Road to Providence

Canonization Mass Saint Mary-of-the-Woods
Picture taken
October 15, 2006

It was our privilege to attend the canonization Mass at "The Woods" the same day as Mass was celebrated in Rome. It was exhilarating and exciting. As an alumnus of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College there was also a certain amount of pride.

Mother Theodore Guerin

Born October 2, 1789, in France, Anne Therese Guerin joined the Sisters of Providence of Ruille-sur-Loire at age 25, making her vows as Sr. Theodore in 1825.

Initially, she taught, but later she studied pharmacy and medicine. Then, in the late 1830's, the new bishop of Vincennes, Indiana (which included all of Indiana and a third of Illinois), began recruiting Catholic sister from his native France to serve in his diocese.

When her mother superior asked Sr. Theodore to volunteer for this mission, the nun initially declined, citing health problems. but, after much prayer, and although her training and gifts lay in other areas, she finally said yes.

On October 22, 1840, she and five other sisters arrived at a log farmhouse in a settlement named Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. They soon opened an academy for girls which became Saint Mary-of -the Woods College.

Sr. Theodore founded the congregation of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods in the United States. But her time in the United States was not easy. The territory was considered the American Frontier, and she also faced much anti-Catholic sentiment. Her efforts to begin the new congregation were opposed by the local bishop who wanted to control her congregation and the deed to the land the sisters owned. At one point, he excommunicated St. Theodore--which her bishop in France reversed.

Mother Theodore Guerin died May 14, 1856.
On October 15, 2006, she became the eighth canonized saint from the United States.

The Little White Book

~~~~~

Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College is a wonderful institution of learning. It offers a variety of options for a degree including the WED (Women's External Degree) program. I was my honor to have graduated in 1994. It is a glorious campus and a remarkable place to learn.

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Praying with St. Paul...

As the Year of St. Paul is winding down I would like to share this reflection with you about Mother Teresa of Calcutta. It is a lesson in perseverance, courage and strength.

Be My Light
by Father James Martin, S.J.

"God who said, 'Let light shine out of darkness" has shone in our
hearts to bring to light the knowledge of the glory of God on
the face of [Jesus] Christ."
(2 Cor 4:6)

The title of Mother Teresa's posthumous collection of letters is Come Be My Light. Yet ironically, her letters speak more about darkness than light. For the last fifty years of her life, the woman now called Blessed Teresa of Calcutta suffered from an intense sense of spiritual darkness. Her prayer seemed empty, futile, fruitless. God seemed absent. This "dark night" was all the more striking given the mystical experiences that she had enjoyed earlier in life. In 1946, she literally heard the voice of Jesus asking her to leave the Sisters of Loreto to found a new religious order, the Missionaries of Charity.

What was Mother Teresa's response to this long interior darkness? Fidelity, she maintained the commitment she made to God, who had asked her to "be my light" among the poor. In time, Mother Teresa realized that the darkness was one way of experiencing the abandonment that Christ faced on the cross, and that the poor face daily. And the Albanian-born nun recognized that the very longing for God is a sign of God's presence.

Many of us, when confronted with the darkness of life--spiritual, emotional, professional, or otherwise--mistakenly believe that it is punishment from God. Sometimes we even use it as an excuse not to do the hard work of the Christian life--being compassionate, loving, and merciful. Mother Teresa's arduous but ultimately joyful life shows us that following Christ depends not simply on our emotional experiences, important as they are, but on our fidelity, our trust in God's will, and our ability to surrender to the future that God has in store for us. And then, in the midst of the darkness, we are able to be God's light.

Loving God, sometimes the way is so dark and it is so hard to find you. Please help me to trust in you even when you don't seem present. And help me to see your presence in my life soon.

~~~~~

And so it is that I too must be faithful, even when I don't experience joy and satisfaction in prayer. For me it is not a matter that God is not listening. I find myself making the excuse that the prayer is too frivilous. Not so. I'm not being punished. I'm not abandoned. I must tell myself often that I am resting on the Father's lap while I am being taught the art of persevence, compassion, and love. Though I may fail at every turn, when the answer does come it will come with grace in abundance from the hands of a generous Father. I often ask myself. Why should I be less privileged to suffer, than the one who saved me, the only begotten Son of God, Jesus Christ? Indeed, if he could suffer death for me, why not I for him. In many ways we are spoiled by the Father and don't even acknowledge it.

~~~^j^~~~

For the opportunity to participate
in the life of the Savior,
Thanks be to God!

Praise God!

It's Monday again and another reason to Praise God. Wishing all who stop in today the very best for this day and the entire week.

Let us begin! Praise God for:

~1 Mother's Day

~2 Brisk winds and cloudy skies, that cause us to be grateful for the sunshine

~3 Family gatherings, laughter and cheer

~4 Opportunities to serve others

~5 Children's hugs.

~6 The opportunity share in the life of a small child.

If you have reason to praise God, join us at Jennifer's house, My Chocolate Heart to add to the joy, wonder and glory of God.

~~~~~

It was our intention to go to Ainsley and Lindsey's soccer games this weekend, but as luck would have it the fields were too muddy from the recent rains so we didn't get to see them play. We did get a fashion show. We got see Eric and Marianne's adventure in remodeling in preparation for the arrival of wee one. Will be a very nice place to rest and relax. God truly is GOOD!

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Bad Haiku Friday

art work by
Mary Engelbreit



Laughing out loud is
More fun when you have someone
Someone to laugh with

~~~^j^~~~

Thanks be to God!

Felt I had to be poetic! Ever felt that way? Not much skill here yet...I'll keep trying.

What do you think?

Strawberry and Milk
Originally uploaded by Nate Flickinger

"He went into all the region around the Jordan, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins." ~Luke 3:3~





A Priest once told me that, in his experience, people have felt more guilt for violating their diets than they have in committing sins.

Hmm.

~~~

Forgiving God, I admit my wrongdoing before you, hopeful for your mercy.

by Amy Welborn
A Catholic Woman's Book of Days

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I think I, too, might fall into that category...Falling prey to how I look on the outside is more important than the way my soul looks on the inside. Vanity!!! However, how I behave on the outside mirrors my soul on the inside. That should be cause to pause.

~~^j^~~

Thanks be to God

Today is our NATIONAL DAY OF PRAYER. Please take time to participate! God is Good! Give Him a few minutes of your time.


Picture by Nate Flickenger