Théodore Guérin facts for kids
Quick facts for kids SaintTheodora Guérin SP |
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| Religious, Foundress, Superior General of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Caretaker, Educator | |
| Born | Anne-Thérèse Guerin October 2, 1798 Étables-sur-Mer, France |
| Died | May 14, 1856 (aged 57) Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, United States |
| Venerated in | Catholic Church |
| Beatified | October 25, 1998, by Pope John Paul II |
| Canonized | October 15, 2006, by Pope Benedict XVI |
| Major shrine | Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guérin and Sisters of Providence Convent Cemetery, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana (where her remains are entombed) |
| Feast | October 3 |
| Patronage | State of Indiana; Roman Catholic Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana; Indianapolis |
Anne Thérèse Guérin (born October 2, 1798 – died May 14, 1856) was a French-American saint. The Vatican calls her Saint Theodora. She started a group of Catholic sisters called the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana.
Pope John Paul II declared Guérin "Blessed" on October 25, 1998. Later, Pope Benedict XVI made her a saint of the Catholic Church on October 15, 2006. Her special day, called a feast day, is October 3.
Guérin moved to Indiana from France in 1840. She became known for improving education, especially in Indiana and eastern Illinois. She started many schools, including Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. She also cared for orphans, the sick, and the poor in the Diocese of Vincennes, Indiana.
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Early Life and Her Calling
Anne-Thérèse Guérin was born on October 2, 1798, in a village called Étables-sur-Mer in Brittany, France. Her father, Laurent Guérin, was an officer in the French Navy. Her mother was Isabelle (Lefèvre) Guérin. Anne-Thérèse was born during the end of the French Revolution. This was a time when many schools and churches were closed, and priests faced danger.
Anne-Thérèse and her younger sister, Marie-Jeanne, were the only two of their four children to live to adulthood. Their mother and a relative taught them at home.
From a young age, Anne-Thérèse knew she wanted to serve God. When she was ten, she told a priest she wanted to join a religious community when she grew up.
When Guérin was fifteen, her father was robbed and killed while traveling home. Her mother, Isabelle, became very sad and depressed because she had already lost two other children. Teenaged Anne-Thérèse took on the job of caring for her mother and sister, as well as their home and garden.
Around age twenty, Guérin asked her mother if she could join a religious order. But her mother was still too sad and said no. Five years later, Isabelle saw how much Anne-Thérèse wanted to serve God. She finally let her leave home to join a convent.
Joining the Sisters
On August 18, 1823, Guérin joined the Sisters of Providence of Ruillé-sur-Loir. She was given the new religious name Sister Saint Théodore. She made her first promises on September 8, 1825, and her final promises on September 5, 1831.
Sister Saint Théodore worked as a teacher. She taught at schools in different parts of France. She also helped the sick and poor people in the area. She even received an award for her teaching. While working in France, Sister Saint Théodore became very ill, probably with smallpox. She got better, but the illness affected her stomach. For the rest of her life, she could only eat simple foods.
Journey to Indiana
In 1839, Bishop Simon William Gabriel Bruté of the Diocese of Vincennes in Indiana needed help. He sent a representative to France to find a group of sisters. He wanted them to teach, give spiritual guidance, and help the sick in his growing diocese.
Bishop Bruté died in June 1829. His successor, Bishop Célestine Guynemer de la Hailandière, asked the Sisters of Providence of Ruillé-sur-Loir to send sisters to Indiana. The leader of the sisters suggested Sister Saint Théodore for this important job. At first, Guérin wasn't sure she could do it. But after thinking and praying, she agreed. She remembered a rule from her order that said sisters should be ready to go anywhere that obedience called them.
Starting a New Order in Indiana
On July 15, 1840, Sister Saint Théodore and five other sisters left France. They sailed across the Atlantic Ocean for almost two months. It was a very difficult journey. Then they traveled by steamboat and stagecoach to reach the thick forests of Indiana.
On October 22, 1840, Guérin and her companions arrived at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. This was a small, faraway village in the wilderness. For several months, the sisters lived in a small farmhouse with a family. A few new sisters, called postulants, were already waiting for them. Guérin became the leader of this new group, the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. This new order was separate from the one in France. She became known as Mother Théodore.
Her Important Work
After moving to the United States in 1840, Mother Théodore Guérin expanded her service to God. She became the dedicated leader of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods in western Indiana. Mother Théodore and the Sisters of Providence opened many schools in Indiana and eastern Illinois. They also cared for orphans, the sick, and the poor.
Educator and Helper
In July 1841, less than a year after arriving in Indiana, Mother Théodore and her sisters opened Saint Mary's Academy for young women. This school later became Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College. Even though they had very little money, they started this important school. Guérin herself wondered if it would succeed in such a remote place.
From 1840 to 1849, Mother Théodore worked with Catholic churches to start parish schools. She personally helped set up schools in places like Jasper, Madison, Fort Wayne, and Terre Haute. She also helped start a school in Saint Francisville, Illinois.
After a trip to France to raise money, Guérin and the Sisters of Providence started six more schools in Indiana. These included schools in Evansville, North Madison, Lanesville, and Columbus. They also helped with two other schools that were given to them to run.
Besides schools, Mother Théodore and the Sisters of Providence also worked with bishops to open two orphanages in Vincennes. They also opened free pharmacies in Vincennes and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.
Leader of the Sisters
Guérin was a very good leader and manager. She was loved by the Sisters of Providence. She bought a farmhouse to be the first home for the sisters. She also oversaw the building of a new convent, which was finished in 1854. Before she died, she was planning to build a new chapel. This chapel, the Church of the Immaculate Conception (Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana), was finished in 1886.
The early years of the sisters' group were very hard. They faced fires, bad harvests, and money problems. But Guérin stayed dedicated to her work. By the time she died in May 1856, the Sisters of Providence had grown a lot. It started with six sisters and four new members. By her death, it had sixty-seven full members and many new ones.
Her Passing
Mother Théodore Guérin was often sick during her adult life. Her final illness began in March 1856. She died on May 14, 1856, at the motherhouse in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. She was fifty-seven years old.
Guérin was buried on May 15, 1856, in the Sisters of Providence Cemetery. Her grave has a special cross with a Latin message. It means: "I sleep, but my heart watches over this house which I built." In 1907, her remains were moved to the Church of the Immaculate Conception. Some of her remains are still at the first burial site.
| Saint Theodora Guérin | |
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| Venerated in | Catholic Church |
| Beatified | 25 October 1998, Vatican City by Pope John Paul II |
| Canonized | 15 October 2006, Vatican City by Pope Benedict XVI |
| Major shrine | Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guérin, near the Church of the Immaculate Conception, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana |
| Feast | 14 May (3 October for the Sisters of Providence and in Indiana) |
| Patronage | Diocese of Vincennes, Indiana |
Becoming a Saint
Steps to Sainthood
In 1907, Mother Théodore's remains were moved from the cemetery to a special room in the Church of the Immaculate Conception. At that time, Bishop Francis Silas Chatard examined her remains. He found that her brain had not fully decayed after fifty-one years. This was seen as a special sign. It led to the first step in making her a saint, called the "Cause for Canonization." Many people shared stories about their experiences with Guérin.
On October 25, 1998, Pope John Paul II declared Mother Théodore "Blessed." This happened after the first miracle linked to her was accepted. The Pope called her a "holy woman of God" who "lived a life of extraordinary love." On July 1, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI approved her as a saint. This was after a second miracle was believed to have happened because of her prayers. The ceremony to make her a saint was on October 15, 2006, in Saint Peter's Square in Vatican City. She was officially named Saint Theodora Guérin.
Miracles Linked to Guérin
The first miracle linked to Guérin happened in 1908. Sister Mary Theodosia Mug prayed at Guérin's burial place for another sick sister. Sister Mary Theodosia herself had nerve damage in her arms, breast cancer, and a tumor. The next morning, she woke up and could move her arms without pain. The lump in her stomach was gone, and the cancer never came back.
The second miracle happened in January 2001 to Phil McCord. He worked for the Sisters of Providence. He went into the Church of the Immaculate Conception and felt like he should pray to Guérin. He asked for strength for surgery and for his failing eyesight to get better. His vision was very bad, almost blind. The next morning, his vision had improved. His eye doctor confirmed he no longer needed surgery. After more treatment, his eyesight became perfect. Doctors could not explain how this happened. In 2006, Catholic leaders at the Vatican agreed it was a miracle. This helped Guérin become a saint.
Her Lasting Impact
Guérin overcame many challenges in her life. She dealt with disagreements, poor health, and tough living conditions in Indiana. She also broke barriers for women's education. She and the Sisters of Providence opened an academy for young women in 1841. This school is now Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College, the oldest Catholic women's college in the United States.
Guérin was a good leader and writer. Her journals tell us a lot about her life and work. But her biggest legacy is the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. This is the group she started in 1840, and they continue their good work today.
Sisters of Providence Congregation
More than 5,200 women have joined the Sisters of Providence since 1840. As of 2010, there are almost 400 sisters in the order. About 300 of them live and work from the motherhouse in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. Other sisters work in the United States and in Asia.
Guérin was planning a new chapel for the Sisters of Providence before she died. She did not live to see the Church of the Immaculate Conception (Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana) finished. The Sisters of Providence keep many items from Guérin's life in their archives and a museum. There is also the Shrine of Saint Mother Théodore Guérin, where her remains rest.
Honors and Remembrances
Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guérin
In October 2006, Saint Theodora Guérin's remains were moved to the main part of the Church of the Immaculate Conception. The Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guérin is located there. It was opened in October 2014. The shrine has a small chapel where Guérin's remains are in a wooden coffin. There are also rooms with old items, photos, and information about her life and the early days of the Sisters of Providence.
Schools Named After Her
Several schools are connected to Guérin and the Sisters of Providence:
- Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College in Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana
- Guerin College Preparatory High School in River Grove, Illinois
- Saint Theodore Guerin High School in Noblesville, Indiana
- Providence Cristo Rey High School in Indianapolis, Indiana
Patronage
Saint Theodora Guérin is a patron saint of:
- Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana
- Knights of Columbus of Indianapolis, Indiana
- Archdiocese of Indianapolis, Indiana
Other Tributes
- On October 10, 2006, Mitch Daniels, the governor of Indiana, announced that a part of U.S. Route 150 near Saint Mary-of-the-Woods would be called the Saint Mother Theodore Guerin Memorial Highway.
- In 2007, the Society of Indiana Pioneers honored Guérin by naming her a Hoosier Pioneer. In 2010, they named her a Pioneer Founder of Indiana.
- A statue of Guérin was placed in Mary's Garden at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C.. It was dedicated on May 10, 2008.
- In 2009, the Indiana Historical Bureau put up a historical marker for Guérin at the Sisters of Providence motherhouse.
- The Archdiocese of Indianapolis gives out the Mother Théodore Guérin Award to teachers who show her values.
See also
- Servants of God, and those declared venerable, beatified, and canonized saints
- Saint Mother Théodore Guérin sculpture
