ST. MARY-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind. — When Katie Spanuello Rahman recalls the campus of her alma mater St. Mary-of-the-Woods College, she paints an idyllic picture. “It was like living in a fairy-tale setting, with a marble staircase to ascend to my room” in Le Fer Residence Hall, said the 1993 alumna. “I always took great pride in the castlelike buildings and the surrounding natural beauty of the trees and the religious shrines on campus.” Providence Sister Dawn Tomaszewski, a 1974 alumna, agrees. She is now general superior of the Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods, who founded the college almost 180 years ago. “One of the things people say all the time is, ‘This (property) is a hidden jewel,’” she noted about both the campus and the sisters’ grounds. “But we don’t want it to be hidden.” Now that jewel is being held up for all to see — on a national level. Last fall, the grounds of the college and of the Sisters of Providence were listed on the National Register of Historic Places as the St. Mary-of-the-Woods National Historic District. The designation recognizes the national architectural, educational and historic contribution of the college and religious congregation, both founded in 1840. Since their founding, the Providence sisters established numerous parish schools in Indiana and Illinois, and went on to minister throughout the United States and in China, Peru and Taiwan. The district includes well-known structures such as the Church of the Immaculate Conception and Le Fer Residence Hall. It also includes sites such as the sisters’ cemetery, and objects such as an outdoor Stations of the Cross.
Pope Francis continues reform of religious life One area of church life that Pope Francis has quietly sought to reform is religious life, namely the communities of nuns, religious sisters, monks and friars, and in particular the newer ones. Francis, a member of the Society of Jesus, one of the best-known religious congregations in the world, has sought to tackle problems in recently established orders. He has also publicly acknowledged the sexual, psychological and spiritual abuse of nuns both from priests and within their congregations.
Women, men religious celebrate anniversaries With this issue, Chicago Catholic thanks the religious women and men who have devoted their lives to serving the people of God. In the following pages, we honor over 200 teachers, nurses, chaplains and parish priests who have given anywhere from 25 to 90 years in service of the Lord.
ORDINANDI 2015 - Meet the new priests The Archdiocese of Chicago was to welcome 14 new priests on May 16. They hail from Cuba, Kenya, Me...