Today is celebrated as the memorial to Blessed Mother Theodore Guérin. Of course she will soon be known as Saint Mother Theodore. She was born on October 2, 1798. At the invitation of Bishop Hailandiere she and five other sisters came to Indiana. The journey was difficult and so was life on the Indiana frontier. The sisters met all kinds of obstacles; weather, fire, predjudice as well as opposition from their own bishop, Celestine de la Hailandiere, who sought to have complete control over the sisters. This confrontation with the bishop was a concern of theose promoting the cause because it was feared that Rome would never canonize a religious who stood up to authority in the way that Mother Theodore did.
So much has been written and there will be even more as the canonization nears. Some of the best things that have been said came from the future saint herself. She said: “Have confidence in the Providence that so far has never failed us. The way is not yet clear. Grope along slowly. Do not press matters; be patient, be trustful”. I think these words also describe the road to Sainthood for Mother Theodore as well.
During her beatification ceremony in 1998, Pope John Paul said that Mother Theodore “…continues to teach Christians to abandon themselves to the providence of our heavenly Father and to be totally committed to doing what pleases Him. The life of Mother Theodore is a testimony that everything is possible with God and for God”.
