Where better for a summer respite than Saint Mary-of-the-Woods?

Temporary shrine of Saint Mother Theodore
Guerin, foundress of the Sisters of Providence.

Saint Mother Theodore Guerin packed a trunk and headed out for a summer journey in 1840, hardly the ideal vacation voyage. Her travel of more than 5,000 miles brought her to a dense Indiana forest, as you know. There wasn’t much for her to see when she arrived. Alas, no postcards or souvenirs to be had.

Times have changed, for sure. Why not pack your travel bags and bring your family and friends to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods for a day or a weekend, and you can probably even find those elusive postcards and souvenirs. You’ll see infinitely more than Saint Mother Theodore saw when she came here.

First off, you will want to visit the shrine of Saint Mother Theodore, the eighth U.S. saint. Then, you’ll want to spend some time walking through the Church of the Immaculate Conception, going to the Blessed Sacrament Chapel, enjoying the Heritage Museum, touring the beautiful historic grounds, and, of course, visiting with Sisters of Providence and sharing their stories.

Sacred Heart Grove at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind.

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods is a destination. You can enjoy nature’s beauty, find some spiritual time to reconnect with your soul and cherish the opportunity to kick back from society’s warp-speed pace.

It’s hard to say what brought all of them here, but from June 1st through June 15th, we had visitors from Missouri, Illinois, South Carolina, California, Nevada, Wisconsin, West Virginia, Kansas, Michigan, Texas, Washington, Kentucky and Pennsylvania. They also came from the Indiana cities of Indianapolis, Jasper, Hartford City, Princeton, Brazil, Danville, Evansville, Warsaw, Fort Wayne, and, of course, Terre Haute and West Terre Haute. And, to add a little international flavor, visitors from Sweden, Scotland and Canada signed the guest register in the Church of the Immaculate Conception during that time period. It’s a good bet that they wanted to spend a little time in the presence of Saint Mother Theodore, whose shrine is in the church.

Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint
Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind.

You know something you will not find at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods? Admission fees! So, plan your journey of peace, fulfillment, learning and enjoyment and invest some of your time at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. The staff at Providence Center can assist you with any preparations or information you may need. Now, where was it you said you are planning to go on vacation? Have some friends you would like to bring with you? And, for those of you who have been here previously, what is it that you like best at the Woods?

Sisters of Providence Fall Discernment Retreat

Did you know that everyone has a vocation? Each person baptized is called to be of service to the Gospel. A person can do this through one of three ways: as a single person, a married person or a member of a vowed religious community, like the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

Are you longing to grow more deeply in your Catholic faith? If you are a woman ages 18-42 who is considering religious life, or you know someone who is, check out our Fall Discernment Retreat in conjunction with the Saint Mother Theodore Guerin FEST, Oct. 21-23 at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind.

Your weekend with the sisters will consist of personal and group prayer and reflection, meals and time spent getting to know the sisters and attending Eucharistic Liturgies. There is no cost to attend the Fall Discernment Retreat and the FEST so register today.

Sister Bernice Kuper, vocation minister, said, “The human process of answering the question ‘How do I know what God wants me to do with my life?’ will be much more like being given a map of the United States and told to plot a route which will take you from Indianapolis to San Francisco. You know you will get there but it will involve some effort on your part. You know you will meet some unexpected detours, some challenges and perhaps some delightful surprises on the way, but to reach your destination you have to stay engaged and keep moving ahead!”

Sister Jenny discusses what young women today are looking for, when considering religious life and choosing a vocation, in the video below.



Don't see the video above? Click here.

Take the next step in your vocations journey and attend this special weekend.