El Salvador Ministries

  • Experience Sisters of Providence Ministries in El Salvador with New Videos
    The people of Arcatao, in the mountains of El Salvador, are building a thriving parish community with an impressive catechism program, joy-filled liturgies and a nursing program helping with basic medical needs including transportation to hospitals three hours away.  … Read more
  • Reflection from an El Salvador Pilgrimage
  • Spreading the Faith
    Catechists from San Bartolomé Parish in, Arcatao, El Salvador, held their annual planning retreat this past Saturday – the Feast of the Annunciation and the anniversary of the founding of the Sisters of Providence.  Sr. Vilma Franco ministers at … Read more
  • Other Duties as Required
    When your community lacks resources, housing, transportation, health care and other basic human needs, missionaries are sometimes the only source of assistance. Sr. Vilma Franco, SP, runs a thriving ministry based in Arcatao, in the Department of Chalatenango, El … Read more
  • Light That Gives Hope
    A Poem by Salvadoran Beca Student Daniela Serrano And that moment comes, when everything changes, when we really must think about our decisions, when life seems as if it were a dark night without the moon and stars, and … Read more
  • Sister Frances Stacey, SP (1946-2023)
    Sister Frances Stacey, age 76, a Sister of Providence for 57 years, died January 13, 2023 at St. Joseph Residence, Seattle. Sister Fran was born Frances Eugenia Stacey (fondly nicknamed “Geanie” by her father) on June 27, 1946 in … Read more
  • Thank you from El Salvador!
    This summer of 2020 our sisters in the El Salvador mission made an urgent request for funds to help individuals and families devastated by the coronavirus and tropical storms in the Chalatenango mountain region and islands of the Usulutan … Read more
  • arcatoa dancers
    175th Anniversary Celebration in El Salvador with founding sisters
  • the association
    Sisters of Providence in El Salvador
    By Sisters of Providence in El Salvador “The people are teaching me.” – Sister Marita Capili“We feel community with the people.” – Sister Marcia Gatica“Greetings from my beautiful country… feeling God next to me.” – Sister Vilma Franco In … Read more
  • Mission trip in Guatemala leads Sister Vilma Franco back to El Salvador
    On August 14, Sister Vilma Franco was missioned in Seattle and then flew to El Salvador on August 26 to take up ministry in Arcatao parish in the department of Chalatenango. That mountain village where she will be a … Read more
  • El Salvador scholarship program creates active, engaged citizens
    If you are fortunate enough to receive a scholarship in the Sisters of Providence Beca program in El Salvador, no one hands you a check and says “Good luck! See you when you reapply next year.” This evolving program … Read more
  • Returning to El Salvador: Two Sisters of Providence look forward to Romero beatification
    by Jocelyn A. Sideco Global Sisters Report May 21, 2015 in Ministry See also: Living the Legacy of Martyrs Providence Sister who knew Archbishop Romero serves in Portland Days before his murder Archbishop Óscar Romero told a reporter, “You can … Read more
  • Sister Margarita Hernandez
    Providence Sister Margarita Hernandez professes perpetual vows in Seattle on July 27, 2013
    July 15, 2013 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jennifer Roseman, Director of Communications & Development (509) 474-2395 or (509) 994-5032 For photo availability, contact Jennifer Roseman Sister Margarita Araceli Hernandez Alfaro will make profession of perpetual vows of poverty, chastity … Read more
  • Sister Lily May Emert carries photo collage representing Sister Vilma's friends and family
    Sister Vilma Franco professes perpetual vows in Spokane
    If you ever want to know what the “3 Is” – international, intercultural and intergenerational – looks like in practice, Sister Vilma Franco’s perpetual vow ceremony in Spokane on October 7 was a model. Sisters of Providence and friends … Read more
  • Women religious from El Salvador and Vietnam transfer vows to Sisters of Providence
    August 7, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jennifer Roseman, Director of Communications & Development (509) 474-2395 or (509) 994-5032 For photo availability, contact Jennifer Roseman Two women religious – natives of Vietnam and El Salvador – will participate in … Read more
  • Margarita Hernandez makes first profession of vows
    June 29, 2007 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jennifer Roseman, Director of Communications & Development (509) 474-2395 or (509) 994-5032 For photo availability, contact Jennifer Roseman Margarita Hernandez, 26, a native of El Salvador, will make first profession of the … Read more
  • Novice enters community in El Salvador
    September 6, 2005 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Jennifer Roseman, Director of Communications & Development (509) 474-2395 or (509) 994-5032 For photo availability, contact Jennifer Roseman Sister Margarita Hernandes began investigating in 2001. She has joined Vilma Franco in Santiago, … Read more

Videos

The people of Arcatao, in the mountains of El Salvador, are building a thriving parish community with an impressive catechism program, joy-filled liturgies and a nursing program helping with basic medical needs including transportation to hospitals three hours away.  Sr. Vilma Franco is walking with parishioners, organizing ministries and leading liturgies.
Staying in school while facing economic challenges is a daunting task for many but the Beca (scholarship) program makes a difference in students’ lives.  Srs. Marita Capili and Marcia Gatica manage the program which requires students to maintain good grades, design and complete community service programs and attend formation classes.  The Beca program gives students the confidence to become active in their communities by helping themselves and others.
Members of San Marcos Evangelista Church organize sacramental prep and catechism classes, run a group to help young mothers and celebrate with festivals and other gatherings. They’d like a pastor for their church but first must have a place for the priest to live – so their building a house, too! The workers are the winners of the 2023 Mother Joseph Award. Read their story and watch the video examining their wonderful work.
One of the Beca program graduates was asked what the Sisters of Providence means to him. Victor participated for many years and is now an online representaive for a U.S. retailer, working from his home in El Salvador. One of his community service projects was teaching English to children in his home town.
The Providence Beca Program provides scholarship to students in El Salvador. The students undertake a community project and must maintain a good grade average. They celebrated the start of the new school year with a Mass and lunch at which Daniela Serrano, a beca Student, read her poem – Light that Gives Hope.

Images

San Bartolomé Parish in, Arcatao, El Salvador
Students and their families were transported to the celebration on high speed boats used in the bay as taxis.
Mass for Providence Beca Students at La Pirraya chapel in the Bay of Jiquilisco
Mountains surrounding the town of Aracatao where Sr. Vilma ministers in the local parish.
(l-r) Sr. Marcia Gatica, Sr. Marita Capili, Sr. Vilma Franco