May 22, 2009
Providence Museum features exhibit on ministry in Asia
The Sisters of Providence have opened a new exhibit in the Heritage Museum inside Providence Center at St. Mary-of-the-Woods.
The new exhibit commemorates the opening of the mission to Asia which occurred al-most 90 years ago. Interesting parallels exist between the mission to Asia and the foundation of the Sisters of Providence in the United States.
In 1840, St. Mother Theodore Guerin and five companions came from France to found the Sisters of Providence. In 1920, Mother Marie Gratia Luking and five companions traveled to China to establish the mission there. The reason St. Mother Theodore Guerin came to the United States was to establish Catholic schools in the Indiana wilderness, especially for women. The specific purpose of the Sisters of Providence in founding their mission in China was to establish schools for young women at Kaifeng in Honan Province. Both missions were at the request of local bishops.
St. Mother Theodore always had a desire to serve in China. She had ill health for most of her years at St. Mary-of-the-Woods, and Mother Marie Gratia also suffered significant health issues during her mission years in China.
Communist religious oppression in China forced the Sisters of Providence and other religious communities to move out of the country. The Sisters of Providence moved to Taiwan where they continue ministry at several educational facilities there.
The new exhibit in the Heritage Museum at St. Mary-of-the-Woods features a copy of the Constitutions for the mission to China, sheet music for a song entitled Keifeng written by Sis-ter Cecilia Clare Bocard (RIP), numerous photos with explanations including the wake and funeral for Mother Maria Gratia, a mission cross given to each sister who went to Asia, and other artifacts.
The Heritage Museum is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Saturday and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. It is open to the public without charge.