Mary Pius Regnier
Encyclopedia
Mother Mary Pius Regnier, S.P., (April 28, 1914 - November 27, 2005) was the Superior General
of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
, Indiana, from 1966-1976. She held office immediately following the Second Vatican Council
, a time when Roman Catholic congregations underwent drastic changes. Regnier began the process for revising the Congregation's Constitutions to bring it into accordance with the Church's recommendations for the renewal of religious life.
. A brother, William, later became a Roman Catholic priest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford
, Illinois.
Regnier entered the Sisters of Providence on January 23, 1932. Taking the religious name of Sister Mary Pius, she professed first vows on August 15, 1934, and final vows on January 23, 1940. Her early area of ministry was education, where she showed a love of sports and a particular skill at teaching young boys. She earned a Bachelor degree in English from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
and a Masters in Education from Saint Louis University
.
In 1960, Regnier was elected to the Sisters of Providence general council, a position which she held into 1966.
of the Congregation in 1966, earning her the name of Mother Mary Pius. In this role, she oversaw the sale of numerous Congregation-owned schools and the order's buy-in to Social Security
, which became available in 1972.
Facing declining vocations, Regnier led the Congregation through its first-ever study by a secular company. Following the Second Vatican Council
(ending in 1965), the Sisters of Providence along with many other congregations saw numerous departures from community. However, Regnier held the congregation together despite unrest. Under her leadership, wearing the traditional habit became optional, and the Sisters received permission to drive cars, to handle their own correspondence, and to use electric clocks. Regnier also saw the Sisters through the moratorium on new members that was mandated by the Vatican
from 1972-1974 for all religious orders.
After her term as Superior General, Regnier spent a period of time in the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois, spending 15 years in the Marriage Tribunal there. In her position as advocate, she gathered information regarding the marriages of persons seeking annulment
. After retiring from there in 1993, she served on staff at the health care services at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods and in prayer ministry, spending significant time in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel
.
In 2000, along with many other Sisters of Providence, Regnier pledged to donate her brain to science in order to advance medical knowledge of brian disease, saying, "This is research. Something positive could come of it, so I gladly agreed."
Regnier died at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on November 27, 2005. Said Sister Ann Margaret O'Hara
, Superior General at the time, "She had a wonderful light and happy spirit. She knew how to relate to people and how to draw the best out of them. She had the kind of wisdom that always stayed on the core values of religious life."
Superior general
A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order or congregation.The term is mainly used as a generic term, while many orders and congregations use other specific titles, notably:* Abbot general...
of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods are an apostolic congregation of Catholic women founded by Saint Theodora Guerin at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, in 1840...
, Indiana, from 1966-1976. She held office immediately following the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
, a time when Roman Catholic congregations underwent drastic changes. Regnier began the process for revising the Congregation's Constitutions to bring it into accordance with the Church's recommendations for the renewal of religious life.
Early life
Born Helen Marie Regnier in 1914, she was the oldest daughter of Fred A. and Anna McDonnell Regnier in Aurora, IllinoisAurora, Illinois
Aurora is the second most populous city in the U.S. state of Illinois, and the 112th largest city in the United States. A suburb of Chicago, located west of the Loop, its population in 2010 was 197,899. Originally founded within Kane County, Aurora's city limits have expanded greatly over the past...
. A brother, William, later became a Roman Catholic priest in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford
Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Rockford is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northern Illinois region of the United States. The prelate is a bishop serving as pastor of the motherchurch, the Cathedral of Saint Peter in the City of Rockford...
, Illinois.
Regnier entered the Sisters of Providence on January 23, 1932. Taking the religious name of Sister Mary Pius, she professed first vows on August 15, 1934, and final vows on January 23, 1940. Her early area of ministry was education, where she showed a love of sports and a particular skill at teaching young boys. She earned a Bachelor degree in English from Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is a Roman Catholic, four-year liberal arts women's college located northwest of Terre Haute, Indiana, between the Wabash River and the Illinois state line. There is also a small village of the same name located nearby...
and a Masters in Education from Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University
Saint Louis University is a private, co-educational Jesuit university located in St. Louis, Missouri, United States. Founded in 1818 by the Most Reverend Louis Guillaume Valentin Dubourg SLU is the oldest university west of the Mississippi River. It is one of 28 member institutions of the...
.
In 1960, Regnier was elected to the Sisters of Providence general council, a position which she held into 1966.
As Superior General
Regnier was elected Superior GeneralSuperior general
A Superior General, or General Superior, is the Superior at the head of a whole religious order or congregation.The term is mainly used as a generic term, while many orders and congregations use other specific titles, notably:* Abbot general...
of the Congregation in 1966, earning her the name of Mother Mary Pius. In this role, she oversaw the sale of numerous Congregation-owned schools and the order's buy-in to Social Security
Social Security (United States)
In the United States, Social Security refers to the federal Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Insurance program.The original Social Security Act and the current version of the Act, as amended encompass several social welfare and social insurance programs...
, which became available in 1972.
Facing declining vocations, Regnier led the Congregation through its first-ever study by a secular company. Following the Second Vatican Council
Second Vatican Council
The Second Vatican Council addressed relations between the Roman Catholic Church and the modern world. It was the twenty-first Ecumenical Council of the Catholic Church and the second to be held at St. Peter's Basilica in the Vatican. It opened under Pope John XXIII on 11 October 1962 and closed...
(ending in 1965), the Sisters of Providence along with many other congregations saw numerous departures from community. However, Regnier held the congregation together despite unrest. Under her leadership, wearing the traditional habit became optional, and the Sisters received permission to drive cars, to handle their own correspondence, and to use electric clocks. Regnier also saw the Sisters through the moratorium on new members that was mandated by the Vatican
Holy See
The Holy See is the episcopal jurisdiction of the Catholic Church in Rome, in which its Bishop is commonly known as the Pope. It is the preeminent episcopal see of the Catholic Church, forming the central government of the Church. As such, diplomatically, and in other spheres the Holy See acts and...
from 1972-1974 for all religious orders.
After her term as Superior General, Regnier spent a period of time in the Diocese of Joliet in Illinois, spending 15 years in the Marriage Tribunal there. In her position as advocate, she gathered information regarding the marriages of persons seeking annulment
Annulment (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church an annulment is the procedure, governed by the Church's Canon Law and the Catechism, whereby an ecclesial tribunal determines the sacrament of marriage was invalidly entered into. An annulment determines the Catholic marriage to be void at its inception...
. After retiring from there in 1993, she served on staff at the health care services at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods and in prayer ministry, spending significant time in the Blessed Sacrament Chapel
Blessed Sacrament Chapel (Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana)
The Blessed Sacrament Chapel at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana is on the motherhouse grounds of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods...
.
In 2000, along with many other Sisters of Providence, Regnier pledged to donate her brain to science in order to advance medical knowledge of brian disease, saying, "This is research. Something positive could come of it, so I gladly agreed."
Regnier died at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods on November 27, 2005. Said Sister Ann Margaret O'Hara
Ann Margaret O'Hara
Sister Ann Margaret O'Hara, S.P., was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, from 2001 to 2006. During her term, she made numerous changes to help the Congregation plan for the future, including establishing a Mission Advisory Board and creating a...
, Superior General at the time, "She had a wonderful light and happy spirit. She knew how to relate to people and how to draw the best out of them. She had the kind of wisdom that always stayed on the core values of religious life."