There are two provinces of American Servite Sisters with motherhouses in Wisconsin and Nebraska. The Wisconsin province motherhouse of Servites was in Ladysmith, Wisconsin. There is also a province of Servite Sisters out of Omaha, Nebraska. The Servite sisters first came to Ladysmith, Wisconsin in 1912 to staff St. Mary's parish school in Ladysmith. As the 2023 president of the Servants of Mary, Sister Theresa Sandok, OSM, wrote in the summer of 2023:
"The little band of Servite Sisters continued to grow until 1963, when we reached our peak at 181 professed members. Over the years we have served in schools, hospitals, and parishes, and ministered in other charitable works in sixteen states (Alabama, Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New Mexico, Tennessee, West Virginia, and Wisconsin) and the District of Columbia.
Now, 60 years since our peak, we find ourselves again to be a little band of Servite Sisters, with 23 members age 73-95. This time our numbers are going down, not up. Like aging parents who know their earthly sojourn is coming to an end, we are preparing for the completion of our life and ministry as a community."
Thus, this shows the ebb and flow of female religious life in America. In a little over a hundred years, there was has been growth and decline, just like life itself. Have you noticed growth and decline in your life?
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