Saint. Mother Theodore was born as Anne-Thérèse Guérin, daughter of Laurent and Isabelle Guerin, at Etables-sur-Mer, Brittany, France. She joined the Sisters of Providence in 1823, took her finals vows in 1831 and taught in France for several years. Sr. Theodore was sent to the Vincennes, Indiana (USA) diocese in 1840 with five other sisters. There they established the Academy of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (now called Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College) on the west side of Terre Haute, Indiana. It became the first Catholic women's liberal arts college in the United States. Sr. Theodore also established Catholic schools in several other Indiana cities and one in Illinois, several of which bear her name and still operate today. She was instrumental in founding orphanages in Vincennes, Indiana (one for girls and one for boys). During her tenure as Mother, she oversaw growth and expansion to the college and the construction of the motherhouse for the Sisters of Providence. She died of natural causes and was buried in the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. She was beatified in 1998 by Pope John Paul II, and will be canonized into sainthood by Pope Benedict XVI on October, 2006.
Saint. Mother Theodore was born as Anne-Thérèse Guérin, daughter of Laurent and Isabelle Guerin, at Etables-sur-Mer, Brittany, France. She joined the Sisters of Providence in 1823, took her finals vows in 1831 and taught in France for several years. Sr. Theodore was sent to the Vincennes, Indiana (USA) diocese in 1840 with five other sisters. There they established the Academy of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (now called Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College) on the west side of Terre Haute, Indiana. It became the first Catholic women's liberal arts college in the United States. Sr. Theodore also established Catholic schools in several other Indiana cities and one in Illinois, several of which bear her name and still operate today. She was instrumental in founding orphanages in Vincennes, Indiana (one for girls and one for boys). During her tenure as Mother, she oversaw growth and expansion to the college and the construction of the motherhouse for the Sisters of Providence. She died of natural causes and was buried in the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. She was beatified in 1998 by Pope John Paul II, and will be canonized into sainthood by Pope Benedict XVI on October, 2006.
Bio by: Rick France
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