A dictionary definition of the word providence is “care or preparation in advance.” We experience God’s Providence by His loving care for us as we endeavor to love and serve Him throughout our lives.
If we are people of faith, we believe that God will bring good out of any present difficulty, whatever it may be. And our experience leads us to continue to love Him and to trust in Him in whatever difficult situation we may find ourselves.
It is not surprising then, that among the many religious Institutes in the Church, one at least is named after the Providence of God. The Congregation of the Sisters of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods founded in Indiana to honor Divine Providence and further God’s loving plans by devoting itself to works of love, mercy and justice in service to God’s people. Certainly, over the years, this purpose has been fulfilled by those Sisters of Providence who have lived and ministered in the Diocese of Corpus Christi.
In the 1940s, the pastor of St. John Nepomucene Parish in Robstown was Father George Scecina. He had grown up in Indiana and been taught by the Sisters of Providence. Seeing a need for Catholic education in his Texas parish, he invited the sisters to come minister there and so to begin to bring Christ to others in this very southern state.
In January 1946, four Sisters of Providence arrived in Robstown where they immediately opened a school, beginning with an enrollment of 82 students in grades 1–6. The four pioneer sisters were Sisters Loretta Clare Gehring, Helene Marie Kelly, Ann Kathleen Brawley and Mary Ethel Ringe.
Within five years, their impressive success in bringing Christ to others through education was obvious because, by 1951, the increase in student numbers necessitated additions being made to both classrooms and convent. In the same year, there was also sufficient appreciation of the ministry of the sisters to lead to the establishment of a four-year high school in which they taught.
Twelve years later, the “KC hall” belonging to the Knights of Columbus and located about a mile away from their base, was donated to them at a time when renovations were needed to accommodate the increased number of students and faculty in the high school. The gift was much appreciated and was seen as an enormous help in regard to renovations.
The sisters were very aware of students who were not benefitting from education in the faith because they were not attending Catholic schools. For a number of years, therefore, in addition to teaching in the schools during the week, the sisters went out to missions in Clarkwood and Violet each Saturday morning to teach religion in order to prepare children who were attending public schools for the reception of the sacraments.
By 1955, as many as nine sisters lived in the convent and ministered in St. John’s School and other part-time ministries. In addition, two sisters taught for some years at the College Academy on Up River Road, commuting daily to those classes.
In 1970, sadly, but in line with the financial and personnel developments of the times, the high school had to be closed. The sisters and staff could, however, look at and be grateful for its accomplishments for, during the 20 years of its ministry, approximately 320 young men and women had graduated from the Catholic high school.
Over the years, a total of 63 Sisters of Providence served in St. John’s School during the 40 years the school was open. Father Jerry Zurovetz and Sister Maureen Abbot are former students who attended St. John School at some time during its years of operation.
Sixteen years later, in 1986, the grade school also was closed and, at the end of the academic year, the three Sisters of Providence who had remained in Robstown moved back to their Motherhouse.
This, however, was not the end of the ministry of the Sisters of Providence in the Diocese of Corpus Christi. Subsequently, other Sisters of Providence came to minister here, in such diverse ministries as the Office of Worship, the Marriage Tribunal, the Pastoral Institute, the Religious Education Office and at Archbishop Oscar Romero Junior High School.
After 65 years of ministry in the diocese, the Sisters of Providence continue to have a presence here in the person of Sister Barbara Bluntzer, a native of St. John Parish, who is presently ministering in St. Pius X Parish in Corpus Christi. May the Lord reward Sister Barbara and all the Sisters of Providence for their contributions to the love and faith life of the people of the Diocese of Corpus Christi.