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Sisters of Divine Providence (CDP) were gathered at Casa Moye in Querétaro, MX, during an August weekend to receive a woman into the novitiate and to celebrate the perpetual profession of another.

María Cruz de la Cruz Botello became a novice with the congregation on August 7, 2010. At 7:30am, the Sisters gathered in the formation house for morning prayer and the reception of María Cruz into the novitiate. Sister Jane Ann Slater, superior general from San Antonio, TX, formally accepted María Cruz and all the Sisters prayed the blessing for her and her novice director, Hermana Elizabeth Carrasco. With the acceptance into the novitiate, María Cruz is now known as Hermana María Cruz.

At 10:00, the Sisters, family, and friends gathered in the chapel of the motherhouse for a Mass of Thanksgiving. Padre Mauricio, OFM, was the principal celebrant of the Mass. Hermana María Cruz’s mother, father, two brothers, and a nephew were present. The youth choir from her home parish in San Fandila led the singing. Everyone then enjoyed a lunch outside in the patio of the Sisters’ home. The congregation welcomes Hermana María Cruz and promises their prayers and support for her.

The 1:00pm Mass was celebrated at the motherhouse of the Sisters, outside under a large tent to accommodate the crowd. Hermana María Guadalupe’s mother, many brothers and sisters and their families, as well as other relatives joined the Sisters. Associates from Mexico City and Querétaro were present. Along with Sister Jane Ann from San Antonio were Sister Anita Brenek, formation director, Sister Suzanne Dancer, Sister Tiolinda Marotta, and Aileen Vilim, CDP Associate. Following the Mass, a dinner was served, provided by the Sisters and Hermana María Guadalupe’s family.

The Sisters of Divine Providence are proud to claim Hermana María Guadalupe as a perpetual member of the congregation.

Moye Retreat Center has three quilts and one afghan which will be raffled off at the twelfth annual Heritage Day event to be held on Sunday, October 10. The first prize quilt is embroidered blocks of the state flower and bird that was hand quilted by the Amish. This queen size quilt was a donation from Dr. Andy Tokoly. Watch for the pictures and tickets for sale in the Movements of Providence magazine that will be in your mail boxes soon, or the MRC newsletter due out in early September. You can also see pictures of the items to be raffled on our website.

The Congregation of Divine Providence (CDP) joyously celebrated as Sister Bernadette My-Hanh Tran professed vows as a Sister of Divine Providence on June 26, 2010. The Sisters, family and friends gathered for the celebration in the beautiful Sacred Heart Chapel at Our Lady of the Lake Convent, San Antonio, Texas. Sister Anita Brenek, Formation Director, presented Sister Bernadette My-Hanh for vows and Sister Jane Ann Slater, Superior General, accepted the vows in the name of the Congregation. Sister Bernadette My-Hanh professed to live the vows of poverty, celibacy, and obedience for one year according to the Constitution of the Sisters of Divine Providence. She then received a small wooden cross, the emblem of the Sisters of Divine Providence, from Sister Jane Ann. Father Kevin Fausz, CM, was the principal celebrant. He and Sister Rosalie Karstedt, General Councilor, witnessed the vows.

Joining the Sisters for the celebration were Sister Bernadette My-Hanh’s brother and family from Katy, Texas, and her sister and family from Beaumont, Texas. Also present were friends from Houston, Associates from San Antonio, and other Sister-friends from both San Antonio and Laredo.

Following the Mass and profession, a reception was held in the Regan Hall Community Room. The décor, featuring pastel colors, flowers, ribbons, and candles welcomed the guests. Many of the Sisters from McCullough Hall were able to join the reception to also greet Bernadette My-Hanh, welcome her into the Congregation, and give her their blessings.

My-Hanh Tran came to the Congregation from Houston, Texas, where she had been teaching in both Catholic and public schools.

Since her profession of vows, Sister Bernadette My-Hanh has begun to use her Vietnamese name, her name of baptism. She will now be known to the Sisters and others as Sister My-Hanh Tran.

Sister My-Hanh will be ministering as art teacher at Blessed Sacrament Catholic School in the archdiocese of San Antonio.

We Sisters of Divine Providence of San Antonio, Texas, belong to an organization called Women of Providence in Collaboration (WPC). This organization is composed of twelve congregations of women religious from across the US and Canada who share in the charism of Providence. The mission of the WPC is “to share and promote the evolving theology and spirituality of Providence.” Each spring, the WPC hosts a gathering for the Sisters in the ministries of vocation promotion, initial formation and our leadership liaisons to these ministries. The primary goal of this particular group within the WPC is to foster the Providence spirituality in the women entering our congregations. Read the complete story.

Moye Retreat Center is still taking reservations for retreats and conferences for 2011. Call today so your group can enjoy this sacred space in historic Castroville, Texas. Located just 30 minutes from downtown San Antonio, Moye Retreat Center takes you away from the busy city, as you drive through acres of farm and ranch land to arrive in this quiet town.

Recent News

“We are God’s Work of Art for the Life of the World” was the topic of the Life Awareness Vocation Retreat held at Our Lady of the Lake University June 4-6. Over Forty young men and women came to explore information on Priesthood and Religious Life. The Sisters of Divine Providence were well represented with five Sisters and six Young Adult Associates attending the retreat.

Some participants came from as far away as California and as close as ‘across the street’-- from Our Lady of the Lake University dorms. Over thirty Priests and Religious Sisters, Brothers and Priests came to participate in this Fourth Annual Archdiocesan vocation event.

Interested women and men had the opportunity to hear about Discernment, the stages of formation and what religious life was like. They had the chance to ask questions of men and women who recently entered formation. This was very informative as well as inspirational.

On Sunday May 9th, Bianca Esquivel and Lynette Mitterer were received as Affiliates during a simple ceremony at noon in the Regan Dining room. Affiliates are women interested in exploring religious life with the Sisters of Divine Providence. After attending Sunday Mass with the CDPs, in the simple ritual at our community meal, Bianca and Lynette took a first step in their vocational journey. They were invited to follow Jesus and “Come and See” who the CDPs are and to see who they are with the CDPs.

As they received candles signifying that Jesus is the light, love and center of religious life, they heard the Sisters and Associates voice support, companionship, community and prayers for their journey toward religious life. Both Bianca and Lynette are residents of San Antonio and are working in the city.

We ask that you keep all women discerning a call to religious life with the CDPs in your prayers.

Six pictures of CDPs currently appear in an education display at the “Women and Spirit: Catholic Sisters in America” Exhibit in the Women’s Museum on the Texas State Fairgrounds in Dallas. Sponsored by the Leadership Conference of Women Religious, this travelling exhibit celebrates the contributions U.S. women religious have made to Church and society for nearly three centuries.

Sister Rosalie Karstedt, CDP Councilor, LCWR President Sister Marlene Weisenbeck, FSPA, and Sister Charlotte Kitowski, CDP Archivist, are pictured at the event’s Texas opening this September. The exhibit remains in Dallas until December 13 and will later open at the Smithsonian Institute in Washington, D. C., and at the Statue of Liberty/Ellis Island Immigration Museum.

CDP images in the Dallas exhibit include photos of Sister Teresa Pauline Hereford, St. Anthony’s School, San Antonio, 1960s; Sister Jane Ann Slater, Providence High, San Antonio, 1960s; Unidentified CDPs, St. Joseph’s School, Isle Breville, Louisiana, founded in 1889; Sister Olga Zotz, Bethany, Oklahoma, 1960s; Sister Constance Christopher, Madonna Neighborhood Center, San Antonio, 1960s; and Sister Protasia Goertz, St. James School, Alexandria, Louisiana, 1940s.