Introduction: A Moment of Shared Mission
In the 2025 Providence Associates rite of first commitment and renewal, the community gathered to witness and participate in a ceremony that is, by its nature, both intimate and expansive. The reflection offered by General Superior Sister Dawn Tomaszewski highlighted a truth that many of us feel but may not always name: this liturgy is among the most important experiences we share as a Providence Family. It is a celebration of cheerful giving, a public statement of commitment, and a reaffirmation that we are all called to embody the mission and charism of Providence in daily life.
The Core Message: Generosity as a Way of Life
The reflection invited all present to see beyond the surface, to notice the generous spirits who have already sown bountifully in countless ways. The associates-elect — mothers, daughters, aunts, friends — are celebrated not only for their roles but for concrete acts of mercy and service: hospitality to the differently abled, healing writing circles for women in jail, tutoring for Afghan refugees, fostering animals in need, and hosting meaningful community rituals like a monthly “Wild Church.” These acts of generous living reveal a charism in motion: Providence as a lived reality, not a distant ideal.
Facing Life’s Challenges with Faith and Courage
The reflection did not shy away from hardship. It spoke of cancer, difficult relationships, struggles with church institutions, and the death of spouses — experiences that could easily diminish hope. Yet the message remained: God enables generosity through enrichment in every way, preparing us for the good works to which we are called. The associates-elect’s endurance becomes a powerful witness that generosity is not naive optimism but a disciplined response to life’s realities.
A Commitment to God and to the Charism
The commitments undertaken in the liturgy are ultimately pledged to God, and are also a fidelity to the Providence charism. Nancy Schreck’s teaching is cited to remind us that the charism is a grace given for serving others and building up the community. Bernard Lee’s notion of a “historical burst of energy” aptly describes how this covenanted moment can ignite sustained action. The message is clear: this is not a minor affiliation but a vocation that places associates alongside the Sisters of Providence in service to God and to the world’s needs.
Community as the Body of Christ
Associates stand ready to deepen belonging and support one another’s efforts to embody Providence. The liturgy emphasizes interdependence: the mission requires us, and we require one another. In this light, the rite becomes a channel through which the energy of the Spirit moves, inviting each person to contribute gifts that build up the Body of Christ in tangible ways.
The Gospel Call: Love One Another
The sermon grounds the commitments in Jesus’ teaching at the Last Supper: a new commandment to love one another as Jesus has loved us. This is not optional; it is a mandate that demands practice, courage, and perseverance. The reflection connects this imperative to contemporary calls for justice and mercy, including the exhortations of Pope Francis and Pope Leo XIII on loving the poor and caring for creation. The invitation is to translate affection into action — to make love a public, naming, and sustaining force in daily life.
Looking Ahead: Laying a Path of Providence for the Year
As the associates move forward, the reflection asks us to express love for the poor through acts of advocacy, quiet presence, and steady commitment to social structures that honor dignity. The renewal of commitments is thus both a personal and communal renewal — a renewal that invites every member to “sow seeds of hope” and to carry the energy of Providence into a world hungry for mercy and justice.
Conclusion: A Community United by Generosity
Together — sisters and associates, hand in hand, voice and action aligned — we affirm a shared vocation: to love, to heal, and to work for a more just and compassionate world. The 2025 rite of first commitment and renewal becomes not merely a ceremony but a living promise: to embrace the charism of Providence and to live in cheerful giving with joy, courage, and fidelity.
