Tell City Deanery Mass honors St. Theodora Guérin

Benedictine Father Jeremy King, a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey, leads a multi-parish deanery choir during a June 7 Mass in honor of St. Theodora Guérin at St. Meinrad Church in St. Meinrad. (Photo by Patricia Cornwell)

By Patricia Cornwell (Special to The Criterion)

ST. MEINRAD—“Mother Theodore [Guérin] wasn’t canonized because she founded an order. She was canonized because she led a holy life,” Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein told members of Tell City Deanery parishes during a commemorative Mass on June 7 at St. Meinrad Church honoring St. Theodora.

The Mass was concelebrated by Benedictine Archabbot Justin DuVall of Saint Meinrad Archabbey and nine priests, including those who serve in the Tell City Deanery and who are monks of Saint Meinrad Archabbey.

Benedictine Father Adrian Burke, pastor of St. Meinrad Parish and dean of the Tell City Deanery, welcomed the worshippers, who came from several parishes. Benedictine Father Jeremy King of Saint Meinrad Archabbey led a combined deanery choir, and Providence Sister Regina McIntyre was the organist.

In his homily, Archbishop Buechlein said, “Canonization is confirmation of Mother Theodore’s consuming love of God. She lived a heroic spiritual life … in truly primitive times. It’s important for us to know she is our friend. It’s important to know that she prays for us. The seeds of faith planted by her in west-central Indiana and southern Illinois have flourished. Her canonization is an awesome gift.”

Mother Theodore Guérin was born Anne-Therese Guérin in 1798 in France. She entered the Sisters of Providence in 1823, and became a teacher and caregiver of the poor.

In 1840, she was sent to the fledgling state of Indiana. Despite illness and wilderness hardships, she established a boarding school—which developed into Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College—nine months later.

Over the years, she established other parochial schools, orphanages and free pharmacies throughout Indiana and eastern Illinois. She died in 1856.

On Oct. 15, 2006, Pope Benedict XVI canonized St. Theodora during a Mass celebrated at St. Peter’s Square in Rome.

The archbishop told the congregation that “our baptism calls us” to emulate our patroness.

“Let’s not take for granted what Mother Theodore did, and how much she suffered in doing it,” he said. “All of us are called to be missionaries in our own way.”

Catherine Brown, who lives across the street from St. Meinrad Church, attended the Mass in her wheelchair. Her son, Benedictine Brother Benjamin Brown, is a monk of Saint Meinrad Archabbey.

“I wouldn’t miss this Mass for anything,” she said. “I think it’s marvelous. I prayed for this [canonization] for a long time.”

Mary Beckman, a member of St. Martin of Tours Parish in Siberia, had one word for the celebration: “Wonderful!” She sings in her parish choir and was a member of the deanery choir for the St. Theodora Mass.

Another member of the choir, Teresa Ippoliti, 18, of St. Meinrad Parish, said, “I think it’s really cool [to have an Indiana saint]. I’ll pray a lot to her.”

The influence of teaching orders of nuns was praised by St. Meinrad parishioner Mary Ferguson, one of the lectors. “I was raised by the nuns,” she said, “so I appreciate Mother Theodore’s devotion. The sisters shaped my life.”

Rose Ranno, a Benedictine Oblate, has lived at St. Meinrad Archabbey for six years. She was formerly director of Oblates at Mount Vernon, N.Y.

Asked how she feels about Indiana’s own saint, Ranno replied, “That’s a large order. You can’t describe it!” †