Picture of the Week: April 29

Recently the lovely terazzo floor of the Church of the Immaculate Conception got waxed and prettied up. This meant that the pews were temporarily relegated to the hallways and the shiny reflective surface was more accessible than usual, tempting anyone who walked by to slide around on it in socks. (That was my temptation, at any rate.)

I took this picture from the sanctuary side:



which reminded of me of this picture of the church, taken from the end of the nave side in the early 1900s when the church was nearing completion. (The Church was officially consecrated in October 1907.) It's such a neat photo, don't you agree?



See more photos of the Church of the Immaculate Conception.

(If the images above aren't showing up correctly, you can see them at http://flic.kr/p/9D3xpt and http://flic.kr/p/9D3xiv.)

Reasons to become a Providence Associate

“Providence Associates are women and men (at least 18 years of age) of diverse faith traditions who seek a formal relationship with the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind. They may have known the sisters for a long time or have just recently heard about the sisters. Associates are drawn to this relationship with the Sisters of Providence for many reasons, but primarily, they wish to deepen their spiritual life and they see themselves as being called to respond to the Providence vision through their own particular way of life.”

So reads a paragraph on our Frequently Asked Questions page. Here are some reasons that women and men from all over the country have become Providence Associates:

“I have chosen to become a Providence Associate because I have found in this Journey of Providence a community of sincere and dedicated followers of the Gospel. Witnessing the Gospel being lived out in the lives of the Sisters of Providence encouraged me and it has made a profound impact on my life,” says Cathy Keller of Newburgh, Ind.

“Providence began to put SPs in my path and, as I learned more about the Congregation and Mother Theodore, I realized that here was a community, right in my backyard, in which my spirit felt at home,” says Peggy Balensuela of Terre Haute, Ind.

“I am trying to understand this thing the sisters call Providence. As a Providence Associate, it will allow me to be closer to this understanding. The ministry of the sisters is very widely dispersed and touches many people with their works of love, mercy and justice and it is all based on Providence,” says George Thompson of Louisville, Ky.

To learn why so many others have become Providence Associates, visit our Meet Us page. If any of these stories resonate with you, then maybe you should think about applying to become a Providence Associate! We look forward to hearing from you.

Spring at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods

Spring is always beautiful on the motherhouse grounds! (If slideshow is not visible, it can also be viewed here.)

Five years ago: Pope's confirmation heightens excitement

A monthly reflection on the 2006 journey to Saint Mother Theodore Guerin's canonization:

If you get right down to it, a lot of Sisters of Providence, staff, friends, companions and people with great interest in Saint Mother Theodore Guerin believed in their hearts that Pope Benedict XVI would agree with the legal, medical and theological investigations and give his approval for Mother Theodore to become a saint in the Roman Catholic Church.
 However, many of those same people would probably tell you that they were also cautiously and quietly holding their breath until the process was complete, choosing not to take anything for granted.

On April 28, 2006, Pope Benedict did not disappoint. During a private meeting with the head of the Vatican's Congregation for Saints' Causes, the pope signed the decree recognizing a miracle attributed to Mother Theodore's intercession.

The last requirement had been fulfilled! Mother Theodore's canonization would now be scheduled. Time to celebrate and time to begin working feverishly in many areas: travel, celebrations, liturgies; accommodations; communications; media interviews; special prayers. The challenges were many and the committees forged ahead with delight and dedication.

Everyone has a vocation!

Eight women attended the Come and See weekend April 8-10 at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, to learn more about life as a Sister of Providence. The women spent time in personal and group prayer, reflection and discussion, and also had personal time with a companion sister. The participants, joined by other sisters and women in initial formation/temporary profession, gave an afternoon of service. The women split into two groups: one went to the Church of the Immaculate Conception to clean pews and the second, in collaboration with White Violet Center for Eco-Justice, a ministry of the Sisters of Providence, planted two dogwood trees near the beginning of the Nature Trail in the Cosmic Walk area on an unseasonably hot day. Both groups finished about the same time.

I had the privilege of photographing the group several times during the weekend. As I heard the thoughtful questions and then the encouraging answers from the sisters, I was reminded that we all are called to a vocation. I am a Providence Associate and just attended a weekend retreat for Associates and Candidate-Associates. As I, too, learn more about the SPs, their charism and their inward conviction to live out their mission of performing works of love, mercy and justice, I become more comfortable in my own chosen vocation: as a married woman who works for a non-profit organization of women religious who truly believes in Providence. That, indeed, “we know that God causes all things to work together for good, to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose,” Romans 8:28. I pray that these women have peace and joy as they continue on their journey of discernment. In some ways, that journey is a life-long process.

Lest We Forget: The Civil War Service of the Sisters of Providence

Less than a month after the April 12, 1861, attack on Fort Sumter, Indiana Gov. Oliver Perry Morton requested that the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., provide assistance in the administration of City Hospital in Indianapolis, which had been turned over to the federal government for the care of soldiers. This hospital soon became known as Military Hospital and the Sisters of Providence became “Angels of Mercy” to Union and Confederate soldiers alike.

On Thursday, April 14, at 6:30 p.m. (CDT) at the Marshall Public Library, 612 Archer Avenue, Marshall, Ill., Connie McCammon, a communications staff member in the Office of Congregational Advancement of the Sisters of Providence, will present “Lest We Forget: The Civil War Service of the Sisters of Providence.” The event is free and open to the public. Connie will share the story of Mother Mary Cecilia Bailly and the courageous sisters who answered a call to service during a turbulent time in the nation’s history.

With the 150th anniversary of the start of the Civil War this year, the Sisters of Providence are proud to be a part of the Vigo County Indiana Civil War Sesquicentennial Project, a special collection of Wabash Valley Visions & Voices (WV3), a digital memory project. Other partners include Indiana State University’s Cunningham Memorial Library, the Vigo County Public Library and the Vigo County Historical Society. All digitized items are fully searchable online. A Library Services and Technology Act Mini-Digitization Grant from the Indiana State Library provided funding for this project.

To learn more about the Congregation’s service during the Civil War, visit the history section of our children’s website.

Learning about Providence Associates in California

The application process to become a Providence Associate is now open, so Pat Ruck and Jeannie Smith, two associates from California, decided it was time to hold an information session with interested persons in the Coachella Valley. On Saturday, April 2, three Sisters of Providence opened their home for an informal get-together and lunch. Pat and Jeannie shared with participants what being a Providence Associate means to them, and several Sisters of Providence added to the discussion.

To view images from this day, click here. To learn how you can become a Providence Associate, click here.

Deepening the Providence Story retreat comes to a close

Today, Sunday, April 3, the Providence Associate retreat came to close with the celebration of Mass. The “Deepening the Providence Story” retreat began on Friday evening and included prayers, time for meditation, presentations, reflection, discussions and little bit of Butler Bulldogs basketball!

Nearly 50 associates and candidates participated in the annual weekend activities. The presentations by Sisters Marie McCarthy and Denise Wilkinson were inspiring and thought-provoking, and the prayers were moving. The weekend also included times for stories about Sister Mary Alice Zander, the first director of Providence Associates, who died March 5.

To read and see more about the spring retreat, click here. To learn more about Providence Associates and how you can become one, click here.

Providence and the Reflective Life

On Saturday, April 2, the second day of the Providence Associates spring retreat, Deepening the Providence Story, General Officer Sister Marie McCarthy presented “Providence and the Reflective Life.” Sister Marie (pictured at right) shared with participants that the late Sister Mary Alice Zander, first director of Providence Associates, had asked her last January to be one of the presenters during the retreat.

“I didn't have the foggiest notion that she wouldn’t be here with us today,” said Sister Marie, referring to Sister Mary Alice’s physical presence. However, as Sister Marie pointed out, Sister Mary Alice’s spirit is certainly felt during this time of retreat and renewal.

Among the many gems of wisdom that Sister Marie shared, she noted that we find Providence in the “ordinary stuff of our days.” But to notice God’s presence, we have to pay attention, be aware and be present. It sounds easy to be able to do this, but Sister Marie shared, the easiest things are often most difficult. The sacrament of the present moment is all that we have, she continued.

Part of Sister Marie’s morning presentation included time for individual quiet reflection on some event or experience that each participant had recently experienced. Each person was encouraged to quiet herself or himself and listen to the revelation of God in that experience. Later, participants shared with one another their stories of miracles that they had “stumbled over lately.”

To learn how you can become a Providence Associate, click here.

Providence Associate spring retreat begins

Providence Associates Debbie Dillow, Connie Schnapf and Marilyn Webb (left to right) chat prior to the opening of the retreat for Providence Associates and Candidate-Associates. “Deepening the Providence Story” is the theme of this spring’s annual retreat.

More than 50 associates and candidates are participating in this weekend’s retreat. The weekend includes time for reconnecting, prayer, reflection, presentations, discussions and fun. It is also a time to remember the life and ministry of the late Sister Mary Alice Zander, the first director of Providence Associates, who died March 5.

To learn more about Providence Associates, click here. And stay connected with us for more images of the weekend!