Legacy of Mother Theodore continues today

Wherever Sisters of Providence minister and live, the past, present and future are woven into a colorful and sturdy tapestry of tradition, faith and mission.

The legacy of Mother Theodore Guérin, who founded the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods in 1840, is the thread that strengthens and sustains the tapestry.

An image of Sisters of Providence and their influence on people and places where they live and minister becomes visible only by looking at the individual threads and by knowing the congregation’s mission statement.

In all ministries, Sisters of Providence strive “to honor Divine Providence and to further God’s loving plans by devoting themselves to works of love, mercy and justice in service among God’s people.”

In the beginning, led by Mother Theodore, Sisters of Providence brought opportunities for education and worship to settlers in Indiana.

In 1920, six Sisters of Providence represented the first congregation of women religious from the United States to establish a mission in China. In 1948, when the People’s Republic of China began its rule, the sisters moved from China to Taiwan,
where several minister today.

During the civil rights movement in the United States, Sisters of Providence ventured to the deep South to teach African-American children. Today, they minister in innercity schools and parishes as they continue to offer opportunities of hope, education and spiritual growth.

Sisters of Providence seek to end violence, and they seek justice for all people.

Currently, Sisters of Providence minister in 25 states, the District of Columbia, Taiwan and the West Indies in such fields as education, health care and retirement services, diocesan and parish services and social justice services, with national organizations and other religious communities, and as counselors and spiritual directors.

Sisters also minister at the motherhouse in staff and administrative positions.

The congregation maintains three sponsored institutions: Mother Theodore Guérin High School at River Grove, Ill., and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College and Woods Day Care/Preschool, both at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

The congregation’s sponsored ministries include Providence Self-Sufficiency Ministries, serving individuals and families in the communities of New Albany, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods and West Terre Haute, all in Indiana, and others in Chicago. †