Providence Spirituality &
Conference Center
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana
Conference Center
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana
Providence Center, a ministry of the Sisters of Providence, is located at the heart of beautiful Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana, the home of the Sisters of Providence. The official welcoming center for visitors, Providence Center has all the information you’ll need to appreciate the beauty, history and spirituality of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.
Private Quiet Retreats
Find extended time for prayer, solitude, quiet, and peace during a silent retreat. The time throughout the week will be yours to spend in silence in any way that helps foster your sense of spirituality. Stay in one of our hermitages for privacy and silence. You will enjoy nutritious meals and may eat with others or alone. If you choose, you may meet with a spiritual director who will help you reflect on your spiritual journey.
Group Retreats
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods is the perfect setting to host your group retreat, offering a beautiful place to reflect, unwind and renew. We are located just 90 minutes west of Indianapolis and 10 minutes from the Vigo County courthouse.
Individualized Sabbatical – A Time Away
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods is an inviting, peace filled environment for a sabbatical. The lovely 1,200-acre setting, spotted with paths, benches, old trees, alpacas, an organic farm and small lakes make it an oasis of tranquility in the heart of west-central Indiana. The Woods is most especially a place where you can take time to rest, renew your spirit and reconnect in a meaningful way with the Divine. Because each person is in search of something different, you will have the benefit of one of our staff members to assist you in planning your time, be it for one month or up to nine!
Individualized Earth Sabbatical Program
The Individual Earth Sabbatical Program allows people the opportunity to deepen the call of hope and healing for all creation. This is done through an individually designed program based on the needs and aspirations of each person. The guide for the program meets weekly with each participant to evaluate his or her progress and goals. The tools for the program consist of physical labor on the farm, working with alpacas and chickens, guided readings, videos, discussion groups, spiritual direction, art integration and time away in the strawbale retreat house.
Components include:
• Creation spirituality through reading, reflection, discussion and videos.
• Gardening in the vegetable gardens, greenhouse, orchard and
Reflection Garden.
• Work with alpacas by cleaning pastures and spinning, felting and
weaving fiber.
• Let your spirit soar and celebrate the season through art
integration and walking the nature trails.
Spiritual Direction
The Sisters of Providence have certified spiritual directors available, each with experience in a variety of areas. All faiths are welcome. Spiritual direction, often referred to as spiritual companioning, is the practice of being with a person who wants to deepen a relationship with the Divine, or to learn and grow in personal spirituality. Spiritual direction develops a deeper relationship with the spiritual aspect of being human. Persons seeking direction share stories of their encounters with the Divine, or how they are experiencing spiritual issues. The director listens and asks questions to assist the individual in the process of reflection and spiritual growth. The director or guide is a listener who can be helpful as the seeker opens more fully to the action of God’s Spirit.