FOR RELEASE: July 29, 2024
GREAT FALLS, MONTANA – The University of Providence has announced the renovation, renaming and dedication of Providence Hall in an unveiling event on Thursday, August 8, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. The building will be renamed Mother Joseph Hall after Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart, Sister of Providence, in honor of the changes to the religious orders of sisterhood in the western states.
“We are excited and grateful for the opportunity to add the name Mother Joseph to our daily conversations going forward. This ensures that while gone, the legacy of Mother Joseph, and the Sisters of Providence that came after her will always be recalled”, states Fr. Oliver Doyle, President. “The structural changes planned within the congregation of the sisters challenge us to imagine new ways of continuing and deepening our personal relationships with the sisters so that we can consciously remember their contribution to our society and our university community.”
The Sisters of Providence are a community of Catholic women called to bring hope and healing to those in need. In 1856, Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart, then referred to as Sister Joseph, called upon her gifts, skills and deep faith as she led a group of four Sisters of Providence from Montreal to the Washington territory. Their directive and desire were to care for the poor and sick, to educate children, and to bring the light of Christ into the lives of all they met.
The University of Providence will celebrate the renaming and dedication of Mother Joseph Hall on Thursday, August 8, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. All are welcome to attend the liturgy of rededication and blessing which will be celebrated in front of Mother Joseph Hall and led by Fr. Oliver Doyle. The rededication and blessing will be followed by a luncheon open to the University of Providence community.
“Over the past three academic years, the University of Providence has seen the demand for on-campus housing increase”, said Dr. Joel Bluml, Vice President for Student Engagement and Athletics. “Heading into Fall 2023, 97% of all available were assigned to students. UP is expecting another increase in students living on campus during the Fall 2024 semester. The renovation of Mother Joseph Hall is a blessing. Without the additional spaces Mother Joseph Hall will provide, UP would not have had the number of spaces needed to accommodate students on campus this fall.”
Renovation of the building allows the opportunity for 50 new beds, and new features include wall transfers with Mother Joseph’s image and her last words to her sisters, “…allow me to recommend to you the care of the poor…whatever concerns the poor is always our affair.”
“As we look to the future of the University of Providence, we acknowledge, with deep gratitude our roots and our mission as we dedicate this newest residence hall to the legacy and intercession of Mother Joseph of the Sacred Heart, foundress of Providence ministries in the American Northwest,” adds A.J. Hoy, Vice President of Mission Integration.
The University of Providence will host distinguished visitors from Providence to include the Sisters of Providence, the Providence Health Mission Team and the Providence Health Sponsors Council.
The University of Providence (UP) is a private, Roman Catholic Liberal Arts University founded in 1932 by the Sisters of Providence. The University of Providence honors the Sisters’ vision today by providing a mission-driven education to those that need it the most. UP is located in Great Falls, Montana and offers both undergraduate and graduate level liberal arts programs and health programs. For more information visit www.uprovidence.edu.
