Sisters, Associates, friends and staff gathered from around the world to celebrate and kick-off the new governance structure for the Sisters of Providence.
The three-day celebration began with Mass at Mary, Queen of the World Cathedral in Montreal, Canada, not far from the Sisters’ motherhouse. Archbishop Christian Lépine celebrated the liturgy which included the start of a formal inquiry into a presumed miracle attributed to the intercession of Blessed Emilie Gamelin.
Ober the course of the gathering, participants enjoyed the world premiere of a play commissioned just for the celebration. In five acts focusing on episodes of the life of Blessed Emilie, Mother Bernarda and Mother Joseph, the actors traced the history of the Sisters of Providence from their founding in 1843 until present day. After each act, the audience reflected on which lessons meant the most to them today and how they would live those lessons as they continue the mission today.
The event closed with a ritual of both remembrance and sending forth.
On January 1, 2025, the governance of Mother Joseph in the Western United States, Mother Bernarda Morin in Chile and Holy Angels and Emilie Gamelin in Canada will be unified into a single Congregational governance.
The process, nicknamed Journey to Oneness, has been ongoing since approved by the General Conference in 2022.
