Seymour Deanery gathers to celebrate St. Theodora

Above, members of parishes in the Seymour Deanery kneel in prayer during an Aug. 28 Mass in honor of St. Theodora Guérin for the Seymour Deanery at Prince of Peace Church in Madison.

By Sean Gallagher

MADISON—In Prince of Peace Church, nestled in Madison along the winding, wooded shore of the Ohio River, Archbishop Daniel M. Buechlein gathered with Catholics of the Seymour Deanery and priests who serve there on Aug. 28 to celebrate a Mass in honor of St. Theodora Guérin, Indiana’s first saint.

During his homily, Archbishop Buechlein paid tribute to Mother Theodore’s continuing influence on the Church in central and southern Indiana.

“The seeds of faith and holiness planted in our missionary territory through her have flourished,” he said. “Our programs of Catholic education are a witness. Our programs of faith formation are a witness.”

St. Theodora often traveled through Madison in her journeys to and from her home at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods.

The town was also the location of one of the first schools that she founded.

According to Mike Gardner, a member of Prince of Peace Parish and a deacon candidate for the archdiocese, the ripples of Mother Theodore’s influence are still felt in Madison.

He spoke about her after the Mass at a reception held on the parish rectory’s lawn.

“Her legacy shines through, even to this day, in Madison,” Gardner said. “So much of our ministry here has to do with our schools. We have preschool all the way up through grade 12. It takes a lot of our energy and a lot of love to maintain that ministry, and so Catholic education is really important in this parish.”

The members of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods who have followed in the footsteps of St. Theodora have touched the life of the family of Prince of Peace parishioner Stephanie Bosma of Madison, who, along with her four children, brought up the offertory gifts at the Mass.

Providence Sister Mary Montgomery is Bosma’s aunt. And Providence Sister Diane Ris, a former general superior of her order, is a close family friend whom Bosma considers an aunt.

“We heard about [Mother Theodore] as long as I can remember,” Bosma said. “My aunts have told us stories. It’s really exciting for us.” †