About Church of the Immaculate Conception · Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana
The Church of the Immaculate Conception is a cathedral-scale Italian Renaissance Revival-style Catholic church built of Indiana limestone on the motherhouse grounds of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, in western Indiana, United States. Construction began in 1886 with the laying of the cornerstone under General Superior Mother Euphrasie Hinkle; the exterior was finished in 1891 and the church was consecrated on October 23, 1907. It is the fourth chapel of the Sisters of Providence since their arrival from France in 1840 and is dedicated to Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception. The church serves both as the focal point of daily worship for the Sisters of Providence and as a public Catholic parish church, with daily Mass and Communion services open to all. It is also historically significant as the original home of the shrine and tomb of Saint Mother Théodore Guérin, foundress of the Sisters of Providence (canonized 2006), whose remains rested here from 1907 until their transfer to a new shrine in 2014.
- Established
- 1886
- Patron
- Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Indianapolis
Why belong here
The Church of the Immaculate Conception welcomes everyone—Sisters of Providence, neighbors, students, and travelers alike—to daily Catholic worship in one of Indiana's most architecturally distinguished small churches. Visitors can attend Sunday Mass, weekday Mass, or a Communion service in a setting rich with sacred art: Żukotyński's murals, Bavarian stained glass, Carrara and Numidian marble, and a 1,700-pipe Casavant organ. The church is also a place of pilgrimage, with Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel in the crypt (1905), nearby Saint Anne Shell Chapel (1876), the Blessed Sacrament Chapel (1924), and the Shrine of Saint Mother Théodore Guérin—home of one of only a handful of American-born saints.
Mass times at Church of the Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
History of the Church
The present Church of the Immaculate Conception is the fourth chapel built by the Sisters of Providence at Saint Mary-of-the-Woods since their 1840 arrival from France. Saint Mother Théodore Guérin had hoped to build such a church and had begun gathering materials before her death in 1856, but the project was not realized in her lifetime. Construction of the Indiana-limestone, Italian Renaissance Revival-style church finally began in 1886 under General Superior Mother Euphrasie Hinkle, with the cornerstone laid that year. After a fire destroyed the Providence motherhouse in 1889, the half-built church survived, and architect Oscar D. Bohlen—son of original designer Diedrich A. Bohlen—completed the exterior in 1891. Sixteen more years passed before the interior was finished, and the church was consecrated on October 23, 1907, with Bishop Francis Silas Chatard of the Diocese of Indianapolis in attendance.
- First chapel: log cabin (served until 1853)
- Second chapel: room in the 1853 Providence motherhouse (served until 1863)
- Third chapel: 1863 frame chapel by Diedrich A. Bohlen, seating 300
- Fourth (present) church: cornerstone 1886, exterior 1891, consecrated October 23, 1907
Architecture & Building Materials
The church is built of Indiana limestone in the Italian Renaissance Revival style. Its interior features original pink Georgian marble columns in the composite order flanking the nave, red Numidian marble walls in the sanctuary, and a semi-dome ceiling. The marble used throughout the church was drawn from Italy, Africa, Skyros (Greece), and the United States. In 1986, on the centenary of the cornerstone, the interior was renovated to conform with the liturgical norms of the Second Vatican Council and to strengthen the floor joists; architect Melvin B. G. Meyer of Bohlen, Meyer, Gibson and Associates led the work.
- Pink Georgian marble columns (composite order)
- Red Numidian marble sanctuary walls
- Semi-dome ceiling
- Carrara marble altar, lectern and presider's chair (1986), re-cut from the original 1906 Deprato reredos
- 1986 renovation project architect: Melvin B. G. Meyer
Art, Murals & Stained Glass
Polish-born painter Tadeusz Żukotyński (Thaddeus von Zukoynski), trained at the Academy of Arts in Munich, was the principal artist of the church. His semi-dome fresco of the Immaculate Conception with the four Evangelists took him three months to complete. He also painted The Ascension in the ceiling coffer above the nave, plus The Return from Calvary and The Flight into Egypt in the east and west transepts. The stained glass windows were made by the Bavarian Art Institute of Munich, Germany; they depict events in the lives of Christ and Mary and Old Testament figures, while the upper balcony windows display scenes of angels.
- Tadeusz Żukotyński: semi-dome Immaculate Conception + four Evangelists; The Ascension (nave ceiling); The Return from Calvary; The Flight into Egypt
- Bavarian Art Institute of Munich: stained glass windows (Christ, Mary, Old Testament scenes; angels in upper balcony)
- Harry Breen of Champaign, IL: ascending Christ sculpture, installed 1991
- George Hepfinger of Chicago: general decorating and painting (1906)
The Casavant Frères Pipe Organ
In the upper balcony at the west front of the church stands a Casavant Frères pipe organ made in Canada and installed in 1953. With approximately 1,700 pipes, it is the third organ to serve the church. It was dedicated on December 8, 1953, with a brief recital by Sister of Providence organist and composer Sister Cecilia Clare Bocard, who played her own composition 'Te Deum Laudamus'. The organ was renovated in 1999. It had been preceded by a William Schuelke Church Organ Builder instrument (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) purchased in 1902.
- 1953 Casavant Frères organ, ~1,700 pipes, dedicated December 8, 1953
- Sister Cecilia Clare Bocard, SP, organist/composer, dedicatory recital
- Organ renovated in 1999
The Bell Tower and Chimes
The west front bell tower holds a set of eleven McShane Bell Foundry (Maryland) bells placed in 1910 with a combined weight of 13,150 pounds. Originally rung by hand to wake the Sisters, call them to prayer, and signal retirement, they were also played on Sundays, holy days and feast days. They continue to chime each hour and to toll for deceased Sisters of Providence. Since 2004, the bells have been activated by a Schulmerich Carillons Generation 4 Novabell DSP cast bell controller. The Sisters ring the bells each time someone is executed by capital punishment in the United States.
- 11 bells, 13,150 lbs combined, installed 1910 by McShane Bell Foundry
- Schulmerich Generation 4 Novabell DSP controller installed November 2004
Mass and Worship Schedule
All are welcome to attend Mass and Communion Services celebrated in the Church of the Immaculate Conception. The Sisters of Providence publish a regular weekly schedule along with an event calendar of special liturgical services throughout the year, including funeral Masses, solemnities and holy days that fall outside the regular pattern. For the most current schedule, call 812-535-3131.
- Sunday: 11:00 a.m. Mass
- Monday: No Mass
- Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday: 11:30 a.m. Mass
- Friday: 11:30 a.m. Communion service (no Mass)
- Saturday: No Mass
- Special liturgical services throughout the year — see event calendar
Shrine of Saint Mother Théodore Guérin
From 1907 until October 2014, the church housed the tomb of Saint Mother Théodore Guérin (1798–1856), foundress of the Sisters of Providence and one of the saints of the United States (canonized October 15, 2006). Her remains had been moved seven times since her 1856 burial; in 1907 they were placed in a special tomb in the crypt beneath the church following the miraculous cure attributed to her intercession. In October 2014, the Sisters transferred her remains in procession from the church to the new permanent Shrine of Saint Mother Theodore Guerin, ending that long journey. The shrine is now located through Providence Spirituality & Conference Center and is open daily 8 a.m.–5 p.m. (ET), with admission free and donations accepted. A Carrara marble statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary stands in an alcove of the church that once contained the saint's tomb.
- Shrine open daily 8 a.m.–5 p.m. (ET); admission free, donations accepted
- Tours and pilgrimages: [email protected] or 812-535-2946
- Entrance: main doors of Providence Spirituality & Conference Center, end of The Avenue
- Contact: [email protected], 812-535-2952
Other Places of Prayer on the Grounds
Beyond the Church of the Immaculate Conception, the Sisters of Providence grounds include several other chapels and shrines used for prayer and devotion.
- Saint Anne Shell Chapel (1876)
- Blessed Sacrament Chapel (1924)
- Our Lady of Providence Shrine (1990), Providence Center
- Our Lady of Sorrows Chapel (1905) — in the crypt beneath the Church of the Immaculate Conception
Visiting and Contact
Saint Mary-of-the-Woods is located in western Indiana. Visitors to the church and shrine enter through Providence Spirituality & Conference Center at the end of The Avenue on the motherhouse grounds. The Sisters welcome visitors of all faith traditions.
- Mailing address: 1 Sisters of Providence, Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN 47876
- Phone: 812-535-3131 / 1-800-860-1840
- Church/Mass info: 812-535-3131
- Tours of church and shrine: 812-535-2946, [email protected]
- Providence Spirituality & Conference Center: 812-535-2952, [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Mother Euphrasie Hinkle, SP1886–
General Superior under whom construction of the present limestone church began and the cornerstone was laid in 1886.
- Mother Mary Cleophas Foley, SP1902–1907
General Superior who led the interior decoration campaign; with Councilor Sister Mary Alma O'Donal (Ryan), traveled to Europe for inspiration. The church was consecrated during her tenure on October 23, 1907.
- Sister Anne Doherty, SP and Sister Nancy Nolan, SP1986
General Superiors under whose leadership the interior was renovated to conform with Vatican II liturgical norms and the floor joists were reinforced.