Saintly Saturday - St. Theodora Guerin

Anne Therese was born in Etables, France on October 2nd, 1798. She was the oldest surviving child of Laurent and Isabelle Guerin. At the age of fifteen, tragedy fell upon the Guerin family, when Laurent, an officer in the French Navy, was murdered. Anne Therese then took responsibility of caring for her mother and younger sister. In 1823, Anne Therese left home with her mother’s blessing and entered the Sisters of Providence, and took the name Sister Saint Theodora.

In the beginning of her life as a religious, Sister Saint Theodora taught and ministered to the sick. She later grew sick herself, from which she recovered, though the illness left her with fragile health throughout the rest of her life. 

In 1840, Sister Saint Theodora, along with five other sisters, was sent to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. There she founded a motherhouse and novitiate, and served as the superior and foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Wood. She became known as Mother Theodora, and this new order was separate from the one in France. 

The sisters continued their work of opening schools and ministering to the poor, sick, and suffering. They persevered through many hardships, including crop failures, fires, and prejudices. 

Mother Theodora died on May 14th, 1856, and was canonized in 2006, being given the name Saint Theodora Guerin. Her feast day is celebrated on October 3rd.

St. Theodora Guerin, Pray for Us!