Path to sainthood cleared for foundress of the Sisters of Providence

Sisters of Providence Web Site ^ | February 22, 2006 | David Cox

[Military family member]

Path to sainthood cleared for foundress of the Sisters of Providence

The Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., today announced that the path to sainthood in the Roman Catholic Church has been cleared for their foundress, Blessed Mother Theodore Guerin.

The Ordinary Congregation of the Cardinals in Rome on Tuesday (Feb. 21) made a positive declaration concerning a second miracle attributed to Mother Theodore's intercession. The way is now open for her canonization. Information about the Cause will now be shared with all Cardinals, archbishops, bishops and other church leaders before it is sent to Pope Benedict XVI for his approval.

Previously, committees of medical experts and theologians in Rome also gave their approval.

Canonization of Mother Theodore will make her the eighth saint who spent most of his or her ministry life in the United States. She will be the first person from Indiana to be canonized.

"This is a momentous time in our Congregation's history, but it also is a time that is to be shared with people throughout Indiana, throughout the United States and throughout the world," said Sister Ann Margaret O'Hara. "This is the highest honor the Catholic Church can bestow on a person, but it is not just for Catholics. The pending canonization is something people of all faiths can share by recognizing the way Mother Theodore lived her life."

A saint is an individual whose life and deeds are held in esteem in the Church, and who is believed to be in heaven. A cause for sainthood is considered only after lengthy investigation. A person's life is examined in full to determine if it is a life worth emulating by others, whether it was a life devoted to holiness and God's work, and if there are any heroic virtues that are evident. Personal testimonies are gathered about a candidate. The candidate's writings, teachings, heroic deeds and life practices are reviewed. Also, two miracles must be attributed to the person's intercession after his or her death.

The first miracle attributed to Mother Theodore's intercession occurred in 1908 when Sister of Providence Mary Theodosia Mug asked for healing of another sister through prayer to Mother Theodore. On the morning after her prayer at Mother Theodore's tomb, Sister Mary Theodosia, herself, actually was cured of several major health problems.

Acceptance of that miracle and all of the other information about Mother Theodore led to her beatification (made holy) in Rome in October 1998. To be considered for sainthood, a second miracle must occur after a person's beatification.

The second miracle occurred in 2000. Phil McCord, director of Facilities Management for the Sisters of Providence, was having significant pain and discomfort with his right eye after cataract surgery. The irritation was diagnosed by a specialist to be severe enough to warrant a cornea transplant. Phil was fearful of that diagnosis because of the potential loss of sight.

He visited the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods one day and, through prayer, asked for Mother Theodore's assistance in finding courage to proceed with the surgery. Before he left the church that day, he said he felt peaceful and believed he had the strength to proceed.

The next morning, he looked in the mirror and some of the inflammation was gone and his eye was feeling better. He had an appointment for what he believed was to set the date for surgery. The specialist examined him and asked him what he did to his eye.

"Nothing. I just said a prayer," Phil answered.

The doctor informed him that no transplant would be needed. All he needed was a routine laser treatment to clear out some scar tissue. Today, Phil uses reading glasses, but has nearly perfect vision.

"There was no flash of light or immediate sign. And it wasn't a very eloquent prayer," said Phil, who is a native of Anderson, Ind., and the son of a Baptist lay minister. "I am very grateful. I didn't have any idea that what happened to me would rise to the level of a miracle," Phil said.

"The rational engineer side of me still can't grasp it. The other emotions? Why should I be granted a miracle when there are others who I think are more deserving? I guess that's why they call it faith because you don't understand. I've just had to accept it. Some things are beyond understandable," Phil said.

"What I hope happens now is that people will take a look at this healing and use it as a reason to look at Mother Theodore's life, what she accomplished and what she continues to accomplish, and to look at what the sisters stand for and what they do," Phil emphasized.

"It is a great joy for us as Sisters of Providence to share the story about our beloved foundress with the world and especially with our friends and neighbors in the Wabash Valley. We hope that all people will feel welcome to visit Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, join us in celebrations that we will plan later, and to tour sacred places on our grounds." Sister Ann Margaret said.

[Military family member]

My hometown will now have its own Patron Saint!.

I believe this also makes St. Mary-of-the-Woods College the first college in the United States with a Saint as a founder.

[Military family member]

Thought you would find this interesting.

[NYer]

Thought you would find this interesting.

Absolutely! And thanks for the ping.

* * * * *

A photo from a daguerreotype of Blessed Mother Theodore Guerin.

Blessed Mother Theodore Guerin, foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Ind., has been called a visionary, a model of virtue, and a source of inspiration and hope. Hers is a story of strength and prayer; challenge and humility; sorrow and peace.

In 1998, the world came to know what Sisters of Providence have known for years. In October of that year, Pope John Paul II granted the title of “Blessed” to Mother Theodore, signifying that she is a holy woman worthy of honor and veneration. We are proud to share our beloved and honorable foundress with others.

[Military family member]

I am waiting to hear about when and where the ceromony will actually take place

[Notwithstanding]

Last I heard, the college is a hotbed of liberal nonsense.

[Military family member]

Here is the "Official" portrait.

[Notwithstanding]

She was french caucasion - the other photo made her look otherwise.

[Military family member]

The Sisters of Providence are quite into liberal issues. One of the sisters did some prison time for protesting the School of the Americas. They also lead the protests into all the executions that take place at the Terre Haute Federal Pen., beginning with Timothy McVeigh.

[Military family member]

Yes, but as we like to say here, she died a Hautean.

[NYer]

Much nicer than the daguerreotype. This picture will be converted into a tapestry and hung in front of St. Peter's. Do you plan to attend the ceremony?

[wordsofearnest]

Sister Marie Kevin Tighe (my freshman english teacher in 1967) is very involved in this process.

I had sisters from St. Mary's of the Woods for algebra, geometry, latin & biology as well. Don't remember any liberal causes back then.

[AnAmericanMother]

It's the daguerrotype process - if there's a lot of white near the face, it makes the skin look dark in contrast. She looks like she's from French peasant stock - same as the Acadians/Cajuns.

Not a bad heritage. It's those darned "intellectual" Parisians that are the problem.

[Military family member]

I would love to attend the ceromony, but getting to Rome in October or November, which is when the ceromony will probably take place, will be tough.

There is supposed to be a special mass at the same time. There is a shrine on the St. Mary-of-the-Woods campus, and in the Church of the Immaculate Conception, where she is buried.

[Military family member]

Here is more information on Bless Mother Guerin, posted on the SMWC web site: Mother Theodore came to the United States from France in 1840 to establish a Congregation of women religious in a dense forest adjacent to a remote community known as Saint Mary-of-the-Woods near Terre Haute. Primitive conditions greeted her and her five companions after a tumultuous journey of more than three months.

The newly arrived French sisters immediately began to study English. They worked to clear a parcel of land for vegetable gardens. With assistance from the bishop of Vincennes, they negotiated with the local family that gave them their first living accommodations to purchase a small cabin for their motherhouse and use the structure they were building to establish an academy for girls.

The first student at the academy arrived for enrollment July 4, 1841. The academy is now known as Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, the oldest Roman Catholic college for women in the United States.

The Cause for the Beatification and Canonization of Mother Theodore Guerin, foundress of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, was opened in 1909. This long and thorough process of declaring saints in the Roman Catholic Church is a way to make the spiritual legacy of a person known universally.

"This is one of the most historic days in the life of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College as we celebrate the approval of Blessed Mother Theodore Guerin for Canonization by the Roman Catholic Church," said SMWC President Joan Lescinski, CSJ. "Her life will serve as a continual inspiration to all members of our College community. In a special way, we extend our most heartfelt congratulations to our Sisters of Providence."

To learn more about Blessed Mother Theodore Guerin and the process that has taken place for the canonization to be approved, please visit http://www.sistersofprovidence.org.

[undirish01]

You are correct about SMW, they are very much into dissent.

While it is great that this Holy nun will be a Saint, I am sure she is rolling over in her grave over the situation there.

I had to travel up that way to help a young lady understand that the dissent she was hearing in her classrooms was not authentic Catholic teaching.

She was so shook up after hearing a "priest" tell her class he did not believe in Transubstantiation (hmm, well what exactly ARE you doing up there "Father"?), she nearly lost her faith.

The young gal transferred to Ave Maria in Michigan and finished her education there.