Servants of Mary Servite Sisters
The Servite Sisters of Ladysmith, Wisconsin trace their remote beginnings to 1233 with the founding of the Servite Order in Florence, Italy. In 1912, five sisters arrived in Ladysmith to serve St. Mary's Parish School, founding a congregation rooted in compassionate service and Mary's example.
Pioneers of Service
In the summer of 1912, five members of the Sisters of St. Joseph of LaGrange, Illinois — Sisters Mary Alphonse Bradley, Mary Rose Smith, Mary Evangelist Corcoran, Mary Irene Drummand, and Mary Charles Kolmesh — left that community to respond to the request of the Servite Friars for sisters in Ladysmith, Wisconsin.
Under the direction of the Mantellate Sisters from Pistoia, Italy, the community embraced the Rule of St. Augustine and the traditional Marian spirit of the Servite Order. On December 8, 1919, they became an independent diocesan congregation.
By 1918, in collaboration with the local community, they built a hospital that opened just in time for the 1918 flu epidemic. The collection documents their continuing response to the changing needs of the times through education, healthcare, social justice advocacy, and international mission work.
Education & Healthcare
From founding St. Mary's Parish School in 1912 to building a hospital during the 1918 flu pandemic, the Sisters' initial ministries of Christian education and care of the sick established a legacy of service that continues today.
Sisters Mary Alphonse Bradley, Mary Rose Smith, Mary Evangelist Corcoran, Mary Irene Drummand, and Mary Charles Kolmesh arrived in Ladysmith in September 1912, ready to begin teaching that fall in the newly built school.
Global Mission & Justice
The Order of Servants of Mary (OSM) functions worldwide, with significant presences in countries like Canada, Brazil, Ireland, and Indonesia, besides their major bases in the US and Europe.
The Mary Alphonse Bradley Fund has distributed over $3.8 million in grants across 31+ countries. The Sisters have been active in combating human trafficking, supporting migrants, and engaging in socially responsible investing.
Servite Sisters Today
A biannual newsletter connecting family, friends, and supporters with updates on the congregation's ministries, leadership, jubilees, international gatherings, justice initiatives, and community life. 12 issues (2009–2020) have been digitized.
Explore the Full Collection
Access the complete finding aid for the Servants of Mary Collection, browse all digitized issues of Servite Sisters Today, and discover the full scope of the HARC-008 archives.