A Long, Rich History of Service

A History of Faithful Ministry

The Servants of Mary (also known as the Servites), have a rich history beginning in 1845 with a young French woman by the name of Marie Guyot. Marie, along with a small group of dedicated women, began a school in Cuves, France, a small village east of Paris. Their mission was to educate the poor women in that area.

In the late 1840s this group of educators became a religious community known as the Sisters of Calvary. More women joined this small community and the school continued to grow, becoming a boarding school. Due to political unrest, in 1852 the Sisters moved to England where they served as missionaries, working with and teaching the very poor. The Sisters were impoverished and took in sewing and laundry to support the Community and their ministry. The Community continued to grow, and a strong foundation was established in London. The Community’s title changed, and they became known as the Sisters of Compassion. Throughout our history, we have had several names, all of which connect to the compassion of Mary.

It was in 1864 that the Sisters of Compassion joined the Servite Order, with whom they found a connection in both spirituality and mission, inspired by the compassion of Mary, the Mother of God. It was at this time that the Sisters made their final name change to the Congregation of the Servants of Mary of London/Cuves. This title honors our long history.

In 1871, the Servants of Mary expanded their missionary work to the United States. In 1892 the Sisters opened their first Motherhouse in Mount Vernon, Indiana. The Sisters continued to move westward at the invitation of bishops and priests in other dioceses. Led by their missionary spirit, the Sisters went on to establish foundations in Illinois and Iowa.

In 1918, the Servite Sisters came to staff schools in the newly established Holy Name Parish in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1925, the Sisters transferred their Motherhouse and Novitiate to Omaha, Nebraska in order to be more centrally located. As the community grew, the Sisters received numerous requests to staff schools and ministries across the US.

Because of continued growth, additional space was needed. In 1955, a new addition to the Motherhouse was built doubling the size of the Motherhouse. This expansion also included Marian High School, a school dedicated to educating young women in the Catholic faith, empowering them to discover and develop their talents, to inspire them to lead and serve as women of faith and compassion. The Servants of Mary continue to pass on our values, history and traditions through sponsorship of Marian High School.

The Congregation of the Servants of Mary London/Cuves has remained an international Congregation with Sisters now in eight countries:  France, the UK, Belgium, Austria, Canada, the US, Jamaica and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Many of these countries have lay Associate Programs. The Congregation is led by a Congregational Prioress, an Assistant and two councilors.

The Community in the United States is known as the US/Jamaica Community and includes Sisters and Associates in a variety of ministries. Our Sisters and Associates live and minister across the US as well as in Jamaica.