Pausing for prayer

The General Officers, the leadership team for the Sisters of Providence, met last week. Each day a different council member prepared and led the prayer. The day we reflected on the gift of Earth and everyone and everything that shares life on this planet I spoke of an appreciation instilled in me in my youth by my dad.

Particularly impressionable for me was his devotion to gardening. The garden was his church, in a sense, where he worshiped God as he tilled, planted, weeded and reaped the produce.

The new greenhouse at White Violet Center for Eco-Justice at
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., a ministry of the Sisters of Providence.

Our visit to the newly-constructed White Violet Center greenhouse on Thursday afternoon gave me pause for thought, again reflecting on Earth and the gift it is for me, for us.

How often I take for granted the Woods, many times passing up opportunities to intentionally be in this place, during the change of seasons, for example.

If prayer is communion with God, then being in God’s creation is a form of prayer. Reverencing all life is prayer. Living intentionally in order to preserve Earth is prayer.

Many are the opportunities to contemplate and pray daily!

Do you have similar thoughts? I’d love to hear them in the comment box below.

View a video of the construction of the new greenhouse.

Remembering Sister St. Francis Xavier

Sister St. Francis Xavier Le Fer

After the arrival of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin and her companions to the Woods in October of 1840, the small Congregation was beset with many losses and trials. One of the most grievous and personal losses to Saint Mother Theodore was the death of Sister St. Francis Xavier, who died Jan. 31, 1856.

Irma Le Fer, as she was known before entering the Sisters of Providence in Ruillé, France, arrived at the Woods in November 1841. Sister St. Francis ministered as the mistress of novices and second assistant. A woman of frail health, she persevered and became a source of great strength and comfort to Mother Theodore.

Mother Theodore expressed her great love of Sister St. Francis in the Feb. 3, 1856, letter circular to the Congregation. It reads in part:

“You will share the deep sorrow in which we are plunged at Saint Mary’s when you read this letter, announcing the immense loss we have just sustained in the death of our dear Sister St. Francis Xavier, whom our Lord has called to Himself. She departed this life towards two o’clock in the afternoon of January thirty-first, after eight days of severe convulsions which from the beginning left us very little hope.

“You do not expect me, my dear daughters, to write a eulogy of her whom we have so many reasons to regret, of her whose absence leaves such a void in the Community. Her name alone suffices  to bring to mind all that is sweetest, purest, and most attractive in virtue. She was for those who knew her the ideal of religious perfection. Not only have we unanimously considered her the saint of our Congregation, but persons of the world, even those of a different faith, could not behold her angelic exterior without being led to the thought of God.” (“Mother Theodore Guerin: Journals and Letters,” pages 422-423)

Saint Mother Theodore Guerin left this world a few short months later on May 14, 1856.

Picture of the week: Jan. 27

Two Sisters of Providence and their dogs in Arrequipa, Peru, in 1968. You can read more about the Sisters' ministry at the Colegio San José in Arrequipa from the latest issue of HOPE.

Treasures from Archives

Back in the far recesses of Archives is a wonderful archival box filled with tantalizing details about the convent cemetery. One of the items that caught my attention was the bill for the wrought iron gate at the entrance of the cemetery. The invoice is dated Oct. 14, 1940, and is from the Marleau-Hercules Fence Co. of Toledo, Ohio. The cost for the gate is $800.

Another invoice tied with the cemetery is for the stonework for the entrance. Provided by the Lindley Ornamental Stone Company of Bloomington, Ind., and dated Oct. 19, 1940, the invoice totaled $900.

Also in this archival box are the blueprints for the gate as well as the stone gateposts. The prints are dated July 10 and July 12, 1940, respectively. On the gate blueprint is printed, “Gates to have latch no locks.” Both sets of blueprints were drawn by architects of D.A. Bohlen and Son of Indianapolis. This was the same company used for the Church of the Immaculate Conception.

Look closely at the wrought iron invoice. In the sold to box is the name Mr. Bisch, which has been crossed out. The Bisch family has a long and wonderful history with the Congregation. Joseph N. Bisch served as the superintendent of grounds from 1893 until his death in 1939. He was encouraged to come to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods by his sisters, Sisters St. Bernardine and Mary Anthony Bisch. Joseph’s son Bernard took over upon his father’s death. Bernard remained superintendent until his death in 1958. This invoice was sent in care of Bernard.

What other connections are there between the Bisch family and the Congregation? Sister Marian Celeste Bisch (RIP), a daughter of Joseph N., also was a Sister of Providence! In other words, she and Bernard were sister and brother.

Bernard was succeeded by his son Joseph L., who served as superintendent from 1958 to 1988. Joseph’s son, Stephen, was employed to assist his father on Sept. 17, 1984! He left the employment of the Congregation in 1988.

St. Josephine Bakhita: A Super Bowl MVP

A grassroots movement is under way to
designate St. Josephine Bakhita as the
patron saint for human trafficking victims.

The proximity of this year’s Super Bowl to the heart of our community here at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods has made us painfully aware of the issue of human trafficking.

It is a sad fact that one of the major ways that human trafficking occurs in our country is at major sporting events where hundreds, in some case, thousands of women, children and teens are brought in as sex slaves for human traffickers.

Our efforts to create awareness around this issue have led us to the discovery of St. Josephine Bakhita who, at the age of 7, was kidnapped from her home in the Sudan and over the next eight years was sold and resold into slavery five times.

During her captivity, she endured debilitating beatings and bodily mutilation. She was finally taken to Italy where she served as a nanny to the daughter of her final owner. It was there she met the Canossian sisters.

Her release from bondage mirrors many of the same ingredients necessary today to help victims of human trafficking. When Bakhita made it clear she did not wish to leave Italy with her “owner,” the Canossian sisters appealed to the authorities on her behalf. The court ruled in Bakhita’s favor, and she found herself in control of her destiny for the first time in her life.

At the time of her canonization in 2000, Pope John Paul II said, “In St. Josephine Bakhita we find a shining advocate of genuine emancipation. The history of her life inspires not passive acceptance but the firm resolve to work effectively to free girls and women from oppression and violence, and to return to them their dignity in the full exercise of their rights.”

In these days before the Super Bowl we are praying to St. Josephine Bakhita for that same resolve. Please join in that prayer:

Creator of us all, our words cannot express what our minds can barely comprehend and our hearts feel when we hear of children and adults deceived and transported to unknown places for purposes of sexual exploitation and forced labor because of human greed.

Our hearts are saddened and our spirits angry that their dignity and rights are being transgressed through threats, deception and force. We cry out against the degrading practice of trafficking and seek ways for it to end.

Strengthen the fragile-spirited and broken-hearted. Make real your promises to fill these our sisters and brothers with a love that is tender and good and send the exploiters away empty-handed. Give us the wisdom and courage to stand in solidarity with them, that together we will find ways to the freedom that is your gift to all of us. Amen.

— Gen Cassani, SSND, (Used with permission.)

Finding spiritual nudges in good books

Sister Rosemary Nudd (left) is Lori Strawn’s companion.

“A good book should leave you … slightly exhausted at the end. You live several lives while reading it.” (William Styron, novelist, 1925-2006)

Providence Candidate-Associate Lori Strawn would probably agree with this statement since she once shared that she “wept through the whole last chapter” of the book, “Wide Sargasso Sea,” by Jean Rhys.

Lori, a freelance writer from Wichita, Kan., commenced her journey as a candidate-associate with Sister Rosemary Nudd, an associate professor of English at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, this fall. The women are well suited for one another as they are both lovers of the written word.

Another way in which Lori shares her love of books with others is through her show, “Open Book,” on Prayables Radio. With the assistance of her long-time friend and Providence Associate Alice Shelton, Lori discusses spirituality via literature.

“What I like best about this ministry is seeing literature in a new way, either through my own eyes or Alice’s — finding the spiritual nudges, lessons and questions hidden in a good book, especially one I am already very familiar with,” said Lori.

Now Lori is finding some of those spiritual nudges with Sister Rosemary as they journey through the Spiritual Integration Units that are the building blocks of the Providence Associate Relationship.

Grace

Most people who have spent much time at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods have a favorite season here. Mine is winter. Actually, in January, it’s winter. In April, spring will be my favorite. In July … well, you get the point.

St. Joseph's Lake winter scene.

Recently, I had the opportunity to spend some time at Luking Hermitage at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. As I looked at the trees that circle St. Joe’s Lake, I wondered if Mother Theodore had seen and admired those very trees.

I watched the snow fall one morning and wondered what her vantage point had been when she wrote, during the last winter before her death:

“The weather is a little milder, and yet a thick mist has frozen on the trees, which are all white as snow this morning and give our Forest an air of purity and innocence which it is a pleasure to see. What will Heaven be like if our earth is sometimes so beautiful!”

Whether we are full-time residents of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods or able to visit only for a few hours or days at a time, we are fortunate to be surrounded by such beauty. It is grace to be able to walk these grounds where Mother Theodore and her five companions walked before us, grounds made more sacred by their presence and by the presence of many hundreds of holy ones who came after them.

Snowy St. Joseph's Lake.

It is also grace to have the words of Mother Theodore in her “Journals and Letters,” to be able to share her reflections on the ordinary events of her days. There is much to be learned from the way she saw the hand of Providence in all creation and all persons, trusting always that the future would unfold as it ought and that God’s plans were plans of prosperity and not harm.

As this new year continues, may we all strive to walk as she walked, to see as she saw. May we grow into a deeper appreciation of God’s good gifts to us and a more complete reliance on God’s Providence.

Returning to the sisters of her youth

Yvonne Conniff is flanked by Terry Broberg-Swangin (left) and Debbie Prieto.

“My companion was and still is Sister Theresa Clare Carr. I remember the first time we met in person was when we drove to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods for orientation. I don’t think I stopped talking the entire one-and-a-half-hour drive — most likely it was my nervousness kicking in. That was some three years ago and we continue to meet every four to six weeks if possible to share food, fun and spiritual growth,” said Yvonne Conniff, a Providence Associate since 2009.

Yvonne, like Sister Theresa Clare, hails from Indianapolis. She was taught by the Sisters of Providence in St. Anthony Parish. Yvonne has fond memories of her sister-teachers, especially Sister Anne Doherty, who Yvonne knew as Sister Dennis. It was a visit with Sister Anne that prompted Yvonne to seek more information about the Providence Associate Relationship. That conversation with Sister Anne led her to the late Sister Mary Alice Zander, founding director of the associates.

And the rest, as they say, is history!

Sisters involved with human trafficking issues

The Sisters of Providence have been watching the Indiana General Assembly intently the past few weeks. It is not because of the political bantering that typically occurs. Rather, they are keenly interested in the progress of Senate Bill 4 which better defines and strengthens penalties for those involved in human trafficking.

The Super Bowl, which will be played in Indianapolis on Feb. 5, has shined a light on this worldwide issue of modern-day slavery. The Congregation has joined with 10 other communities of Catholic women religious in Indiana and Michigan to work with state and local officials to reduce the amount of trafficking that tends to increase during such major events.

The group, known as CCRIM (Coalition for Corporate Responsibility for Indiana and Michigan), also has been working with the Super Bowl's host committee. The last two weeks have been filled with activity. The sisters' leadership team has written letters to the authors of the proposed legislation to thank them for their initiative. They also have contacted their local representatives to encourage their support.

The leadership team also sent a letter to the editor to the Terre Haute Tribune-Star to help educate local citizens about the issue. They also shared information with all sisters, either by mail, or during an informational meeting at the motherhouse.

On Wednesday, Jan. 11, the sisters hosted a prayer service in the Church of the Immaculate Conception that was well attended. Sister Donna Butler also organized an online petition, which was sent to the governor of Indiana. People from Indiana, Illinois, Ohio, Colorado, New York, New Jersey, Florida, North Carolina, Georgia, California and Washington, along with others from France, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany and British Columbia made their voices heard. Several sisters have done work individually on this project, including visiting with hotel operators to talk about how to recognize trafficking instances when they occur.

Human trafficking often centers around prostitution, involving women and young children, but it also includes people who are paid and treated unjustly and inhumanely in certain working conditions. Trafficking occurs not only at major sports events, but also at conventions, truck stops and places where there are large gatherings. It can happen in any locale.

The Congregation has a commitment to continue offering educational opportunities on human trafficking. Check out the Congregation's Peace and Justice page for more information.

Sisters busy during National Vocation Awareness Week ... and beyond

You won't have to look too long or hard to find Sisters of Providence talking to people about life as a woman religious during the annual National Vocation Awareness Week (Jan. 9-14). Actually, they are going to make a month out of it.

Former Vocation Director Sister Jenny Howard, who now ministers as a general officer for the Congregation, was a presenter at St. Peter Parish in Linton, Ind., on Jan. 8. On the same day, current Vocation Director Sister Edith Ben (right) visited St. Mary Parish in Sullivan, Ind., and St. Joseph Parish in Terre Haute.

On Jan. 11, Sister Mary Mundy spoke to a group at St. John the Baptist Church in Newburg, Ind., and Sister Mary Ann Stewart and Sister Editha were presenters at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis.

Coming up:

Jan. 14: Sister Barbara Bluntzer, Corpus Cristi area, Texas.
Jan. 15: Sister Dina Bato, St. Jude Parish, Indianapolis.
Jan. 22: Sister Editha Ben, Sacred Heart of Jesus Parish, Vincennes, Ind.
Jan. 25: Sister Mary Tomlinson, St. Giles Parish, Oak Park, Ill.
Jan. 27: Sister Editha Ben, St. Barnabas School, Indianapolis.
Jan. 30: Sister Editha Ben and Sister Martha Rojo, St. Paul High School, Santa Fe Springs, Calif.

If you live near one of these schools or parishes, you are most welcome to meet the sisters who will be sharing information there. If not, and you think you might want more information about the life of women religious, or the discernment process, contact Sister Editha at 812-535-2895 or at eben@spsmw.org.

Our new postulant arrives!

Arrianne knocks to enter.

On Wednesday, Jan. 4, 2012, Arrianne Whittaker, a young woman from Waukesha, Wis., entered the postulancy of the Sisters of Providence.

Arrianne had thought about becoming a sister since her sophomore year of high school. Following her graduation from Marquette University, Arrianne ministered at St. Ann Clinic in Terre Haute, Ind. as a Providence Volunteer Minister. It was during her year living and ministering with the Sisters of Providence that her desire to discern the possibility of religious life became re-ignited.

Serving in the medical field in some capacity has been her passion since she was a young girl. When asked why she wishes to become a Sister of Providence, Arrianne said, “By living and ministering with this extraordinary community of women, I am blessed with a strong witness of life centered in faith, love and passion. In the same way, this choice challenges me to serve as a witness of these same values to others. I am inspired by the blessing, and humbled by the challenge.”

Sisters Jenny, Dawn and Denise with Arrianne.

As part of the simple postulant entrance ritual, Arrianne knocked on the east door of Providence Hall. She was invited in and welcomed by Sister Denise, the general superior, general officers, and members of the New Membership Team. This “practice” of welcoming and blessing formally begins her time of postulancy.

Please join with us in celebrating the gift of Arrianne’s presence with us.

Debbie Dillow ‘excited & humbled’ by new position

The Providence Associates Advisory Board is excited to welcome Debbie Dillow, PA, as the new assistant director of the relationship. Debbie has been an associate since 2008 and has served on the advisory board since last spring. Debbie hails from Lizton, Ind.

Debbie’s connection to the Congregation is unique. She wasn’t educated by the Sisters of Providence, but her children were taught by two SPs, although at the time she “did not know their affiliation.” It was another Providence Associate, Marilyn Webb, who suggested to Debbie that the Sisters of Providence might be able to help her on her spiritual journey.

“Since I did not know much about the Sisters of Providence I drove down to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on a hot July Friday to see the campus and pray about becoming a Providence Associate. As soon as I crossed the main gate I felt an immense feeling of welcome — as if Saint Mother Theodore herself had welcomed me home. There was such a sense of peace that I knew I was in the right place,” said Debbie.

In her new position as assistant director, Debbie will be able to share that enthusiasm and sense of peace that she discovered at the Woods.

“Working with the associates and the Sisters of Providence has brought new faith-filled and spirit-led experiences into my life that are allowing me to grow in my spirituality. I hope to be able to share this with other associates as they journey in their relationship with the Sisters of Providence and other associates,” said Debbie.

“I am excited and humbled at this new opportunity to serve our Provident God. I look forward to working with the associates and sisters as we continue to develop this relationship and take it to a higher level,” she concluded.

Share a laugh with Mother Theodore Jan. 10

Sisters Mary Ryan (L) and Marianne Mader are the
guest speakers for "Saint Mother Theodore Guerin 101: Humor"
scheduled 6:30-8 p.m. Jan. 10 in Providence Center.

Who would have thought that humor would have played a huge role in the life of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind.?

If you have never thought about that aspect, then the program "Saint Mother Theodore Guerin 101: Humor" is meant for you. The program is scheduled 6:30-8 p.m. Tues., Jan. 10, in the Providence Center Conference Room at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind. Admission is free and the event is open to the public. Read more about the program here.

Sisters Mary Ryan and Marianne Mader, both of the Sisters of Providence Archives Department, will lead the discussion and talk about many of the funny writings and quotes authored by Mother Theodore, who was canonized the eighth American saint (and the first in Indiana) in 2006.

A highlight of the Jan. 10 program is Mother Theodore's journal. She made her first notation on Oct. 22, 1840, the first night after she and her five companion-sisters arrived at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

For more information about this program and future programs, contact Sister Jan Craven at 812-535-2925 or at jcraven@spsmw.org.

Don't miss the Jan. 7-8 Winter Bridal Showcase

The latest in wedding fashions will be a part of the
2012 Winter Bridal Showcase Jan. 7-8
in Providence Center at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind.

Looking for some great ideas for you upcoming wedding? Then, the Wabash Valley Bridal Society's Jan. 7-8 Winter Bridal Showcase is for you.

Grab your husband-to-be, your mom, dad, future in-laws and wedding party posse and head to Providence Center at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., for the Wabash Valley's premier bridal event.

Tickets for the two-day bridal showcase are
$15 and may be purchased at the doors of O'Shaughnessy Dining Room located just inside Providence Center and featured during the veer popular Sunday Brunch. Providence Center, the official welcome center of the Sisters of Providence, is host of the event.

Hours of the bridal showcase are 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sat., Jan. 7, and noon to 3 p.m. Sun., Jan. 8.

Professionals will be on hand to speak with you about wedding fashions for the bride, groom and your wedding party, floral arrangements, catering, reception and banquet hall services, DJ services, photography and videography, honeymoon and travel accommodations, and more. There will be numerous displays that will showcase the services of the 47 vendors.

The Winter Bridal Showcase is like a one-stop "shopping" area for wedding-related ideas and professional services to meet all of your wedding and reception needs. Read more about the showcase here. Be sure and register for the many door prizes and also the grand prize. Y

And don't forget that the bridal showcase is being conducted mainly in beautiful O'Shaughnessy Dining Room, which was named the Best Reception Hall in the Tribune-Star newspaper's 2010 Readers' Choice contest.

To find our more about the Providence Center Rental Facilities, contact Associate Director Linda Malooley at 812-535-2946 or her at lmallole@spsmw.org.

Is there a future for religious life?

One of the most frequently asked questions our sisters receive is “How many young women are entering the Congregation?” Fortunately, we have several women in different stages of initial formation, and we welcomed a new postulant into the Congregation just yesterday.

The members of the 2011-2016 General Council sat down for an extended interview with Rosie Blankenship, a member of the HOPE editorial board, and answered several questions related to the future of religious life. Not surprisingly, our general officers are very positive about the future.

“I think we are headed once again for transforming ourselves, for remaking ourselves. I would use the word urgency for it. I feel like we understand the urgency of the times — not driven by our age or our lacks or anything else — but that the times call for urgent Gospel responses. I want to go back to a really old-fashioned word: sacrificial. There was a sense of whatever it costs — whatever it takes — we are going to do it and we are going to do it together,” said General Superior Sister Denise Wilkinson in the article, “The future of religious life,” in the winter 2012 issue of HOPE.

Sister Ann Casper, in her article, “Religious life: a future full of hope,” shares an insight from Sister Sandra Schneiders, IHM, “Regarding numbers, Sister Sandra gives an interesting perspective. True, she says, the number of religious is not what it was in the boom-years of the 1950s. Still there are nearly 60,000 women religious in the United States today, about 10,000 more than there were at any point between 1720 and 1900, a time comparable to our own, when fewer religious women, ‘in small, widely dispersed groups did whatever needed to be done, for whomever needed it and with whoever wanted to help them.’”

In the newest issue of HOPE you will learn more about why we are so positive about our future from not only the sisters’ perspective, but also the perspective of some of our partners — a volunteer, a Providence Associate and interns at White Violet Center for Eco-Justice. You’ll also find the usual items of interest — alumnae/i news, photo albums, obituaries, partners in our mission, newsnotes and upcoming events.

The winter 2012 issue of HOPE will soon be arriving in your mailbox. It is also available online right now!

'Thomas the Tank Engine' takeaways

Sister Denise watches Thomas with Jax.

I spent a little time over the Christmas holidays with my goddaughter’s 2-year-old son, Jax. As a consequence, I watched quite a bit of “Thomas the Tank Engine;” and I am now familiar with the various personalities and idiosyncrasies of Thomas and his engine friends.

Each vignette we watched had a point to make about important life issues — true friendship, asking for help when needed, keeping one’s promises, doing one’s assigned tasks. Each story made it clear that no one engine could work alone to accomplish the important work assigned to the little engines on the island of Sodor.

I have no idea of what Jax carries away from his multiple viewings of the Thomas CDs. But I’m thinking of Thomas, Percy, Toby, Elizabeth and the other engines as 2012 begins.

My hope for all of us who share the journey of Providence is that we, too, will feel confident and comfortable in relying on one another for the help we need — material, physical, emotional and spiritual.

I hope we will, like the little engines, take our life’s work, our vocations seriously and give all the energy we have to our personal and collective call from a loving God.

I hope that others — children and adults — will “watch” us as carefully and often and with as much pleasure as Jax watches the Thomas stories; and, from watching, others will see in us what on-lookers saw in the first followers of Jesus — love in action. “See how they love one another.”

I hope, like Thomas who feels responsible for and familiar with the whole of his home island of Sodor, that we will feel responsible for and familiar with the whole of our “island” — the whole of creation.

Have a wonderful 2012!

Associate provides a helping hand

Pictured from left are Rita Muller, Sister Joanna Brown, Sister Jane Gibson, Sister Barbara Doherty and Sister Suzanne Buthod.

Making a commitment is part of the process of becoming a Providence Associate. Each associate discerns what this commitment will be according to her/his desire, capacity and availability. Some may choose to enter into an intentional prayer relationship while others may want to become involved with the Sisters of Providence in a specific aspect of ministry. For those already involved in a particular ministry or work (not necessarily with the Sisters of Providence), it may mean becoming more intentional about how they will “further God’s loving plans through works of love, mercy and justice” in their particular work or ministry.

For Providence Associate Rita Muller of Vincennes, Ind., part of her commitment is spending a week each month volunteering with and for the sisters. Not everyone has the time to be able to do this, but Rita, who is a retired school teacher, enjoys the change of scenery and spending time with her sister-friends.

If you have questions about becoming a Providence Associate, visit our Frequently Asked Questions page.

To learn more about volunteering at the Woods, please contact Volunteer Services Coordinator Sister Rebecca “Becky” Keller at rkeller@spsmw.org or 812-535-2878.