The Civil War and WoodsUp.com

Are you a teacher or a parent who homeschools her children? Then the Sisters of Providence children’s Web site — www.WoodsUp.com — might be just for you! This site provides information, lesson plans and games in the subject areas of the environment, art and music, justice, history, Saint Mother Theodore Guerin and faith and values. The history and justice sections reflect the Indiana Academic Standards.

If you are planning a Civil War unit during the winter or spring, check out that section here. This section also includes articles about Abraham Lincoln and Jefferson Davis. There is even information about the White House of the Confederacy and a short video about this historic building in Richmond, Virginia.

Church of the Immaculate Conception

Want to learn more about the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods? Then a couple of old publications from Archives might help you out!

Get a glimpse of what the interior of the church looked like before its 1986 renovation. And check out the restoration of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in this publication.

Picture of the Week: December 25

This Christmas card was sent by the Sisters of Providence General Administration in 1940, the year that the congregation celebrated their centennial anniversary. For more images of holidays past, visit the Archives' selection of seasonal images.

Our past in print

Want to take a walk down Providence, er, Memory Lane? Then check out “Our past in print” section of our Web site. In particular, check out our latest additions: Centenary of St. Anne Chapel, 1876-1976, and the Church of the Immaculate Conception restoration.

Enjoy!

Picture of the Week: December 18

Each December, Sisters of Providence celebrate Jubilees marking the number of years since they have entered the Congregation. December 8, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, is the usual date for celebrations. Shown is Sister Grace Stewart (center), who is currently celebrating a whopping 80 years as a Sister of Providence! (With her are General Officer Sister Jane Marie Osterholt, left, and General Superior Sister Denise Wilkinson.) Other sisters celebrated anniversaries of 60, 70, and 75 years. Congrats, sisters!

Videos from our Archives

Check out our latest videos on our YouTube channel! These three videos are from our oral history project featuring Sisters Marceline Mattingly, Marilyn Herber and Norene Wu. These Sisters of Providence participated in the oral history project, Religious Life Through the Generations.

To view only their videos on our Web site, click here.

Commitments of our newest Providence Associates

Our newest group of Providence Associates made their formal commitment with the Sisters of Providence on Saturday, Nov. 7, at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. During the Rite of Commitment in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, each associate presented her or his commitment to either General Superior Sister Denise Wilkinson or General Officer Sister Marsha Speth. The commitments and the new associates were then blessed by all present.

Click here to read the commitments of our newest Providence Associates.

Picture of the Week: December 11

The fountain at the end of The Avenue is decorated for Advent. For information about Advent and Christmas services at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, view our Holiday liturgical events listing.

Caroling on horseback

Seniors and faculty of Mari Hulman George School of Equine Studies at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College sang Christmas carols on horseback to Sisters of Providence and staff this morning at the motherhouse and SMWC.

This senior ride usually takes place late at night in the spring. The sisters and staff enjoyed the sounds of jingle bells, horses' hooves and Christmas carols at Owens, Hulman, Guerin and Le Fer halls; Woods Day Care; the library; and the Conservatory. The horses, tack and riders were decked out in holiday decor!

It was awesome!

Saint Mother Theodore Guerin touches people worldwide

Sister Barbara Doherty shared that she recently received the first prayer request from Saudi Arabia to the Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Shrine. That brings the number of countries where prayer requests have originated to 63, with all five continents represented, since Sister Barbara became coordinator of the Office of the Shrine in 2007.

The names of people submitting prayer requests are written in a book placed at the interim Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore (pictured here).

You can read some of our prayers devoted to Saint Mother Theodore on our site. And you can submit prayer requests to the Shrine Office by visiting this page.

A Providence Associate update from Africa

Providence Associate Pat Stucke and her husband, Glen, have completed all of their oral proficiency interviews and written exams and are now on their way to their Peace Corps assignment! They will be teaching school and living in Lusanga, which is in the Tanga region of Tanzania.

Click here for their latest update.

Picture of the Week: November 27

Photo from the Sisters of Providence Archives: A Sister of Providence bastes a turkey at Holy Spirit Convent, Indianapolis, ca. 1960. Explore the Sisters of Providence Archives.

Associates make renewals in Chicago and California

Fourteen Providence Associates in the Chicago area and three in California renewed their commitments in separate ceremonies on Saturday, Nov. 21. Present at the Chicago-area Rite of Renewal was Sister Mary Alice Zander, director, who has faced recent health challenges. It was an inspiration to have her amid all those associates celebrating their special day.

In California, Sisters of Providence and other friends joined Linda McMahon, Pat Ruck and Jeannie Smith as they renewed their commitments.

Click here for images from the Chicago ceremony and here for the California celebration.

Picture of the Week: November 20

Sisters gather in St. Joseph Chapel on November 19 for a memorial service honoring those who were massacred at the Central American University (UCA) in El Salvador on November 16, 1989. Six Jesuit priests, a housekeeper and her daughter were killed that day. The perpetrators were members of the Salvadoran army who had received military training at the School of the Americas at Fort Benning in Colombus, Georgia.

This weekend numerous sisters, Providence Volunteer Ministers, students and friends will participate in a nonviolent vigil at Fort Benning, sponsored each year by SOA Watch. For more about the sisters' involvement, visit the Sisters of Providence Peace & Justice site.

Providence Associate begins ministry in Tanzania

In late September, Providence Associate Pat Stucke and her husband, Glen, left their home in Schererville, Ind., for a two-year, three-month stint in Tanzania with the Peace Corps. The couple has undergone intensive language proficiency and culture awareness training. Pat and Glen are looking forward to a swearing-in ceremony on Nov. 25.

Read about their adventures here.