Trinity Sunday, 2026

Dear Sisters and Associates,

Happy Trinity Sunday!  As I began thinking of this letter, I hunted for an appropriate quote from one of our Founders.  I didn’t find a direct quote but did find a section where Ketteler reminds us that as God is a communion of love, so too are we called to shape our communities in love.

As we gather our hearts in celebration of Trinity Sunday, we are drawn into the profound Mystery at the very center of our faith:  the living communion of love that is God—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.  The Trinity is not a doctrine easily understood, but a relationship to be entered, encountered, a dynamic life-giving community into which we are continually invited.

When I think of the Trinity, I think of a God we encounter who is not solitary, but relational—Three in One, perfectly united in love, mutual self-giving, and communion.  This divine relationship becomes our blueprint for how we are to be.  Created in this image of the Triune God, we are made for community.  Our lives, especially as women and men of Providence, are to reflect this sacred pattern of connection, where each of us is valued, each voice is heard, and love is both given and received freely.  Isn’t that what we have been expressing in our desires and conversations during our International and National meetings—relationship building. 

Providence is that living expression of Trinitarian love.  The God who creates, redeems, and sustains us is actively at work in our world and in our lives, weaving us together in ways often unseen but deeply real.  We have been and are trusting that even in moments and times of uncertainty or change, the presence of this Triune God of Providence continues to guide us, inviting us into deeper relationship—with God, with one another, and with all of creation, as our Chapter 2022 Directional Statement reflects.  We have such a tapestry of diversity and gifts among us.

Just as Bishop Ketteler reminds us of that beautiful vision, we also hear his call that our communities are to mirror the very life of the Trinity.  We are to be living expressions of that divine communion, where love is not abstract but embodied in our care, our justice, and our fidelity to one another.  I like to think it is the pattern written right into our very DNA.  Ketteler also reminds us of God’s steadfast care in the world: ”Divine Providence gently leads us often by paths we do not know, yet always toward the good.”  (paraphrased)  This trust in Providence is part of our charism and is at the heart of our vocation.  Even when there are unknowns, we know God will show us the way and draw us ever more deeply into communion and mission.  In our patience, our listening, our willingness to remain present to one another we are reflecting this Trinity mystery in simple and profound ways. 

Trinity Sunday offers us the opportunity to renew our commitment as Providence people to this way of living.  It calls us to be tangible signs of God’s love in a world that longs for connections and hope.  As Sisters and Associates, and Amici Cordis, may our lives continue to witness to the beauty of unity in diversity and the strength that comes from walking this Holy Adventure together in faith. 

My wish for you is that the Triune God bless you abundantly—surround you with love, sustain you with hope and draw you ever more deeply into the sacred communion that is both our home and our mission. 

May all of us be a reflection of that Triune love in the world today.

With grateful love,

Sister Barbara McMullen, Congregational Leader