Honoring women and those who founded the Mission.
SOUTH PUGET SOUND — Women’s History Month is an opportunity to reflect on the immeasurable achievements of women throughout history. We celebrate with profound gratitude that the Sisters of Providence and the Sisters of St. Joseph of Orange — two courageous communities of women religious — founded what would become a transformative system of care.
In 1856, Mother Joseph and four Sisters of Providence established hospitals, schools and orphanages across the Northwest. Over the years, other Catholic sisters transferred sponsorship of their ministries to Providence, including the Little Company of Mary, Dominicans and Charity of Leavenworth.
In 1912, Mother Bernard Gosselin and a small group of Sisters of St. Joseph landed on the rugged shores of Eureka, California, to provide education and health care, expanding over time throughout California and Texas by establishing key partnerships. Watch this video to learn more about the Sisters’ journeys.
Sisters reflect on our heritage
Sister Mary Therese Sweeney, CSJ, shared, “The last words of the Sisters of St. Joseph mission statement are ‘doing every work of mercy of which a woman is capable.’ ’Every work’ has stretched from sheltering refugees in wartime to accompanying those who are dying to their eternal home. There is no call to courage, tenderness, self-giving, building hope or hospitality that is foreign to them in their commitment to bringing all people to union with God and one another.”
Sister Maggie Pastro, SP, “At a time when women had little voice in public life and few positions of recognized leadership, the sisters stepped into vast need with faith, intelligence and bold resolve. They built hospitals, schools, and ministries, not simply as institutions, but as living expressions of dignity, compassion and justice. Their work was an act of quiet revolution: women shaping civic life, influencing public health, stewarding resources, and leading complex organizations long before such leadership was widely recognized or available to them.”
Honoring the legacy of our founding sisters during Women’s History Month is a recognition that women have always been architects of social change. Through their work, they have strengthened communities and expanded the possibilities for generations to come.
Celebrations in South Puget Sound
Olympia
- Governor's Mansion Tour: Wednesday, March 11 – Pre-register to participate in a 30-min tour featuring women on the Washington State Supreme Court.
- Women's History Month Celebration: Thursday, March 12,1 - 2 p.m. –Join the celebration and experience a multimedia presentation by Llyn De Danaan hosted by the League of Women Voters at Shelton Timberland Library.
- Ladies of Laughter: Funny and Fabulous comedy event: Friday, March 20, 7:30 - 9 p.m.–Enjoy the comedy event at the Washington Center for Performing Arts.
- Bigelow House Museum tour: Sundays in March at 1, 2 and 3 p.m.–Tour the museum featuring information about the significance of the house in women’s history.
Tacoma
- Creative Aging: Women’s History Month with Job Carr Cabin Museum: Saturday, March 7, 10 - 11:30 a.m. – Join the event at the Tacoma Arts Museum for a fiber arts craft.
- Women's History Month with the Tacoma Public Library: All March long celebrate with the Tacoma Public Library, including a weekly Women's History Month Scavenger Hunt, Up and Atom: Binary Coding Bracelets Inspired by Margaret Hamilton, and Up and Atom: Spies, Secrets, and the Women of the American Revolution.
Other ways to learn and celebrate
- Attend an upcoming Women’s Caregiver Resource Group event:
- Oregon: Stories and Wisdom from Sisters of Providence
4 p.m.-6 p.m. PT on Friday, March 6 at Providence Portland Medical Center - Virtual: WCRG Women in Leadership Panel Discussion
2:30 p.m.-3:30 p.m. PT on Wednesday, March 11
- Share a reflection about remarkable women in history as well as how the Sisters started their ministries.
- Support women-owned businesses: Use your purchasing power to support these entrepreneurs, contributing to a more inclusive and equitable economy.
- Showcase a Women’s History Month Teams background throughout the month.
- Find helpful tips about money, investing and careers with Fidelity’s Women Talk Money events.
