Mother Mary Lange's Spirituality
By Sister Virginie Fish, OSP

Mother Mary Lange, lived a life of total dedication and generosity to God and God’s people.  All that she did was summed up in her own words: “Our sole wish is to do the will of God.  This wish is demonstrated in certain characteristics of heroic sanctity that calls us to emulate and imitate: Providence Spirituality—founded in and relying upon a loving Providence revealed in a deep, personal relationship with God and a manifest love, trust and respect for all.  Mother Mary lived the conviction that God is true to his word.  He would care for her; he would care for us.  This Providence Spirituality is manifested through the faith and trust that God has provided, does provide, and will provide; Jesus our Brother and Redeemer has suffered, died and risen to enable us to live not only for self, but for others; The Holy Spirit will guide and strengthen us in all situations.  Now, as then, Providence Spirituality as lived by Mother Lange continues to be expressed in participation in the Eucharistic Liturgy; a continuing  and deep reflection on the Word of God; communal and personal prayer; love and compassion for one another; and reaching out to heal the needy especially victims of racism, injustice, prejudice and greed.

A second aspect of Mother Lange’s spirituality was her great devotion to our Blessed Mother Mary.  Mother Lange took personally Jesus’ gift to us (her) as our Mother.  Beside the devotions of prayers and hymns prevalent in the time of Mother Mary Lange, she left this legacy of devotion to her spiritual daughters that has survived many changes in the Church and the Oblate congregation, but active devotion to Our Lady, especially through the rosary remains strong.  Devotion to Our Lady remains one of Mother Mary Lange’s greatest legacies to all of us.