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  Advent Letter, 2025 Dear Sisters and Associates, Advent season is upon us once again.  The words “expectation,’ “waiting,” “stay awake,” be “vigilant” and “hope” are the usual ones we associate with this season.   This is the time when we listen for God in the silence, in the dark Advent skies, and how we hear God in the cries of the poor, in the groaning of all creation, and we are awake to the needs of a wounded world. Hopefully we will enter this Advent with new eyes, open to change and ready to make connections with past and future generations.  If we are awake to the work of the Spirit these new eyes can reveal patterns of growth in our understanding, capacity for change, and real transformation. Advent is the time of waiting which calls us to a loving attentiveness to the Spirit—the same Spirit that touched Mary and gave her the courage to say “Yes” to the angel Gabriel.  Her heart was open, alert, awake to the stirrings of God within her.  In fact, Dietrich Bonhoffer called the Magnificat “the most passionate, the wildest, one might even say the most revolutionary Advent hymn ever sung.”  As we pray the Magnificat in Evening Prayer during these Advent nights, we might reflect on how Mary’s understanding of God’s plan speaks to us today.  It certainly reminds us that the Gospel is challenging and calls forth courage to live it.  If we are faithful to the “fidelity of waiting”[i] we, too, can expect God to be alive in our hearts.  Advent waiting and nourishing silence in our lives allows us to really hear God visiting us, speaking to us, revealing to us in unexpected ways the path forward.   It reminds me of the presentation by Sr. Simona Brambilla at the UISG Conference last May.  She spoke so poetically and beautifully about the moon, about the lunar light as a symbol of synodal presence finding its expression in the moon and humble stars.  In speaking about consecrated life, she said: “the sun has set, and it is the time of the moon.  The real light gives way to reflected light.  It is a time when the contours of reality are not so marked.  It is also the time when slumbering ghosts awaken within and among us, taking the form of a thousand questions, uncertainty, and fears:  Who are we?  Where are we going? What will we be like?  Where will we end up?  …Will we come to an end?”[ii]  These are the questions many religious communities are asking today, as religious life continues to evolve, to change, to awaken to new ways of being in a world desperately in need of spiritual presence and a sense of belonging. Perhaps this Advent is calling us as a Congregation of Divine Providence to “rediscover the authentic values of our consecration” as Sisters, and in our Covenant relationships as Associates.  In this season of waiting, expectation, and hope may we dream new dreams, see with new eyes, and trust that we are indeed on a holy adventure together. Happy Advent waiting! One with you in God’s loving Providence, Sister Barbara McMullen Congregational Leader [i] Dietrich Bonhoffer, Advent homily, 1933, quoted in “Daily Reflections for Advent and Christmas,” Mary DeTurris Poust, Liturgical Press, Collegeville, MN, 2025. [ii] Sister Simona Brambilla, MC.  Presentation at the UISG Plenary Conference:  “How Does Consecrated Life Represent Transformative Hope,” May 5-7, 2025, Rome, Italy.

  In response to the UISG Plenary Sessions' Final Statement and Commitment points, the Congregational Leadership Board, at its meeting, October 3, 2025 agreed upon this "Commitment Statement of the Sisters of Divine Providence" on behalf of the total Congregation:   Commitment Statement of the Sisters of Divine Providence   As Sisters of Divine Providence, an international congregation of women religious, we are called to make God’s Providence visible in our world. Rooted in trust in God’s faithful care, we commit ourselves to live at the edges of society, on the thresholds of struggle, and in the places of exclusion and hope. To follow Providence is to reject all forms of exclusion and discrimination and to be a consoling, compassionate presence with those who are rejected or silenced. These spaces of vulnerability and courage are holy ground where God’s Spirit is already at work. At the margins, we both give and receive. Through encounter, we are transformed by the wisdom, strength, and love of our sisters and brothers, discovering Providence alive in every person and community. We commit ourselves to advocacy, accompaniment, and solidarity — working for a world where no one is excluded and every person is cherished as a beloved child of Providence.    

      Global Connections                 Volume 9, Issue 4 Noh Jeok Seong Hae (露積成海): Drops of Dew Accumulate to Form a Sea Sister Rosa Eunsoon Kim   Noh Jeok Seong Hae (露積成海) This might sound a bit odd, but there are moments when I suddenly feel like I’ve aged.  One example is when a sentence I learned from a textbook or advice from my parents suddenly becomes clear to me.  A good example is Noh Jeok Seong Hae, a Korean idiom in four Chinese characters.  The concise idiomatic phrase means that tiny drops of dew, when gathered, can form a sea; that is, even small efforts, when accumulated over time, can grow into something vast.  The metaphor carries a message of hope.  This reminds me, as a religious who cherishes faithfully living each day, that even the smallest moments of my everyday life hold profound value before God, encouraging me to keep moving forward. Still in the Process of becoming a Woman of Providence Often, we affirm our identity as members of the Sisters of Divine Providence through the term ‘Women of Providence’.  Perhaps for that reason, I sometimes find myself asking where I am as a Woman of Providence.  And yet, I find myself repeating the same response—that I am still becoming a Woman of Providence.  Yes. I believe that all of us –myself included—are becoming Women of Providence through the ongoing journey of living out the Charism and Mission passed down to us by our Founders.  The journey will be fulfilled when we at last stand in God’s presence, together with the Sisters who walked this path before us. Therefore, regardless of the circumstances, our journey as Women of Providence must be lived and fulfilled through an awakened daily life, deeply rooted in the spirit of our Founders and the Charism.  I Would Still Plant an Apple Tree Today Perhaps many people are familiar with Spinoza’s words:  Even if the end of the world came tomorrow, I would plant an apple tree today.  When I first heard these words as a child, I couldn’t understand them and wondered why he would plant an apple tree if the world were ending tomorrow.  Later, I came across an explanation saying that planting the apple tree was something long planned—and that it was meant to express the idea of remaining faithful to the work entrusted to me today even if tomorrow were the end of the world.  This idea, I think, aligns with Noh Jeok Seong Hae and mirrors my belief that we are still on the path of becoming Women of Providence.  I believe that the Sisters who live each day faithfully with a positive attitude—never losing hope regardless of the circumstances— are those with patience like dew drops that can one day form a vast ocean, those who don’t succumb to the fear of an uncertain future, and who strive to live fully and faithfully in the present.  Closing As everyone well knows, we are presently experiencing challenges arising from changes at the Congregational level.  With a profound awareness of our need for God’s wisdom and grace, we find ourselves, now more than ever, offering heartfelt prayers for the future of our Congregation. I pray that we, as Women of Providence, may remain faithful in our daily lives, no matter what challenges we may face.  And I pray that, not only until God hears our prayers, but so that we, too, may become people who pray, until we can truly listen and recognize His voice.   .................................  For the full text, please refer to the attached file ....................................  

  Major Superiors meeting with Bishop Bruce Lewandowski of the Diocese of Providence, RI, was held in the hall of St. Peter and Paul Cathedral in Providence. Following a brief tour of the cathedral, an opening prayer was offered. There was a time for greetings with the newly appointed Bishop Bruce, after which the bishop gave a presentation and led a discussion on “The Pathways for the Implementation Phase of the Synod.” All attendees were also asked to introduce their respective communities. The meeting concluded with Mass and lunch.    

  “The Jubilee is a precious time for each of us as individuals and as a community to reflect on our lives. It is also a time for deep reflection and inner contemplation, a time of grace to listen to the word the Holy Spirit speaks to us today (cf. Rev 2:7).” -Pope Francis- The Church is celebrating the Jubilee Year under the theme ‘Pilgrims of Hope,’ beginning December 24, 2024, and continuing until January 5, 2026. From October 8 to 12, 2025, a Jubilee event for consecrated Life took place. Consecrated life were urged to be witnesses of hope even amid the suffering and difficulties experienced during the Jubilee, and to put hope into concrete practice through solidarity and sharing with the socially vulnerable and those who suffer.                 Opening and Closing Vigil for the Jubilee of Consecrated Life  

  The 2025 CLB Meeting has concluded. Held in anticipation of next year's Congregational Chapter, this meeting featured earnest and candid sharing and reflection on news from the German, US, and Korean Provinces, and the Peruvian mission, and various matters related to the Chapter. We pray that Provident God will guide us. We also extend our gratitude to the German Province for generously providing all conveniences for the meeting, and all the participants, the facilitator and the interpreters.

  Participants in the CLB meeting visited the tomb of Bishop Kettler, the founder, enshrined in the Mainz Cathedral. As during the visit to Mother Marie's grave, we asked Bishop Ketteler to pray for our Congregation and for us who are seeking transformation at the Congregational level. In particular, attendees had the opportunity to enter near the bishop's tomb, pray, and sing hymns together.    

  the third day of the CLB meeting, there was a visit to Mother Marie's grave in Neustadt. This site holds the graves of Mother Marie and the third General Superior of the Congregation, along with some sisters from the German Province. Originally it had operated as our orphanage in the early days of the Congregation, but the Sisters of Mercy currently carry out their apostolate here. For the German Province, the Sisters visit this site annually on August 1st, the anniversary of Mother Marie's death.    

The 2025 Congregational Leadership Board Meeting (CLB) began on September 30. On September 30 and October 1, Sister Karin Dufault, the Montreal Sisters of Providence, shared about the process the Sisters of Providence have undergone. They started as a one congregation under a new framework to restructure last January. It was followed by a question-and-answer session and a time for reflection with the participants. This time served as a valuable warm-up to address the current issues facing our congregation as we explore the possibility of becoming a one congregation. We thank Sister Karin for her sharing.  And we'd like to ask you remember the CLB meeting in your prayers.  

  The 174th anniversary Mass commemorating the foundation of the Congregation was celebrated at the Mainz Motherhouse Chapel, presided over by Bishop Peter Kohlgraf of Mainz Diocese. Attending the Mass were Sisters from the German Province, members of the Congregation's leadership team participating in the CLB meeting scheduled to begin on September 30th, Provincials and Councilors from the German, US, and Korean Provinces, the Superior of the Peru Mission, and friends of the German Province. This Mass was a time of deep prayer with our Founders, Bishop Ketteler, and Mother Marie, especially for the Congregation and ourselves, who are in a process of change considering the demands of the times and the reality of the Congregation. We ask you to pray with us for Bishop Ketteler, Mother Marie, for the sake of ourselves, and the Congregation!   The chalice used by the Bishop Ketteler