Published: October 15, 2006 12:34 pm            

In Rome, Indiana pilgrims gather at vigil on eve of canonization

ROME — The ceiling, walls and altar of the massive Church of the Gesu already bore spectacular religious paintings and sculptures. But the last rays of Saturday afternoon sun streaming through its windows and the vivid celebration of the life of Blessed Mother Theodore Guerin gave an overflow congregation a colorful sendoff toward an historic moment. By sunrise today, most planned to be at St. Peter’s Square inside Vatican City, watching Pope Benedict XVI canonize Guerin as a saint.

Saturday’s prayer vigil included nearly 500 people from the Wabash Valley and Indiana who made a pilgrimmage to Italy to witness the events, as well as hundreds of interested Catholics from Rome and other parts of Europe. Many of the Terre Haute-area congregants hailed from two living legacies of Guerin’s work more than 150 years ago — the Sisters of Providence at St. Mary-of-the-Woods, and St. Mary-of-the-Woods College.

Among the hundreds, in the back row of the front section, sat Phil McCord and his wife Debbie. It was the healing of McCord’s degenerating eyesight through his prayer to Guerin for her intercession that led to her approaching sainthood. It was the second of two miracles recognized by the Catholic Church that qualified her for canonization as one of just eight saints from the United States, and the first from Indiana.

As the congregants filed out of the church Saturday, Sister Estelle Scully walked toward McCord and hugged him. “I’ve been praying for this since I was in the third grade,” said Scully, one of the Sisters of Providence. “And now I’m 80.”

As Scully walked away, McCord said, “This is a joyous occasion for everybody, just watching the sisters and seeing the sisters from different parts of the country that we don’t see often and the joy on their faces at the recognition of Mother Theodore is just fantastic.”

The vigil featured music from a 60-member choir comprised of Sisters of Providence members, St. Mary-of-the-Woods College students and alumnae, and “friends of the church” from across the Terre Haute area.

Others carried colorful banners up the Church of the Gesu aisle and placed them around a painting of Guerin, who lived from 1798-1856. And some presented belongings from her final 16 years as a religious and educational pioneer in Indiana.

Among the symbolic items placed on her shrine Saturday was a linden tree sapling and water from St. Mary-of-the-Woods. When Guerin left her native France for Indiana in 1840, she brought and planted linden seeds. One grew into an impressive tree that lived until just a few years ago.

And some Wabash Valley residents read vignettes from Guerin’s life and accomplishments, as well her own writings.

Barbara Brugnaux, a judge from Terre Haute and a 1970 Woods graduate, quoted passages by Guerin on injustice.

“Her heart was moved when, in Louisiana, she witnessed the selling of slaves," Brugnaux said, before quoting her.

Guerin wrote, “This spectacle oppressed my heart. ‘Lo!’ I said to myself, ‘these Americans, so proud of their liberty, thus make game of the liberty of others.’”

Then Brugnaux recited a Guerin statement on the unequal treatment of women. “Woman in this country is only yet one-fourth of the family,” Guerin wrote. “I hope that, through the influence of religion and education, she will eventually become at least one half — the better half.”

That comment triggered applause, grins and chuckles from the crowd of listeners, fanning themselves to keep cool inside the cavernous Church of the Gesu.

For many there, it was a reunion of Terre Haute-area members and friends of the Catholic faith set in the city that is the center of their church.

That includes a group of 31 people from St. Joseph Church in Terre Haute. They’d planned the journey to Rome and Vatican City before the date of Blessed Mother Theodore’s canonization was set. A verse read at the prayer vigil from the Bible’s New Testament book of Romans fit the group from St. Joseph, said Todd Boland, who traveled to Italy with his wife Tammy and the group.

That verse began, “We know all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to God’s purpose.”

For Tammy Boland, the pilgrimmage and Blessed Mother Guerin’s sainthood are part of her introduction to the church. “I’m a new Catholic, so this is all thrilling and very, very special,” she said.

Today’s canonization should offer more of that for followers in Rome, the Wabash Valley and abroad. The pope will bestow sainthood upon Guerin, Rafael Guizar Valencia of Mexico, and Rosa Venerini and Filippo Smaldone of Italy during a ceremony that begins at 10 a.m. Rome time. Guerin’s portion of the event will involve several people with connections to the institutions she founded.

Among the Sisters of Providence, Sister Paula Damiano will read from Guerin’s writings, and Sister Donna Marie Fu of Taiwan will offer a prayer in Chinese. Three past general superiors of the Sisters of Providence — Sister Ann Margaret, Sister Diane Ris and Sister Nancy Nolan — will participate, as will Sister Denise Wilkinson, the current general superior, Sister Denise Wilkinson, as will Sister Kevin Tighe.

McCord will also participate, joining the gift procession today. He calls himself “technically a Baptist” who has visited Catholic mass quite often and is thinking of converting. He works as director of facilities for the Sisters of Providence, after spending 16 years in health care as a director of engineering at two hospitals.

On Saturday, he reminded people that in his prayer to Mother Theodore he did not seek a cure for his failing eyesight, just the strength to survive a medical operation.

“And I felt like it was answered by the time I walked out of the church,” McCord said.

Several people in the congregation Saturday sought him out for handshakes, hugs and at least one autograph request. He smiled and responded to all in a soft-spoken voice.

“Good came out of my prayers,” he said.

Mark Bennett writes for The (Terre Haute) Tribune-Star and is currently on assignment in Rome.

        

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