World Day for Cultural Diversity – Providence Family
UNESCO defines cultural diversity as the “manifold ways in which the cultures of groups and societies find expression. ”
Pope Francis has insisted on the importance of this diversity in the life of the Church: ” Our differences are not a detriment or a danger; they are a source of richness. As when an artist is about to make a mosaic: it is better to have tiles of many colors available, rather than just a few!”[1]
Since the beginning, the Sisters of Providence have been an example of cultural diversity. After all, two of the Great Women of Providence, Mother Bernarda and Mother Joseph, accepted the task of traveling to other lands to share the Mission and Charism with other peoples and cultures. Following the call of our founding mother, Blessed Emilie Gamelin, nineteen nationalities are currently represented in our congregation: Argentinean, Cameroonian, Central African, Chilean, Chinese, Canadian, Colombian, Egyptian, German, Filipino, Haitian, Irish, Italian, Polish, Portuguese, Salvadoran, Ukrainian, Vietnamese, and U.S.
Such is the colorful mosaic that we are, those are the tiles we are made of.
May Provident God guide the Sisters’ journey to “unity while respecting diversity.”[2]