Servants of Charity

The title "Mary, Mother of Divine Providence" is often traced to her intervention at the wedding in Cana. Christ's first public miracle was occasioned in part by the intercession of His mother. She helped through her foresight and concern to avoid an embarrassing situation for the newlywed couple. Our Lady of Providence is sometimes also identified as Queen of the Home.
Around 1580, the Italian painter Scipione Pulzone painted a work entitled "Mater Divinae Providentiae," which depicted the Blessed Mother cradling the Infant Jesus. Devotion to Mary, Mother of Divine Providence began in the first house of the Congregation of the Clerics Regular of St. Paul (Barnabites) in Rome at San Carlo ai Catinari church in 1611, when one of the Clerics, Fr. Palma traveled to Loreto to pray for assistance in finding the financial resources to complete the Church of San Carlo. Upon his return, they received the necessary assistance, and the Barnabites began to promote devotion to Our Lady of Providence.
In 1663, the Barnabites were offered a remarkable painting of the Blessed Mother holding the Infant Jesus in her arms by the artist Scipione Pulzone (ca. 1550-1598). It was placed on the altar of a chapel on the first floor of the St. Charles rectory behind the main altar. In July 1732, an exact copy of the original painting was placed in a location adjacent to the main altar of the church of San Carlo ai Catinari with the inscription above, Mother of Divine Providence. The exposition of the painting for public veneration resulted in a great increase of devotion among the faithful. Numerous graces and favors were obtained through the intercession of Mary.
In 1774, Pope Benedict XIV authorized the Confraternity of Our Lady of Providence, a lay organization created for the purpose of promoting special works of Christian charity or piety. Pope Gregory XVI elevated it to an Archconfraternity in 1839. In 1888, Pope Leo XIII ordered the solemn crowning of the "Miraculous Lady" and approved the Mass and Office of Mary, Mother of Divine Providence. St. Pius X showed his devotion to the Madonna of San Carlo ai Catinari by granting permission for theVotive Mass of Mary, Mother of Divine Providence on all Saturdays of the year. He also approved her scapular.
When Fr. Guanella was a director in 1876 in Trinita di Mondovi, there was a sanctuary 10km away that was dedicated to Mary, Mother of Divine Providence. He went there often from 1876- 1908. It is from here, he cultivated the devotion to Mother of Divine Providence in his heart. He also celebrated Holy Mass in that sanctuary on May 10, 1878.Whenever he visited Rome, he never forgot to visit the church of San Carlo ai Catinari where the original painting of Mother of Divine Providence is kept for veneration.
Fr. Mazzucchi in “The Life,The Spirit and TheWorks of Father Louis Guanella” mentions that a Confraternity of Our Lady of Providence started in the little Chapel in the House of St. Mary. He mentions,

Fr. Louis expressed the desire that there also be established a center for the enrollment of the faithful, for the spiritual benefit of the society. There he erected for veneration a statue of the Blessed Mother honored under the title of Mother of Divine Providence, after whom the sisters are called and which tells of the breadth of protection and providence assured to all the Sons and Daughters of Father Guanella, who invoke her as their mother.”

Fr. Ronald J, SdC

Provincial Superior