern (left) and Rosemary

In true friendship fashion, Rosemary believed that meeting and speaking with Sisters of Providence; spending hours in Archives discovering more about the legacy of Saint Mother Theodore and the mission of the Sisters of Providence; and visiting many of the current SP ministries; would help deepen her understanding of Providence spirituality, and better guide her in the task of building the church on campus. What an endeavor!

In a spirit of friendship we thank you Rosemary … your presence with us these past weeks is gift!

Perhaps today … this week … we might each call to mind a friend or friends we wish to remember with sincere and special gratitude!

Used Book Sale kicks off Saturday

Fond of books? Do you love mysteries, history, religion, humor, philosophy? Does a bestseller draw your attention? Fancy fiction or non-fiction? Paperbacks your cup of tea?

Volunteers Ron Horndasch and Sister Rose Marita
Riordan sort books in advance of the Sisters of
Providence Used Book Sale. The sale runs Aug. 4-12
in the Providence Center Conference Room.

Then, hurry out to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., this Saturday for the start of the Sisters of Providence Used Book Sale. The sale, which is in the Providence Center Conference Room, runs through Sunday, Aug. 12.

Hours are 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday and Sunday (Indiana time). Get directions here.

Hosted by The Gift Shop at Providence Center, the book sale is one of the most popular events in the Wabash Valley. Many times, attendees say they not only have found books they have been searching for but find others that become new treasures for home libraries.

Books cover a variety of topics of interest to casual readers, including travel, poetry, cooking, gardening and more. Children's books and gift books are also available, in addition to puzzles.

The Used Book Sale also features CDs and DVDs

Although books dominate the offerings, the sale offers even more. Be sure and take a look at the entertainment table full of CDs and DVDs.

Pay for items via cash, check or charge card. All proceeds benefit Sisters of Providence ministries.

After selecting your books, stop in The Gift Shop at Providence Center for jewelry, clothing, coffees and teas, greeting cards, children's toys, home decor items and more. The Gift Shop hours are the same as the Used Book Sale hours.

For more information, call The Gift Shop at 812-535-2947 or 1-866-996-2947.

Great food, prizes, book sale .. oh, my!

Linda Malooley (left), Providence Center associate director,
stands by to present one of the door prizes during a previous
year's Sunday Brunch Live event. This year's event
is 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Sunday, Aug. 5.

Have you ever wanted to be interviewed on the radio, win a door prize, enjoy a great brunch or find treasures at a book sale -- all in one location?

Then, bring yourself, family and friends to Sunday Brunch Live, an annual event hosted by Providence Center. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (Indiana time) this Sunday at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind. Get directions here.

Diva Natalie, of the Mix-FM (100.7) radio station in Terre Haute, Ind., will kick off the day's events with a radio broadcast originating from Providence Center, a ministry of the Sisters of Providence and the sisters' official welcome center.You may even win tickets to the Holiday World & Splashin' Safari amusement park in Santa Claus, Ind., courtesy of MIX-FM and Midwest Communications.

Be sure and sign up for one of our door prizes. Sign-up coupons will be available in the Providence Center lobby.

At Providence Center, enjoy our award-winning Sunday Brunch, from 10:45 a.m. to 1:15 p.m., in O'Shaughnessy Dining Room. Our brunch was selected as the 2012 Best Local Sunday Brunch by readers of the Tribune-Star (Ind.) newspaper.

Don't forget to stop at our Used Book Sale, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday, in the Providence Center Conference Room. You won't believe the number of bestsellers, hardbacks and paperbacks available for purchase. Snag DVDs and CDs, too, and much more. The Gift Shop at Providence Center, host of the book sale, will be open for your shopping pleasure.

Come out an attend Eucharistic Liturgy, see the shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin (Indiana's first saint), get a close-up look at the alpacas or take a self-guided tour of the grounds.

Whether you been to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods before or if you are visiting for the first time, we warmly welcome you to Sunday Brunch Live!

Educational/Family Services brings hope to GED students

The adult education opportunities offered at the Sisters of Providence sponsored ministry Educational/Family Services in West Terre Haute help real people with real needs.

One such person is 26-year-old Crystal Maners of Terre Haute.

Crystal got a rough start in life. She was passed around among relatives growing up. When she went to live with an aunt as a teen, she was told that she would not be able to graduate until age 21. So Crystal decided to quit school, start working to support herself, and at the same time study for her high school General Equivalency Diploma (GED).

But it didn’t quite work out that way.

“I was not stable enough at the time to hold down a job and continue to study,” she said.

Nine years after dropping out of school, a new opportunity presented itself. Her boyfriend’s mother told her about the GED preparation offered at Educational/Family Services (EFS) in West Terre Haute.

Educational/Family Services, located at 3850 U.S. Highway 150, right outside Saint Mary-of-the-Woods grounds, provides free basic education and GED instruction for adults and free after-school tutoring for children. EFS is a program of Guerin Outreach Ministries.

For the next four months, Crystal studied at EFS twice a week with her tutor, Director Penny Sullivan.

“When I started Penny said it would probably take a year and a half to get my GED. But I tested out in 4 months. Penny was great at teaching,” Crystal said.

Crystal was one of four EFS students to have passed the GED in the past year.

“Penny had a gift for teaching it and making it make sense. She could tell if I didn’t get something the first time and would tell me again or in a different way,” Crystal said.

Currently 15 adults are studying at Educational/Family Services. Two are working on basic literacy, one is studying for the Army’s ASVAB entrance test and the rest are working toward GEDs. The students range in age from 16 to 65. In addition approximately 30 children receive after-school tutoring.

“When someone gets their GED, they are becoming part of the majority and not the minority. It does make a difference in their lives because it opens up employment opportunities. A GED is vital for employment. You have to have an education to go anywhere in today’s society,” Penny said.

Crystal is planning to start fall classes at Ivy Tech. She has enjoyed helping elderly neighbors in the past, so she is considering work as a home health aide.

For Crystal, life has gotten not just an academic boost, but a morale boost as well.

“I feel I’ve always half-done everything my whole life. But I finally completed something. A lot of people take high school education for granted. It’s nice to know I did something right,” Crystal said.

Read more about Crystal and the GED program at Educational/Family Services.