Sisters to celebrate Feast of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin
The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, and Providence Associates, are inviting people of all faith traditions to join them for the 11 a.m., Mass on Sunday, October 3, in celebration of the Feast Day of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin.
Mass will take place in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, located 10 minutes northwest of downtown Terre Haute. The service is open to the public.
A feast day in the Catholic tradition is a day set aside to commemorate the life of saintly individuals or a specific event.
Saint Mother Theodore Guerin founded the Sisters of Providence in 1840. She was born Anne-Therese Guerin on October 2, 1798, in the village of Etables in Brittany, France. She was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on October 15, 2006, and her feast day was designated for October 3. She is the first Indiana Saint and the eighth Catholic Saint in the United States.
Mother Theodore came to the United States from France in 1840 to establish a congregation of women religious. After a journey of more than three months, she and her five sister companions arrived at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods to a dense forest and primitive conditions.
From those origins, a vibrant congregation was given life that is sustained to this day through Mother Theodore’s foresight, legacy and energy, which continues to motivate the generations of Sisters of Providence who have followed in her footsteps.
Many of the sisters’ ministries today focus on maintaining a vital presence in educational settings, working for justice, preserving the environment, health care for the sick, assisting those in need, spiritual direction and a commitment to non-violence.
People throughout the world continue to contact the Congregation for information about Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, and to request prayers through her intercession.
Pilgrimages and tours may be arranged for those who wish to visit the grounds or pray at Saint Mother Theodore’s shrine, by contacting Providence Spirituality & Conference Center at 812-535-2925 or by emailing tours@spsmw.org.
