Our Provident God called Emilie Gamelin to be the foundress of the Sisters of Providence. This year, we joyfully and gratefully celebrate the 175th anniversary of their congregation.
This year 2018 has a profound significance for the Sisters of Providence, since their congregation is celebrating the 175th anniversary of its foundation. With a unified sense of gratitude and of celebration for the blessings received during the 175 years since the founding of the Congregation by Blessed Emilie Gamelin and Bishop Ignace Bourget, the sisters enter into this time when Providence is inspiring them to journey into the future with great hope as they continue to reach out to those in need.
The logo for the 175 years places the number 175 above the unifying Providence symbol with the Resurrection cross and the “P” in three colors: green – a sign of hope for the emerging future of the congregation, blue- its history, heritage and trust in Providence, and red– the sign of the Holy Spirit and of the sisters’ passion for the mission. Extending from the symbol are ribbons of blessings that have been and are yet to be received and given through the life and ministries of the Sisters of Providence, Providence Associates, collaborators and all who are associated with the Providence family. Together, they share in all the blessings and move into the future as ONE in Providence.
It was with joy and gladness that the Sisters of Providence opened the commemorations of their 175th anniversary. On March 24, 2018, the four provinces of the Congregation began, each of them in their corresponding countries or regions, the anniversary celebrations and activities that will end on March 29, 2019.
The General Leadership Team participated in the opening celebration organized by Émilie-Gamelin Province and held at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Providence in Montreal. More than 250 people, including Sisters of Providence, Providence Associates and collaborators, gathered in the Providence Room to participate in this beautiful ceremony, which was broadcast live on Facebook (click on the following link to see the video: https://www.facebook.com/Providenceintl1843/.) To date, nearly 500 people from different countries have watched these video images which depict the unity and the spirit of thanksgiving for these years of blessings.
On their web site, the Sisters of Providence provide the public with three sections related to the 175th anniversary. The first is entitled “Providence Voices” and offers a weekly reflection about the Sunday Gospel, from a Sister of Providence http://providenceintl.org/en/2018/03/22/providence-spirituality/
The other two sections are historical flashes and news of the 175th anniversary-related events: http://providenceintl.org/
