Tours to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods have increased since the canonization of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin.

Visitors are invited to enjoy the beauty of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, where the life of Saint Mother Theodore, foundress of the Sisters of Providence, and the examples she set continue to be an encouragement to all ages and all faith traditions. Visitors were drawn to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods even more in 2006, which was highlighted by the Oct. 15 canonization of Saint Mother Theodore.

Options

Group Tours, with or without lunch, can be arranged for school children, senior citizens, parish and church groups, clubs, etc. Walking tours of the grounds and buildings highlight the historical importance of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. There is a nominal fee for guided tours.

Please note: When booking large groups of 20 or more people, please book the tour four to six weeks in advance of your arrival date. To book a large group tour, contact Tina Soules, Providence Center administrative assistant, at 812-535-2952 or provctr@spsmw.org.

General Tour: Includes indoor and outdoor tour of the beautiful Italian Renaissance-style church, The Church of the Immaculate Conception; Heritage Museum; National Shrine of Our Lady of Providence; National Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin; the 162-year-old St. Anne Shell Chapel; historical places associated with Mother Theodore’s early mission; the alpaca herd; horses; power and water plants; woods and grounds, etc. (approximately 2 hours)

Ecological Tour: White Violet Center for Eco-Justice, a ministry of the Sisters of Providence, exists to foster a way of living that respects the interconnection and interdependence of all life. Programs of environmental education, spirituality, organic/biodynamic agriculture, alpaca and fiber projects and sustainable living are central to that mission. Tour guests will visit organic/biodynamic gardens, heirloom orchards and the award-winning alpaca herd. (3 hours)

Architectural Tour: The major emphasis of this tour is the beautiful Italian Renaissance architecture, unique in the Indiana woods. There are individual buildings in other styles on the grounds such as Federation, Queen Anne revival, neo-Gothic with a touch of Palladian to connect with the Renaissance majority. (1 hour)

Find out more about pilgrimages.