The spiritual legacy and heritage of Saint Luigi Guanella remains an integral part of the mission of the Developmental Programs Division of Catholic Social Services.
The Communities of Don Guanella and Divine Providence (DGDP), a ministry of Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (CSS), will mark the feast of their patron, Saint Luigi Guanella (Don Guanella) with a Mass of Thanksgiving.
Most Reverend John J. McIntyre, the Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia who oversees the Secretariat for Catholic Human Services as part of his administrative and pastoral responsibilities, will be the principal celebrant and homilist.
Thursday, October 24, 2024
11:00 a.m.
Divine Providence Village Chapel
686 Old Marple Road
Springfield, PA 19064
Men and women served by The Communities of DGDP as well as their families and caregivers will be in attendance for this prayerful occasion. Supporters and benefactors of the program are also invited to participate.
In addition to Mass, the day marks The Communities of DGDP’s third annual Day of Giving. This initiative invites supporters to show their support for the 400 men and women that make up The Communities of DGDP as well as the programs mission of embracing persons with intellectual disabilities with professional and compassionate care. Those interested in supporting The Communities of DGDP and our neighbors in need can donate here.
The Communities of DGDP will also be celebrating the 40th anniversary of Divine Providence Village, its intermediate care facility for 72 women over 21 years of age with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities, dementia, and complex medical conditions.
Background Information on Saint Luigi Guanella (Don Guanella)
Saint Luigi Guanella was a 19th-century Italian priest who ministered to children with physical and intellectual disabilities. Don Guanella’s patronage stems from the historical context on which The Communities of DGDP were founded. A priest and founder of the Religious Orders of the Servants of Charity and the Daughters of Saint Mary of Providence, and the Pious Union of Saint Joseph Prayer Association, Don Guanella advocated for further acceptance of individuals with intellectual and physical disabilities as brothers and sisters and as blessings from God.
Background Information on Divine Providence Village
In the late 1940s and 1950s, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia invited Don Guanella’s religious orders — the sisters of the Daughters of Saint Mary of Providence and the priests and brothers of the Servants of Charity — to establish programs in the region. In 1948, the Daughters of Saint Mary of Providence opened a home for young women with intellectual disabilities. The program assumed the name of Divine Providence Village (DPV) when it moved to its current campus in Springfield (Delaware County) in 1984.
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Editor’s Note: The Communities of Don Guanella and Divine Providence (DGDP) are dedicated to transforming the lives of individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Dedicated staff and volunteers provide a continuum of care offering a wide range of programming options including: Community and Campus-Based Living Arrangements, Life Sharing Through Family Living, Respite Care, and Day Programs. For more information, please visit https://dgdpcommunities.org/
For more information on Catholic Social Services of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, please visit https://cssphiladelphia.org/.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
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Contact:
Katie Rogers
Media and Events Specialist for Catholic Human Services
215-587-3747 (office)