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EnglishWhat Ministries and Service Work Do the Sisters of Providence Carry Out?
Updated
The Sisters of Providence, Mother Joseph carry out ministries across healthcare, education, food security, homelessness outreach, deaf ministry, and international service. Their work spans hospitals, clinics, colleges, food banks, and neighborhood programs in the United States and abroad. A key organizing effort is the Mission Service Opportunities program, which connects Providence St. Joseph Health caregivers with service opportunities in their own communities.
Healthcare and chaplaincy
Sisters serve in clinical and spiritual care roles within health systems. Sr. Phuong Ha Nguyen, for example, ministers as chaplain at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center in Los Angeles. The community also notes that Providence Sacred Heart Medical Center ministry celebrated 140 years of healing, reflecting a long institutional presence in Catholic healthcare.
Service to people who are poor and vulnerable
The congregation describes its purpose as engaging compassionately with people who are poor and vulnerable — those whose basic needs are not met, victims of injustice, the rejected, the marginalized, and the voiceless. Concrete expressions include:
- Homelessness outreach: Sr. Bea LaFramboise leads students through downtown Seattle for the "Sacred Encounters" ministry, providing food and other necessities to people experiencing homelessness.
- Food bank ministry: Sr. Marie-Thérèse Gnamazo ministers at the West Seattle Food Bank. Sr. Chloe Keitges participates in the "My Grocery Bag" ministry project at St. Joseph Residence in Seattle.
- Demonstration and advocacy: Sr. Charlene Hudon, Chair of the Sisters of Providence Earth Committee, participates in a roadside demonstration in Seattle.
Education and language access
- Sr. Paula Cosko has taught English as a second language for more than three decades on the faculty at North Seattle College.
- Sr. Judith Desmarais has long been involved in ministry in service of those who are deaf.
International ministries
- El Salvador: Sr. Vilma Franco ministers in the mountainous Arcatao region and helps repair a house. Sr. Marita Capili ministers to children in the Beca scholarship program.
- Vietnam: Sr. Rosa Sen Nguyen assists a girl at a Vietnamese health clinic.
- Haiti: The Sisters of Providence recognized 50 years of ministries in Haiti.
Vocation and youth formation
Sr. Marisol Avila, Vocations Director for the Sisters of Providence, speaks to formation gatherings that bring hundreds of young people together in central Washington, part of the community's work to nurture future vocations and connect with younger generations.
Mission Service Opportunities
Sr. Susanne Hartung leads the Mission Service Opportunities program, which connects Providence St. Joseph Health caregivers with service opportunities in their communities. This program extends the congregation's mission by mobilizing employees of the health system — not only sisters — into direct service.
Settings where ministries take place
| Setting | Example |
|---|---|
| Hospitals and medical centers | Chaplaincy at Providence Cedars-Sinai Tarzana Medical Center |
| Clinics | Vietnamese health clinic assistance |
| Colleges | ESL teaching at North Seattle College |
| Food banks | West Seattle Food Bank |
| Neighborhood and street programs | "Sacred Encounters" homelessness outreach in downtown Seattle |
| International communities | Arcatao, El Salvador; Haiti; Vietnam |
| Formation gatherings | Vocations events in central Washington |
How to learn more or get involved
The site's "What We Do" and "Contact" sections are the starting points for exploring ministries or asking about service opportunities. The Mission Service Opportunities program is specifically designed for Providence St. Joseph Health caregivers seeking local service connections. For those interested in religious life, the Vocations Director and formation gatherings are the relevant entry points.