創建靜宜大學的主顧修女會對主顧聖母的敬禮，源自於其美國印地安那州聖瑪利森林總會院院牧A.J. Rawlinson蒙席某日在美國天主教大學看到一幅由義大利畫家浦松(Scipione Pulzone, 1544-1598) 所創作的〈Mater Divinae Providentiae〉的複製畫。1925年他到羅馬旅行時，特地蒐集了有關敬禮主顧聖母的歷史資料，並買了〈Mater Divinae Providentiae〉的複印品帶回會院。同年5月1日主顧修女會總會院設置了「美國主顧聖母朝聖地」，鼓勵各家庭以主顧聖母為「家庭之母后」，透過聖母代禱，祈求天主保佑家庭平安和諧。

敬禮主顧聖母的傳統，隨著主顧修女會傳播福音的腳步，傳達到美國各州和中國。1948年12月15日，本校創辦人蓋夏姆姆(Mother Marie Gratia Luking，1885~1964）帶領18位主顧修女會及主顧傳教修女會的修女們從大陸來到台灣，繼續以主顧聖母為修會及學校的主保。當靜宜計畫從台中市復興路遷校時，校長郭藩蒙席為尋找校地從南到北勘察好幾個地方都不合適。1984年9月8日查看沙鹿校地前，他囑咐修女們祈求主顧聖母轉禱，當天下午買校地的事終於順利達成。此為靜宜大學藉由主顧聖母轉禱，得到的恩典之一。新建教堂因此命名為「主顧聖母堂」。

The devotion to “Our Lady of Providence” began after the Chaplain of the Sisters of Providence, Monsignor A.J. Rawlinson, saw a reproduction of the work of Scipione Pulzone, “Mater Divinae Providentiae” at the Catholic University of America. During a trip to Rome in 1925, Monsignor Rawlinson gathered historical information on the devotion to the Lady and then brought back prints of the painting to Saint Mary-of-the-Woods, Indiana. On May 1st of the same year, the General Sisters' Association set up the American pilgrimage site of the Blessed Virgin Mary to encourage families to pray for peace and harmony through her intercession as "Mother of the Family."

This devotion to “Our Lady of Providence” spread to the United States and China through the Sisters of Providence. On December 15, 1948, Mother Marie Gratia Luking, founder of Providence University, together with the other 18 Sisters came to Taiwan from China and continued their mission in education and devotion to Our Lady of Providence. In1984, Msgr. Anthony Guo, President of PU, decided to move the university from Fuxing Road in Taichung City to a bigger campus but he encountered many difficulties at finding a suitable place. On September 8, 1984, however, before departing to see the land in Shalu, he asked the Sisters of Providence to pray to “Our Lady of Providence” for intercession, and miraculously, the purchase of the school ground was finalized that afternoon. It was truly one of the most remarkable graces PU has ever received through her intercession. Hence, the chapel is named, "Our Lady of Providence Chapel."