Journey to a Mission
Chronology Leading to the Arrival of the Sisters of Providence in Washington Territory, 1856
The story of the Sisters of Providence coming to the American West has captivated and held deep meaning for the religious community as well as its sponsored ministries. From its French-Canadian homeland to the open, frontier country of North America, this community—one of the first in the Pacific Northwest—was driven by a fervor that was outward-looking yet introspective, spiritual yet concerned with the world.
This online exhibit retraces the events leading to the emergence and arrival of the mission in the West. One hundred fifty years later the relevance of these formative events and long travels are still felt.
Christmas in Vancouver, December 25, 1856
The Bishop's Mandate, December 31, 1856