FEAST OF SAINT THÉODORE GUÉRIN FOUNDRESS AND SUPERIOR GENERAL – 3rd OCTOBER

FEAST OF SAINT THÉODORE GUÉRIN
FOUNDRESS AND SUPERIOR GENERAL FEAST DAY – 3rd OCTOBER

Saint Théodore (Anne Thérèse) Guerin was born on Oct. 2, 1798, in the village of Etables, France. Her devotion to God and to the Roman Catholic Church began when she was a young child. She was allowed to receive her First Communion at the age of 10 and told the parish priest that someday she would be a nun.

The child Anne-Thérèse often sought solitude along the rocky shore near her home, where she devoted hours to meditation, reflection and prayer. She was educated by her mother, Isabelle Guérin, who centered lessons on religion and Scripture, thus nurturing the child’s love of God. Anne-Thérèse’s father, Laurent, who served in Napoleon’s navy, was away from home for years at a time.

When Anne-Thérèse was 15 years old, her father was murdered by bandits as he traveled home to visit his family. The loss of her husband nearly overwhelmed Isabelle and, for many years, Anne-Thérèse bore the responsibility of caring for her mother and her young sister, as well as the family’s home and garden.

Through those years of hardship and sacrifice, indeed through all the years of her life, Mother Théodore’s faith in God neither wavered nor faltered. She knew in the depths of her soul that God was with her and always would be with her, a constant companion.

Anne-Thérèse was nearly 25 years old when she entered the Sisters of Providence of Ruillé-sur-Loir, a young community of women religious serving God by providing opportunities for education to children and by caring for the poor, sick and dying.

While teaching and caring for the sick in France, Mother Théodore, then known as Sister Theodore, was asked to lead a small missionary band of Sisters of Providence to the United States of America, to establish a motherhouse, to open schools and to share the love of God with pioneers in the Diocese of Vincennes in the State of Indiana.

Humble and prone to feelings of unworthiness, Mother Théodore could not imagine that she was suitable for such a mission. Her health was fragile. During her novitiate with the Sisters of Providence, she became very ill. Remedies cured the illness but severely damaged her digestive system; for the rest of her life she was able to consume only soft, bland foods and liquids.

Her physical condition added to her doubts about accepting the mission. Nevertheless, after hours of prayer and lengthy consultations with her superiors, she accepted the mission, fearing that if she did not, no one would venture to the wilderness to share the love of God.

Equipped with little more than her steadfast desire to serve God, Mother Théodore and her five companion Sisters of Providence arrived at the site of their mission at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, the evening of October 22, 1840, and immediately hastened along a muddy, narrow path to the tiny log cabin that served as the chapel.

There, they knelt in prayer before the Blessed Sacrament to thank God for their safe journey and to ask for God’s blessings for the new mission. Here, on this hilly, ravine-cut, densely forested land, Mother Théodore would establish a motherhouse, a school and a legacy of love, mercy and justice that continues to this day.

Throughout years of sorrow and years of peace, Mother Théodore relied upon God’s Providence and her own ingenuity and faith for counsel and guidance. She urged Sisters of Providence to “Put yourself gently into the hands of Providence.” In letters to France, she stated, “But our hope is in the Providence of God, which has protected us until the present, and which will provide, somehow, for our future needs.”

In the fall of 1840, the mission at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods consisted only of a tiny log cabin chapel that also served as lodging for a priest, and a small frame farmhouse, where Mother Théodore, the sisters from France and several postulants lived. During that first winter, harsh winds blew from the north to rattle the little farmhouse.

The sisters were often cold and frequently hungry. But they transformed a porch into a chapel and were comforted by the presence of the Blessed Sacrament in the humble motherhouse. Mother Théodore said, “With Jesus, what shall we have to fear?”

During the early years at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Mother Théodore encountered numerous trials: prejudice against Catholics, especially, against Catholic women religious; betrayals; misunderstandings; the separation of the Congregation in Indiana from the one in Ruillé; a devastating fire that destroyed an entire harvest leaving the sisters destitute and hungry, and frequent life-threatening illnesses.

Still she persevered, desiring only that “In all and everywhere may the will of God be done.” In correspondence to friends, Mother Théodore acknowledged the tribulations. She wrote: “If ever this poor little Community becomes settled, it will be established on the Cross; and that is what gives me confidence and makes me hope, sometimes even against hope.”

Less than a year after arriving at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Mother Théodore opened the Congregation’s first Academy and, in 1842, established schools at Jasper, Indiana, and St. Francisville, Illinois By the time of her death on May 14, 1856, Mother Théodore had opened schools in towns throughout Indiana, and the Congregation of the Sisters of Providence was strong, viable and respected.

Always, Mother Théodore attributed the growth and success of the Sisters of Providence to God and to Mary, the Mother of Jesus, to whom she dedicated the ministry at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. Mother Théodore’s holiness was evident to people who knew her, and many described her simply as “saintly”. She possessed the ability to draw out the best in people, to enable them to attain more than they thought possible.

Mother Théodore’s love was one of her great hallmarks. She loved God, God’s people, the Sisters of Providence, the Roman Catholic Church and the people she served. She did not exclude anyone from her ministries or her prayers, for she dedicated her life to helping people know God and live better lives.

Mother Théodore knew that alone she could do nothing, but that all things were possible with God. She accepted trials, trouble and occasions when she was treated unjustly as part of her life. In the midst of persecution, Mother Théodore remained true, a faithful woman of God.

Mother Théodore died sixteen years after she arrived at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. During those fleeting years, she touched a countless number of lives—and continues to do so today. The gift she gives to each succeeding generation is her life as a model of holiness, virtue, love and faith. She is Patron of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette.

– Excerpted from the Vatican Website.

CONTEMPLATING THE LIFE OF SAINT THEODORE GUÉRIN, RELIGIOUS, FOUNDRESS

THE WOMAN WHO TRUSTED PROVIDENCE IN THE WILDERNESS

St Theodore Guérin, also known as Mother Theodore or St Theodora Guérin, was a French religious sister, missionary, educator and foundress who established the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods in Indiana, United States. She devoted her life to education, service to the poor and sick, and the building of a religious community in difficult frontier conditions. Her life reflected courage, prayer, perseverance and complete trust in Divine Providence. She was canonized by Pope Benedict XVI on 15 October 2006.

THE LITTLE GIRL WHO BELONGED TO GOD

Anne-Thérèse Guérin was born on 2 October 1798 in Étables-sur-Mer, Brittany, France, to Laurent and Isabelle Guérin. Her deeply faithful mother taught her to pray, love Scripture and trust in God, while her father, a naval officer, was often away. From childhood, Anne-Thérèse felt drawn to God and desired to dedicate herself entirely to Christ.

THE DAUGHTER WHO BECAME THE MOTHER OF HER FAMILY

After her father was murdered by bandits, Anne-Thérèse remained at home to care for her grieving mother and younger sister. Although she longed for religious life, she lovingly accepted this responsibility for almost ten years. Through these years of sacrifice, she learned compassion, patience and selfless service. Before becoming a spiritual mother to a religious congregation, she first learned to serve her own family.

THE DAY HER DREAM BECAME A VOCATION

In 1823, with her mother’s blessing, Anne-Thérèse entered the Sisters of Providence of Ruillé-sur-Loir in France and received the religious name Sister Saint Theodore. She embraced prayer, community life, education and service to the sick and poor. Despite frail health and serious illnesses, she remained generous and faithful, drawing strength from prayer, the Eucharist and trust in God’s Providence.

THE MISSIONARY CALL FROM ACROSS THE OCEAN

Bishop Célestine Guynemer de la Hailandière of Vincennes, Indiana, sought religious sisters to establish schools and serve the growing Catholic community in the United States. Although her health was fragile and the mission involved leaving everything familiar, Sister Saint Theodore discerned God’s call. In 1840, she accepted the invitation and prepared to leave France for an uncertain future in America.

THE VOYAGE INTO THE UNKNOWN

On 27 July 1840, Sister Saint Theodore and five companions sailed from France. After reaching New York, they continued their difficult journey by riverboat, stagecoach and other means of transport. They arrived at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, on 22 October 1840, finding rough surroundings, limited resources and no established institution awaiting them. Yet Mother Theodore saw the wilderness not simply as an obstacle, but as the place where God had called them to begin.

BUILDING A HOME IN THE WILDERNESS

The sisters faced inadequate shelter, limited food, financial hardship and difficult living conditions. Mother Theodore became a spiritual leader, teacher, administrator and source of encouragement to her companions. In 1841, they opened an academy for girls, beginning an educational work that eventually developed into Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. Mother Theodore believed that women deserved an education that strengthened their minds, character and faith. In the wilderness, she planted seeds of education and hope.

THE MOTHER WHO SAW CHRIST IN THE POOR

Mother Theodore’s mission extended beyond education. She and her sisters cared for the sick, supported orphans and served people who lacked medical assistance. The congregation established orphanages in Vincennes and free pharmacies at Vincennes and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. For Mother Theodore, caring for the poor, sick, orphaned and vulnerable was an expression of the Gospel and a way of bringing Christ’s compassion to those in need.

THE FOUNDRESS WHO DEFENDED HER MISSION

As the congregation grew, Mother Theodore encountered difficulties concerning its governance and independence. She had to balance obedience to Church authority with responsibility for the community entrusted to her. These challenges brought misunderstanding and suffering, but she continued to pray, discern and act faithfully. Her courage enabled her to remain committed to the mission even when the path became painful and uncertain.

THE WOMAN WHO TRUSTED PROVIDENCE

For Mother Theodore, Providence was more than a word. It was a deep conviction that God remained present in every uncertainty. She did not wait passively for God’s help but worked, planned, taught, travelled and made difficult decisions while placing the outcome in God’s hands. Even amid financial difficulties, illness, opposition and uncertainty, she continued to trust that God would provide the strength needed for each day.

THE SEEDS THAT BECAME A FOREST

The small community of six French sisters gradually grew into a religious congregation. Schools were established in different towns in Indiana, and women joined the community for religious and educational service. By the time of Mother Theodore’s death, she had directed the opening of eleven schools in nine Indiana towns. She understood that the mission was not a personal achievement but a gift entrusted to them, believing that she could plant the seeds while God would bring the growth.

THE FINAL OFFERING

Mother Theodore’s health gradually weakened under the demands of missionary life, leadership and service. Even as her strength declined, she continued guiding her sisters and entrusting the future to Divine Providence. On 14 May 1856, at the age of fifty seven, she died at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. She had crossed the Atlantic with five companions, endured sickness and hardship, established a religious congregation, opened schools and served the poor. Although her earthly journey ended, the work she began continued to flourish.

THE SAINT WHO BELIEVED IN PROVIDENCE

After her death, devotion to Mother Theodore grew. Pope John Paul II declared her Venerable in 1992 and beatified her in 1998. On 15 October 2006, Pope Benedict XVI canonized her as Saint Theodora Guérin.

Her life continues to inspire educators, missionaries, religious women and all who are called to begin something without knowing how the future will unfold. Her holiness was expressed through ordinary acts of sacrifice, teaching, service, perseverance and trust.

Mother Theodore cared for her grieving family, taught children, served the poor, endured hardship and established a mission in unfamiliar surroundings because she trusted that God was guiding her. She crossed an ocean because she believed God was calling her and entered the wilderness believing that God could bring life from it. Her enduring legacy is a testimony to courage, faithful service and unwavering trust in Divine Providence.

PRAYER

Jesus, source of truth and life, who taught the world the way of salvation, grant us the help we humbly ask through your faithful servant Saint Mother Theodore Guernsey, who spent all her life to make you known and loved.

May this grace be a consolation for us and may it unite us ever more to you and to one another in life and in eternity. Amen

(With Ecclesiastical Approval)