This month marks the anniversary of Mother Theodore’s death in 1856. The Internet is now more full than ever of stories and events surrounding this holy woman. The latest news concerns a statue that will be dedicated at the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. on May 10th. You can read the wire service accounts here.
I also want to refer back to my post from last year’s anniversary (see below) as well as a nice article written for Saint Anthony Messenger back in November of 2006, just one month after her canonization. You can no longer view that article online by former Criterion editor, John Fink by
Mother Theodore, Anne-Thérèse Guérin, Saint Theodora Guérin died on May 14, 1856 – 152 years ago. The official website of the Sister’s of Providence have the following posted. (see: SP’s Official Website)
The “Catholic Telegraph and Advocate” in Cincinnati, Ohio, published the following notice about Mother Theodore’s death. She died May 14, 1856.
“Died – At Saint Mary’s-of-the-Woods (sic), in the 58th year of her age, Wednesday, 14th inst., Sister St. Theodore, Superior General of the Sisters of Providence in Indiana.
“This woman, distinguished by her eminent virtues, governed the community of which she was the superior from its commencement, to the time of her death, a period of nearly sixteen years. Being a perfect religious herself, and endowed with mental qualities of a high order, she was peculiarly fitted to fill the duties which Providence assigned her.
“Not only her Sisters are bereaved by her death, but all those who knew her excellence and the amount of good she did, join in lamenting that she should have been removed from the sphere of her usefulness. To judge from the celestial expression of her countenance as she lay in death, there is every reason to believe that she has already taken her abode among the Saints in Heaven, enjoying the munificence of God, who rewards His servants ‘according to their works.'”
Pretty simple stuff for such a holy woman! But, perhaps that is the point…
