Divine Providence Village (DPV), part of The Communities of Don Guanella and Divine Providence (DGDP) and the Intellectual Disabilities Division of Catholic Social Services, recently marked its 40th anniversary with a Mass of Thanksgiving. DPV was joined by Most Reverend Timothy C. Senior, Bishop of Harrisburg and a former Auxiliary Bishop of Philadelphia. Bishop Senior served as the principal celebrant and homilist.
While serving as a priest of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, and prior to his ordination to the episcopacy, then-Monsignor Senior served as Deputy Secretary and later Secretary for Catholic Human Services. As Secretary, he oversaw the charitable works of mercy enacted by the Church of Philadelphia. Those ministries serve the needs of the most vulnerable and at-risk people of the region each day. During his time as Deputy Secretary, then-Monsignor Senior began residing at DPV where he served as chaplain from 1995 to 2010.
A DPV resident poses with Fran Swiacki, Director of CSS’ Developmental Programs Division, and Bishop Timothy Senior, Bishop of Harrisburg.
Men and women served by The Communities of DGDP as well as their families and caregivers were in attendance for this prayerful occasion.
“Our 40th celebration brought feelings of joy and sorrow. It was wonderful to see so many happy faces both old and new. It was sad thinking of all of our residents that have gone home to God,” said Sister Mary Veasy, SSJ, Pastoral Associate for DPV. “We thank the Daughters of St. Mary of Providence for opening Divine Providence Village and Bishop Senior for his faithful presence to us throughout the years.”
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.
In the late 1940s, the Archdiocese of Philadelphia invited members of the religious orders that Don Guanella founded— 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.
Today, DPV provides intermediate care for 72 women over 21 years of age with intellectual, developmental, and physical disabilities, dementia, and complex medical conditions. Dedicated staff work within an interdisciplinary team of professionals to provide support, supervision, and integration of all aspects of the individual’s care plan.
The Communities of Don Guanella and Divine Providence are dedicated to transforming the lives of individuals with intellectual and physical 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/.
