Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
Encyclopedia
The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods are an apostolic congregation
of Catholic
women founded by Saint Theodora Guerin
(known colloquially as Saint Mother Theodore) at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, in 1840. Mother Theodore and her companions left the Sisters of Providence of Ruillé-sur-Loir, France
at the invitation of the Bishop of Vincennes to found the Sisters of Providence in the United States
. In 1843 the Indiana congregation became independent of the order in Ruillé, and the Rules of the Congregation were approved by the Holy See
in 1887.
More than 5,200 women have entered the Sisters of Providence since 1840. As of 2010, there are nearly 400 sisters in the order, roughly 300 of whom live and minister from the motherhouse grounds in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. Other sisters minister in 19 U.S. states and Asia
.
Currently, foreign missions are in Taiwan
and China
. Former foreign mission were in Peru
and Antigua
.
Sisters of Providence are designated by the initials "SP" following their name in print. The congregation is a member of the Women of Providence in Collaboration
.
Saint Mother Theodore
was canonized on October 15, 2006. Her remains are currently enshrined in the Church of the Immaculate Conception
at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, as well as a portion buried in the Sisters of Providence Convent Cemetery
.
in the world by committing ourselves to works of love, mercy and justice in service among God's people."
Individual sisters are free to worship in their own ways and places of ministry. On the motherhouse grounds of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, the congregation has daily mass available in the Church of the Immaculate Conception
. The grounds are also home to numerous shrines and sacred places, including the Blessed Sacrament Chapel
, the Saint Anne Shell Chapel, the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes
, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Providence
, and a walking labyrinth
. An outdoor set of the stations of the cross
leads into the Sisters of Providence Convent Cemetery
.
of the Diocese of Vincennes, Indiana
, the Sisters of Providence of Ruillé-sur-Loir
, France
sent Sister St. Theodore Guerin
to open a school and minister to people in the Diocese of Vincennes. She was accompanied by five other sisters: Sister St. Vincent Ferrer (Victoire) Gagé, Sister Basilide (Josephine) Sénéschal, Sister Olympiade (Therese) Boyer, Sister Mary Xavier (Francis Louise) Lerée and Sister Mary Liguori (Louise Frances) Tiercin.
After a rough journey across the Atlantic Ocean
and the eastern United States
, the sisters arrived in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana on October 22, 1840. They were given living accommodations by a local family, Joseph and Sarah Thralls. (This location is now honored with a historical marker
from the Indiana Historical Bureau.)
in 1840. The first student at the academy arrived for enrollment July 4, 1841. The Academy
is now known as Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College
and is the oldest Roman Catholic college for women in the United States
.
The sisters soon found themselves in charge of or staffing several local schools, including St. Joseph's Parochial Catholic School, St. Benedict's German Catholic School, and St. Patrick's Day School, all in nearby Terre Haute. As their reputation as educators grew, Sisters of Providence would eventually staff schools across Indiana
. They also would extend their ministry into Illinois
, Massachusetts
, California
, Florida
, Texas
, Oklahoma
, other states and the District of Columbia.
.
, met with Sisters of Providence general superior Mother Mary Cleophas Foley
to request sisters for a school for young women in Kaifeng
. Sister Marie Gratia Luking led this group of sisters to Kaifeng
to open an elementary school and a junior middle school for girls.
Luking and her companions arrived in Kaifeng
on November 24, 1920. Soon after arriving, the sisters opened a medical dispensary and the Hua Mei School for Girls. The sisters ministered here until 1927 when the Communist army of Mao Zedong
reached Kaifeng
. The sisters were forced to leave, taking refuge with the Maryknoll Sisters
in Korea
.
In 1929 they returned to Kaifeng
and opened an orphanage as well as a novitiate for women wanting to enter religious life. This native congregation, the Providence Sister-Catechists, received papal approval in 1932. Ching I Middle School was opened September 12, 1932.
began threatening China
by 1935, and air raids, bombings and attacks by soldiers became commonplace. Kaifeng
was bombed March 25, 1938. Soon the school and novitiate became a place of refuge for people seeking safe haven. Though Kaifeng
fell to the Japanese June 6, 1938, and life became more difficult for the sisters, they remained in their compound.
On December 8, 1941, the sisters' compound in Kaifeng was attacked by Japanese soldiers. The sisters from the United States
were forced to relocate to a Baptist
mission compound and then a Benedictine
Sisters' compound in Kaifeng
. On March 22, 1943, the Sisters of Providence and all other U.S. missionaries were interned at the Weihsien Compound, a concentration camp in Shandong
. Five months later U.S. internees were again relocated, this time to Peking where they were placed under house arrest with the Spanish Daughters of Jesus.
In September 1945 after the war had ended, the sisters returned to Kaifeng
and repaired their compound, I Ching School and the novitiate. However, China
was soon politically plagued by internal strife between the Communists and the Nationalists. As the Communist armies advanced to Kaifeng
, the United States Consulate General advised U.S. citizens to leave. The sisters spent some time with the Religious of the Sacred Heart in Shanghai
.
fell under Communist rule, 23 Sisters of Providence and Providence Sister-Catechists moved to Taiwan
, then known as Formosa
, and settled in Taichung
. Luking and the other sisters began building a new college. The school, now known as Providence University
, opened in 1949 and moved to the region of Shalu, Taichung
in 1987.
Currently, Sisters of Providence work in multiple ministries in Taiwan
. In addition to ministry at Providence University
, sisters staff multiple facilities for care of children and adults with mental and/or physical disabilities including St. Theresa Opportunity Center in Yucheng, Reed School in Hsinchu
, St. Camillus de Lellis Center for the Mentally Challenged in Penghu and Miracle Place in Taishan.
Recently, the Sisters of Providence have returned to China again in hopes of establishing ministries there such as elder care, education or religious formation.
, with exhibits about Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, the history of the congregation, and the ministries of the Sisters of Providence. Also preserved at the Center is a set of twelve historical diorama
s, began by Henri Marchand
and completed by Gregory Kamka.
There is also a gift shop, dining services in O'Shaughnessy Dining Hall and the National Shrine of Our Lady of Providence
.
, eco-justice education, spiritual ecology
and social advocacy. Founded in 1995, the center maintains a herd of alpacas, 343 acres (1.4 km²) of state-certified organic
farmland, bees, a berry patch, a farmers' market, classified forest
and orchards. White Violet Center is considered an "engaged project" by the Yale University
Forum on Religion and Ecology.
; Providence Family Services in West Humboldt Park, Chicago
; and Providence in the Desert in southern California
. These ministries provide adult literacy/GED
instruction, tutoring for school-age children, English as a Second Language
classes, citizenship classes, music classes, computer literacy classes, and bilingual counseling.
and Saint Ann Clinic in Terre Haute, Indiana
.
, nonviolent strategies for peace
and disarmament
, immigrant rights, and persons living in poverty
.
Several ministries of the Sisters of Providence address these issues, including White Violet Center for Eco-Justice, Guerin Outreach Ministries, Providence Self Sufficiency Ministries.
The Sisters of Providence administer grants to not-for-profit systemic change groups with limited access to other funding through their Poverty and Justice Fund. They are also a founding congregation and sponsoring member of 8th Day Center for Justice
, based out of Chicago
.
. Sisters of Providence plan prayer vigils, write letters to government leaders and provide media relations support for this cause.
The only federal execution chamber
in the United States
is located at the Federal Correctional Complex
just south of Terre Haute, Indiana
, only five miles away from the motherhouse of the Sisters of Providence in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.
in protest of the training of mainly Latin American military officers, by the United States Department of Defense
, at the School of the Americas in Fort Benning
, Georgia
.
Several Sisters of Providence have chosen to take direct action in protest, facing legal repercussions for crossing onto federal property at Fort Benning. For action in November 2001, Sister Kathleen Desautels was convicted of federal trespassing and served a six-month sentence at the Federal Prison Camp in Greenville, Illinois
. Other sisters have been arrested and sentenced to house arrest, community service and probation.
boiler to heat and power the buildings on their motherhouse grounds in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. The boiler burns downed trees, trimmings and scrap wood from construction projects, all donated by local tree services, cities and manufacturing companies.
The Sisters of Providence also produce their own biodiesel
for use in lawn mowers and off-road trucks on the grounds. They maintain a significant recycling
program and use a sustainable irrigation
system for their organic
gardens and orchards.
Consecrated life (Catholic Church)
In the Roman Catholic Church, the term "consecrated life" denotes a stable form of Christian living by those faithful who feel called to follow Jesus Christ in a more exacting way recognized by the Church...
of Catholic
Roman Catholic Church
The Catholic Church, also known as the Roman Catholic Church, is the world's largest Christian church, with over a billion members. Led by the Pope, it defines its mission as spreading the gospel of Jesus Christ, administering the sacraments and exercising charity...
women founded by Saint Theodora Guerin
Theodore Guerin
Saint Mother Théodore Guérin , designated by the Vatican as Saint Theodora, is the foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, a congregation of Catholic nuns...
(known colloquially as Saint Mother Theodore) at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, in 1840. Mother Theodore and her companions left the Sisters of Providence of Ruillé-sur-Loir, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
at the invitation of the Bishop of Vincennes to found the Sisters of Providence in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. In 1843 the Indiana congregation became independent of the order in Ruillé, and the Rules of the Congregation were approved by the Holy See
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...
in 1887.
More than 5,200 women have entered the Sisters of Providence since 1840. As of 2010, there are nearly 400 sisters in the order, roughly 300 of whom live and minister from the motherhouse grounds in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. Other sisters minister in 19 U.S. states and Asia
Asia
Asia is the world's largest and most populous continent, located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres. It covers 8.7% of the Earth's total surface area and with approximately 3.879 billion people, it hosts 60% of the world's current human population...
.
Currently, foreign missions are in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
and China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
. Former foreign mission were in Peru
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
and Antigua
Antigua
Antigua , also known as Waladli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Leeward Islands in the Caribbean region, the main island of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. Antigua means "ancient" in Spanish and was named by Christopher Columbus after an icon in Seville Cathedral, Santa Maria de la...
.
Sisters of Providence are designated by the initials "SP" following their name in print. The congregation is a member of the Women of Providence in Collaboration
Women of Providence in Collaboration
Women of Providence in Collaboration or WPC is an association of congregations of North American Roman Catholic religious sisters with "Providence" in their name...
.
Saint Mother Theodore
Theodore Guerin
Saint Mother Théodore Guérin , designated by the Vatican as Saint Theodora, is the foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, a congregation of Catholic nuns...
was canonized on October 15, 2006. Her remains are currently enshrined in the Church of the Immaculate Conception
Church of the Immaculate Conception (Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana)
The Church of the Immaculate Conception, is on the motherhouse grounds of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods...
at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, as well as a portion buried in the Sisters of Providence Convent Cemetery
Sisters of Providence Convent Cemetery
Convent cemetery at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana is the cemetery for the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, a congregation of Roman Catholic religious women founded in 1840 by Saint Mother Theodore Guerin....
.
Spirituality
According to their mission statement, Sisters of Providence are "dedicated to the mission of being God's ProvidenceDivine Providence
In Christian theology, divine providence, or simply providence, is God's activity in the world. " Providence" is also used as a title of God exercising His providence, and then the word are usually capitalized...
in the world by committing ourselves to works of love, mercy and justice in service among God's people."
Individual sisters are free to worship in their own ways and places of ministry. On the motherhouse grounds of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, the congregation has daily mass available in the Church of the Immaculate Conception
Church of the Immaculate Conception (Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana)
The Church of the Immaculate Conception, is on the motherhouse grounds of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods...
. The grounds are also home to numerous shrines and sacred places, including 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...
, the Saint Anne Shell Chapel, the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes
Our Lady of Lourdes is the name used to refer to the Marian apparition said to have appeared before various individuals on separate occasions around Lourdes, France...
, the National Shrine of Our Lady of Providence
Our Lady of Providence
Our Lady of Providence or Our Lady of Divine Providence is a reference to Mary in relationship with Divine Providence. Various Roman Catholic groups have a particular devotion to Our Lady of Providence....
, and a walking labyrinth
Labyrinth
In Greek mythology, the Labyrinth was an elaborate structure designed and built by the legendary artificer Daedalus for King Minos of Crete at Knossos...
. An outdoor set of the stations of the cross
Stations of the Cross
Stations of the Cross refers to the depiction of the final hours of Jesus, and the devotion commemorating the Passion. The tradition as chapel devotion began with St...
leads into the Sisters of Providence Convent Cemetery
Sisters of Providence Convent Cemetery
Convent cemetery at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana is the cemetery for the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, a congregation of Roman Catholic religious women founded in 1840 by Saint Mother Theodore Guerin....
.
History
In 1840 at the invitation of Bishop Simon BrutéSimon Bruté
Simon William Gabriel Bruté de Rémur, the first bishop of the Diocese of Vincennes, Indiana, was born on March 20, 1779, at Rennes, France. His father was Simon-Guillaume-Gabriel Bruté de Remur, Superintendent of the Royal Domains in Brittany; and his mother, Jeanne-Renee Le Saulnier de Vauhelle...
of the Diocese of Vincennes, Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
, the Sisters of Providence of Ruillé-sur-Loir
Ruillé-sur-Loir
Ruillé-sur-Loir is a commune in the Sarthe department in the Pays de la Loire region in north-western France.The village has a medieval and Renaissance parish church but is dominated by the school and the mother house of the order of Sisters of Providence...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
sent Sister St. Theodore Guerin
Theodore Guerin
Saint Mother Théodore Guérin , designated by the Vatican as Saint Theodora, is the foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, a congregation of Catholic nuns...
to open a school and minister to people in the Diocese of Vincennes. She was accompanied by five other sisters: Sister St. Vincent Ferrer (Victoire) Gagé, Sister Basilide (Josephine) Sénéschal, Sister Olympiade (Therese) Boyer, Sister Mary Xavier (Francis Louise) Lerée and Sister Mary Liguori (Louise Frances) Tiercin.
After a rough journey across the Atlantic Ocean
Atlantic Ocean
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's oceanic divisions. With a total area of about , it covers approximately 20% of the Earth's surface and about 26% of its water surface area...
and the eastern United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, the sisters arrived in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana on October 22, 1840. They were given living accommodations by a local family, Joseph and Sarah Thralls. (This location is now honored with a historical marker
Historical marker
A historical marker or historic marker is an indicator such as a plaque or sign to commemorate an event or person of historic interest and to associate that point of interest with a specific locale one can visit.-Description:...
from the Indiana Historical Bureau.)
Educational ministry
Educators from the beginning, the sisters began building an academy for girls called The AcademySaint 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...
in 1840. The first student at the academy arrived for enrollment July 4, 1841. The Academy
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...
is now known as 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 is the oldest Roman Catholic college for women in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
.
The sisters soon found themselves in charge of or staffing several local schools, including St. Joseph's Parochial Catholic School, St. Benedict's German Catholic School, and St. Patrick's Day School, all in nearby Terre Haute. As their reputation as educators grew, Sisters of Providence would eventually staff schools across Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
. They also would extend their ministry into Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, Oklahoma
Oklahoma
Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America. With an estimated 3,751,351 residents as of the 2010 census and a land area of 68,667 square miles , Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state...
, other states and the District of Columbia.
Mission in Asia
The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods were the first congregation of American women religious to establish a mission in ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
.
Ministry in Kaifeng
In the summer of 1919, Bishop Joseph Tacconi of Kaifeng, ChinaKaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
, met with Sisters of Providence general superior Mother Mary Cleophas Foley
Mary Cleophas Foley
Mother Mary Cleophas Foley, S.P., was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana from 1890-1926...
to request sisters for a school for young women in Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
. Sister Marie Gratia Luking led this group of sisters to Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
to open an elementary school and a junior middle school for girls.
Luking and her companions arrived in Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
on November 24, 1920. Soon after arriving, the sisters opened a medical dispensary and the Hua Mei School for Girls. The sisters ministered here until 1927 when the Communist army of Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong
Mao Zedong, also transliterated as Mao Tse-tung , and commonly referred to as Chairman Mao , was a Chinese Communist revolutionary, guerrilla warfare strategist, Marxist political philosopher, and leader of the Chinese Revolution...
reached Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
. The sisters were forced to leave, taking refuge with the Maryknoll Sisters
Maryknoll Sisters
The Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic, or simply Maryknoll Sisters, are a group of Roman Catholic women religious founded in the Village of Ossining, Westchester County, New York, in 1912, six months after the 1911 creation of the Maryknoll community of missionary brothers and fathers...
in Korea
Korea
Korea ) is an East Asian geographic region that is currently divided into two separate sovereign states — North Korea and South Korea. Located on the Korean Peninsula, Korea is bordered by the People's Republic of China to the northwest, Russia to the northeast, and is separated from Japan to the...
.
In 1929 they returned to Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
and opened an orphanage as well as a novitiate for women wanting to enter religious life. This native congregation, the Providence Sister-Catechists, received papal approval in 1932. Ching I Middle School was opened September 12, 1932.
World War II
JapanJapan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
began threatening China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
by 1935, and air raids, bombings and attacks by soldiers became commonplace. Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
was bombed March 25, 1938. Soon the school and novitiate became a place of refuge for people seeking safe haven. Though Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
fell to the Japanese June 6, 1938, and life became more difficult for the sisters, they remained in their compound.
On December 8, 1941, the sisters' compound in Kaifeng was attacked by Japanese soldiers. The sisters from the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
were forced to relocate to a Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
mission compound and then a Benedictine
Benedictine
Benedictine refers to the spirituality and consecrated life in accordance with the Rule of St Benedict, written by Benedict of Nursia in the sixth century for the cenobitic communities he founded in central Italy. The most notable of these is Monte Cassino, the first monastery founded by Benedict...
Sisters' compound in Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
. On March 22, 1943, the Sisters of Providence and all other U.S. missionaries were interned at the Weihsien Compound, a concentration camp in Shandong
Shandong
' is a Province located on the eastern coast of the People's Republic of China. Shandong has played a major role in Chinese history from the beginning of Chinese civilization along the lower reaches of the Yellow River and served as a pivotal cultural and religious site for Taoism, Chinese...
. Five months later U.S. internees were again relocated, this time to Peking where they were placed under house arrest with the Spanish Daughters of Jesus.
In September 1945 after the war had ended, the sisters returned to Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
and repaired their compound, I Ching School and the novitiate. However, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
was soon politically plagued by internal strife between the Communists and the Nationalists. As the Communist armies advanced to Kaifeng
Kaifeng
Kaifeng , known previously by several names , is a prefecture-level city in east-central Henan province, Central China. Nearly 5 million people live in the metropolitan area...
, the United States Consulate General advised U.S. citizens to leave. The sisters spent some time with the Religious of the Sacred Heart in Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
.
Taiwan
As ChinaChina
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
fell under Communist rule, 23 Sisters of Providence and Providence Sister-Catechists moved to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
, then known as Formosa
Formosa
Formosa or Ilha Formosa is a Portuguese historical name for Taiwan , literally meaning, "Beautiful Island". The term may also refer to:-Places:* Formosa Strait, another name for the Taiwan Strait...
, and settled in Taichung
Taichung
-Demographics:Taichung’s population was an estimated 1,040,725 in August 2006. There are slightly more females in the city than males.24.32% of residents are children, while 16.63% are young people, 52.68% are middle-age, and 6.73% are elderly....
. Luking and the other sisters began building a new college. The school, now known as Providence University
Providence University
Providence University is a Catholic co-educational institution in Shalu District, Taichung City, Taiwan.- History :...
, opened in 1949 and moved to the region of Shalu, Taichung
Shalu, Taichung
- Taichung Airport :Shalu is home to the Taichung Airport, which serves various domestic and regional destinations.- Education :* Providence University...
in 1987.
Currently, Sisters of Providence work in multiple ministries in Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
. In addition to ministry at Providence University
Providence University
Providence University is a Catholic co-educational institution in Shalu District, Taichung City, Taiwan.- History :...
, sisters staff multiple facilities for care of children and adults with mental and/or physical disabilities including St. Theresa Opportunity Center in Yucheng, Reed School in Hsinchu
Hsinchu
Hsinchu City is a city in northern Taiwan. Hsinchu is popularly nicknamed "The Windy City" for its windy climate.Hsinchu City is administered as a special municipality within Taiwan . The city is bordered by Hsinchu County to the north and east, Miaoli County to the south, and the Taiwan Strait...
, St. Camillus de Lellis Center for the Mentally Challenged in Penghu and Miracle Place in Taishan.
Recently, the Sisters of Providence have returned to China again in hopes of establishing ministries there such as elder care, education or religious formation.
Current ministries
Sisters of Providence work in the areas of education, health care, peace and justice, social services and spiritual development. In addition to the individual ministries of its sisters, the congregation funds multiple ministry organizations.Providence Center
Providence Center is the welcoming center of the Sisters of Providence at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. The facility includes the Sisters of Providence heritage museumMuseum
A museum is an institution that cares for a collection of artifacts and other objects of scientific, artistic, cultural, or historical importance and makes them available for public viewing through exhibits that may be permanent or temporary. Most large museums are located in major cities...
, with exhibits about Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, the history of the congregation, and the ministries of the Sisters of Providence. Also preserved at the Center is a set of twelve historical diorama
Diorama
The word diorama can either refer to a nineteenth century mobile theatre device, or, in modern usage, a three-dimensional full-size or miniature model, sometimes enclosed in a glass showcase for a museum...
s, began by Henri Marchand
Henri Marchand
-Early life:Born in France, Marchand studied under Auguste Rodin. In the early 1900s, he and his wife Clothilde, also an artist, emigrated to the United States. Marchand began working as a diorama artist at the New York State Museum...
and completed by Gregory Kamka.
There is also a gift shop, dining services in O'Shaughnessy Dining Hall and the National Shrine of Our Lady of Providence
Our Lady of Providence
Our Lady of Providence or Our Lady of Divine Providence is a reference to Mary in relationship with Divine Providence. Various Roman Catholic groups have a particular devotion to Our Lady of Providence....
.
White Violet Center for Eco-Justice
White Violet Center for Eco-Justice focuses on organic agricultureOrganic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
, eco-justice education, spiritual ecology
Spiritual ecology
Spiritual ecology is a recent term that refers to the intersection between religion and spirituality and environment . Practitioners of spiritual ecology fall into three categories: the scientific and academic, spiritual or religious environmentalism, and religious or spiritual individuals who...
and social advocacy. Founded in 1995, the center maintains a herd of alpacas, 343 acres (1.4 km²) of state-certified organic
Organic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
farmland, bees, a berry patch, a farmers' market, classified forest
Forest
A forest, also referred to as a wood or the woods, is an area with a high density of trees. As with cities, depending where you are in the world, what is considered a forest may vary significantly in size and have various classification according to how and what of the forest is composed...
and orchards. White Violet Center is considered an "engaged project" by the Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
Forum on Religion and Ecology.
Guerin Outreach Ministries
Guerin Outreach Ministries is made up of three ministries: Education and Family Services in West Terre Haute, IndianaWest Terre Haute, Indiana
West Terre Haute is a town in Sugar Creek Township, Vigo County, Indiana, on the western side of the Wabash River near Terre Haute. The population was 2,236 at the 2010 census...
; Providence Family Services in West Humboldt Park, Chicago
Humboldt Park, Chicago
Humboldt Park is one of 77 officially designated community areas located on the northwest side of Chicago, Illinois. The Humboldt Park neighborhood is widely known for its large Puerto Rican presence...
; and Providence in the Desert in southern California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
. These ministries provide adult literacy/GED
GED
General Educational Development tests are a group of five subject tests which, when passed, certify that the taker has American or Canadian high school-level academic skills...
instruction, tutoring for school-age children, English as a Second Language
ESL
ESL is a common abbreviation for English as a Second Language, see English language learning and teaching.ESL may also refer to:-Companies:...
classes, citizenship classes, music classes, computer literacy classes, and bilingual counseling.
Providence Self Sufficiency Ministries
Providence Self Sufficiency Ministries, Inc., (PSSM) collaborates with local agencies and organizations to provide need based services including foster care services, family reunification, counseling, low-income housing, senior citizen care, and low-income medical treatment. Associated organizations are Guerin Woods, Providence House for Children, and The Meadows of Guerin in Georgetown, Floyd County, IndianaGeorgetown, Floyd County, Indiana
Georgetown is a town in Floyd County, Indiana, United States. The population was 2,876 at the 2010 census.-Notable people:*R. Carlyle Buley, who was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for History in 1951, was born in Georgetown on July 8, 1893...
and Saint Ann Clinic in Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
.
Peace and justice
The congregation has elected to focus on several social justice issues: women in church/society, eco-justice, racismRacism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
, nonviolent strategies for peace
Peace
Peace is a state of harmony characterized by the lack of violent conflict. Commonly understood as the absence of hostility, peace also suggests the existence of healthy or newly healed interpersonal or international relationships, prosperity in matters of social or economic welfare, the...
and disarmament
Disarmament
Disarmament is the act of reducing, limiting, or abolishing weapons. Disarmament generally refers to a country's military or specific type of weaponry. Disarmament is often taken to mean total elimination of weapons of mass destruction, such as nuclear arms...
, immigrant rights, and persons living in poverty
Poverty
Poverty is the lack of a certain amount of material possessions or money. Absolute poverty or destitution is inability to afford basic human needs, which commonly includes clean and fresh water, nutrition, health care, education, clothing and shelter. About 1.7 billion people are estimated to live...
.
Several ministries of the Sisters of Providence address these issues, including White Violet Center for Eco-Justice, Guerin Outreach Ministries, Providence Self Sufficiency Ministries.
The Sisters of Providence administer grants to not-for-profit systemic change groups with limited access to other funding through their Poverty and Justice Fund. They are also a founding congregation and sponsoring member of 8th Day Center for Justice
8th Day Center for Justice
8th Day Center for Justice is a Roman Catholic non-profit organization based in Chicago, Illinois. Named after the Christian concept of an "eighth day", it was founded in 1974 by six congregations of religious men and women...
, based out of Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
.
Death penalty and prison reform
Numerous Sisters of Providence participate in prison ministry, visiting and writing to inmates. The General Council of the Sisters of Providence adopted a public stance against the death penalty in 1995 in collaboration with the Leadership Conference of Women ReligiousLeadership Conference of Women Religious
The Leadership Conference of Women Religious is a canonically approved membership organization which exists as a support system and corporate voice for leaders of institutes, or congregations, of women religious in the United States.The conference has more than 1500 members, whose congregations...
. Sisters of Providence plan prayer vigils, write letters to government leaders and provide media relations support for this cause.
The only federal execution chamber
Execution chamber
An execution chamber, or death chamber, is a room or chamber in which a legal execution is carried out. Execution chambers are almost always inside the walls of a maximum-security prison, although not always at the same prison where the death row population is housed...
in the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
is located at the Federal Correctional Complex
Federal Correctional Complex, Terre Haute
The Federal Correctional Complex, Terre Haute, is a federal prison for adult males located at the intersection of State Road 63 and Springhill Drive, two miles south of Terre Haute, Indiana United States...
just south of Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute, Indiana
Terre Haute is a city and the county seat of Vigo County, Indiana, United States, near the state's western border with Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a total population of 60,785 and its metropolitan area had a population of 170,943. The city is the county seat of Vigo County and...
, only five miles away from the motherhouse of the Sisters of Providence in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.
Nonviolence
The Sisters of Providence Anti-Racism Team works to dismantle systemic racism within the Sisters of Providence, their sponsored institutions, places of ministry and the larger society. The Sisters of Providence Litany of Non-violence reads, in part, "Deliver us from the silence that gives consent to abuse, war and evil. Grant us the desire, and the courage, to risk speaking and acting for the common good."Prisoners of Conscience
Since 1990, numerous Sisters of Providence have been involved with School of the Americas WatchSchool of the Americas Watch
School of the Americas Watch is an advocacy organization founded by Maryknoll Father Roy Bourgeois and a small group of supporters in 1990 to protest the training of mainly Latin American military officers, by the United States Department of Defense, at the School of the Americas...
in protest of the training of mainly Latin American military officers, by the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
, at the School of the Americas in Fort Benning
Fort Benning
Fort Benning is a United States Army post located southeast of the city of Columbus in Muscogee and Chattahoochee counties in Georgia and Russell County, Alabama...
, Georgia
Georgia (U.S. state)
Georgia is a state located in the southeastern United States. It was established in 1732, the last of the original Thirteen Colonies. The state is named after King George II of Great Britain. Georgia was the fourth state to ratify the United States Constitution, on January 2, 1788...
.
Several Sisters of Providence have chosen to take direct action in protest, facing legal repercussions for crossing onto federal property at Fort Benning. For action in November 2001, Sister Kathleen Desautels was convicted of federal trespassing and served a six-month sentence at the Federal Prison Camp in Greenville, Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. Other sisters have been arrested and sentenced to house arrest, community service and probation.
Green projects
In accordance with their commitment to eco-justice, the Sisters of Providence installed a biomassBiomass
Biomass, as a renewable energy source, is biological material from living, or recently living organisms. As an energy source, biomass can either be used directly, or converted into other energy products such as biofuel....
boiler to heat and power the buildings on their motherhouse grounds in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. The boiler burns downed trees, trimmings and scrap wood from construction projects, all donated by local tree services, cities and manufacturing companies.
The Sisters of Providence also produce their own biodiesel
Biodiesel
Biodiesel refers to a vegetable oil- or animal fat-based diesel fuel consisting of long-chain alkyl esters. Biodiesel is typically made by chemically reacting lipids with an alcohol....
for use in lawn mowers and off-road trucks on the grounds. They maintain a significant recycling
Recycling
Recycling is processing used materials into new products to prevent waste of potentially useful materials, reduce the consumption of fresh raw materials, reduce energy usage, reduce air pollution and water pollution by reducing the need for "conventional" waste disposal, and lower greenhouse...
program and use a sustainable irrigation
Irrigation
Irrigation may be defined as the science of artificial application of water to the land or soil. It is used to assist in the growing of agricultural crops, maintenance of landscapes, and revegetation of disturbed soils in dry areas and during periods of inadequate rainfall...
system for their organic
Organic food
Organic foods are foods that are produced using methods that do not involve modern synthetic inputs such as synthetic pesticides and chemical fertilizers, do not contain genetically modified organisms, and are not processed using irradiation, industrial solvents, or chemical food additives.For the...
gardens and orchards.
General superiors
- Saint Mother Theodore GuerinTheodore GuerinSaint Mother Théodore Guérin , designated by the Vatican as Saint Theodora, is the foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, a congregation of Catholic nuns...
, congregation foundress and Roman Catholic saintSaintA saint is a holy person. In various religions, saints are people who are believed to have exceptional holiness.In Christian usage, "saint" refers to any believer who is "in Christ", and in whom Christ dwells, whether in heaven or in earth...
; general superior 1840–1856 - Mother Mary Cecilia BaillyMary Cecilia BaillyMother Mary Cecilia Bailly, S.P., was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana from 1856-1868, directly succeeding the congregation's foundress Saint Mother Theodore Guerin...
, 1856–1868 - Mother Anastasie BrownAnastasie BrownMother Anastasie Brown, S.P., , was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana from 1868-74. During her term, the congregation had financial difficulties stemming from the Panic of 1873...
, 1868–1874 - Mother Mary Ephrem GlennMary Ephrem GlennMother Mary Ephrem Glenn, S.P. , was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana from 1874-83...
, 1874–1883 - Mother Euphrasie HinkleEuphrasie HinkleMother Euphrasie Hinkle, S.P. was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, from 1883-1889. She was a convert from Methodism. During her term, she established missions of the Sisters of Providence in Chicago, Illinois and Chelsea, Massachusetts...
, 1883–1889 - Mother Mary Cleophas FoleyMary Cleophas FoleyMother Mary Cleophas Foley, S.P., was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana from 1890-1926...
, superior general 1890–1926, inaugurated Saint Mary-of-the-Woods CollegeSaint Mary-of-the-Woods CollegeSaint 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 began the Sisters of Providence mission in ChinaChinaChinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture... - Mother Mary Raphael SlatteryMary Raphael SlatteryMother Mary Raphael Slattery, S.P., was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, from 1926-1938. During her term, her business sense helped the congregation through the Great Depression...
, 1926–1938 - Mother Mary Bernard LaughlinMary Bernard LaughlinMother Mary Bernard Laughlin, S.P., was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, from 1938-1948...
, 1938–1948 - Mother Marie Helene FraneyMarie Helene FraneyMother Marie Helene Franey, S.P., was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana from 1948-1953. In 1952, she was appointed by the Sacred Congregation of Religious in Rome to serve on an International Commission of 40 superior generals...
, 1948–1953 - Mother Gertrude Clare OwensGertrude Clare OwensMother Gertrude Clare Owens, S.P., was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, from 1954 - 1960. During her term, she established a sister-formation program to help develop new postulants and novices...
, 1954–1960 - Mother Rose Angela HoranRose Angela HoranMother Rose Angela Horan, S.P., was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, from 1960-1966. During her term, she supervised the division of the Congregation into separate regions as well as provinces...
, 1960–1966 - Mother Mary Pius RegnierMary Pius RegnierMother Mary Pius Regnier, S.P., 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...
, 1966–1976 - Sister Loretta SchaferLoretta SchaferSister Loretta Schafer, S.P., was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, from 1976-1981. In 1977, she worked with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development to develop and construct the Maryvale Retirement Complex at Saint...
, 1976–1981 - Sister Anne DohertyAnne DohertySister Anne Doherty, S.P., was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana from 1981-1986. During her term, the Constitutions of the Sisters of Providence gained papal approbation...
, 1981–1986 - Sister Nancy NolanNancy NolanSister Nancy Nolan, S.P. was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, from 1986-1996. During her term, she completed renovation of the Church of the Immaculate Conception...
, 1986–1996 - Sister Diane RisDiane RisSister Diane Ris, S.P., was the Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana from 1996-2001. During her term, revised versions of the congregation's Constitutions and Complementary Document were published...
, 1996–2001 - Sister Ann Margaret O'HaraAnn Margaret O'HaraSister 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...
, 2001–2006 - Sister Denise Wilkinson, 2006–
Other sisters
- Sister Judith Birgen, professor and Fulbright lecturer (Uganda, 2008)
- Sister Cecilia Clare BocardCecilia Clare BocardSister Cecilia Clare Bocard was an American musician and composer of works for organ, piano, and chorus.Born Frances Ada Bocard in New Albany, Indiana, she began studying piano in first grade and organ in third grade. Bocard began as her parish's organist at the early age of nine...
, musician and composer for organ and piano - Sister Barbara DohertyBarbara DohertySister Barbara Doherty, S.P., is an educator and theologian. A Roman Catholic nun, she is a member of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. She was president of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Indiana from 1984-1998...
, educator and theologian, president of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods CollegeSaint Mary-of-the-Woods CollegeSaint 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...
1984–1998 - Sister Jean Kenny, footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
fan known for her annual Super BowlSuper BowlThe Super Bowl is the championship game of the National Football League , the highest level of professional American football in the United States, culminating a season that begins in the late summer of the previous calendar year. The Super Bowl uses Roman numerals to identify each game, rather...
prediction and multiple appearances on the David Letterman Show - Sister Jeanne KnoerleJeanne KnoerleSister Jeanne Knoerle, S.P., is an author, educator and theologian. A Roman Catholic Religious Sister, she is a member of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. She was president of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Indiana from 1968-1983...
, author and educator, president of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods CollegeSaint Mary-of-the-Woods CollegeSaint 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...
1968–1983 - Sister Esther Newport, painter, art educator and founder of the Catholic Art Association
- Sister Edith Pfau, painter, sculptor and art educator
- Sister Alexa Suelzer, theologian, author and educator known for Old TestamentOld TestamentThe Old Testament, of which Christians hold different views, is a Christian term for the religious writings of ancient Israel held sacred and inspired by Christians which overlaps with the 24-book canon of the Masoretic Text of Judaism...
criticism