Text of Pope John Paul II's address
at beatification
(The following is Pope John Paul II’s
text delivered at the beatification ceremonies
of Mother Theodore Guérin.)
“Mother Theodore Guérin,
foundress of the Sisters of Providence
of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana,
holy woman of God, lived a life of
extraordinary love. Her love for God
totally filled her being.
From that love
came her deep caring for people in
their sufferings and in their joys. Her
love embraced even those who caused
her pain and anguish. She transformed
the hardest hearts by her inspired
words.
Mother Theodore was truly a
humble woman of God. While she possessed
all the gifts necessary for leadership
and used them brilliantly, she
was always humble and gave God
credit for all the good she did.
Her trust in her provident God was
ever present in her life. In founding the
Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, she called upon
God’s providence in all things. In her
words, “Put yourself gently into the
hands of Providence,” she recognized
that all she did was in God’s loving
care.
In the midst of trial and suffering,
she embraced her crosses with full
confidence that God would provide.
She refused God no sacrifice that he
asked of her.
Her life was a perfect blend of
humanness and holiness. She was fully
human, fully alive, yet her deep spirituality
was woven visibly through the
very fabric of her life.
This woman, Mother Theodore
Guérin, is indeed a woman for our
time. She is a model of the best of
womanhood. We present her to the
world this day as blessed. †