Mother Theodore Guerin, foundress of the Sisters of Providence of Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, IN, has been called a visionary, a model of virtue, and a source of inspiration and hope. Hers is a story of strength and prayer; challenge and humility; sorrow and peace. On October 15, 2006, Mother Theodore Guerin was recognized as a saint by Pope Benedict XVI in a canonization ceremony at St. Peter's Square in Rome.In October 1998, Pope John Paul II granted the title of "Blessed" to Mother Theodore, signifying that she is a holy woman worthy of honor and veneration.

With the canonization of St. Mother Theodore Guerin, seven sainthood causes from the U.S. have been successfully completed. The others are: The Jesuit North American martyrs (missionaries in the 17th century); St. Katharine Drexel (1858-1955); St. Frances Xavier Cabrini (1850-1917); St. Elizabeth Ann Seton (1774-1821); St. John Nepomucene Neumann (1811-1860); and

St. Rose Philippine Duchesne (1769-1852).

On October 26, 2006, President George W. Bush signed the Secure Fence Act. In a letter dated October 10, Bishop William S. Skylstad, president of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, had urged President Bush to veto the Act.

The bill was passed by Congress prior to the waning days of the session before the October campaign break for midterm elections. This bill “could lead to deaths of migrants attempting to enter the United States and increases in smuggling-related violence along our border,” stated Bishop Skylstad.

Bishop Skylstad said the 700-mile fence authorized in the bill also “would send the wrong signal to our peaceful neighbor to the south, Mexico, as well as to the international community.” The letter said the fence also will not solve the problem of illegal immigration.

Bishop Skylstad cited a Government Accountability Office report showing that the number of deaths of those crossing the border has doubled since 1995, when the U.S. government launched enforcement campaigns at official ports of entry and points where people have traditionally entered the country illegally.

“The erection of a border fence would force migrants, desperate to find employment to support their families, to seek alternative and more dangerous ways to enter the country, contributing to an increase in deaths,” the letter stated. It also would drive people who feel they need to cross into the United States to seek help from smugglers, some of whom would exploit them and place them in dangerous situations.

Bishop Skylstad also pointed out that nearly half of all the illegal immigrants in the United States arrive legally and overstay the terms of their visas.

The Catholic Church “is a universal organization” that witnesses the conditions in countries such as Mexico that lead people to choose to immigrate illegally, Bishop Skylstad said, and as such believes a fence will not deter people who are desperate to escape poverty.