An Untraditional Institute
Foundress, Sister Catherine Donnelly, 1884-1983
Born to an Irish-Catholic family in Central Ontario, Catherine pursued a teaching career and eventually became the sole supporter of her family. Heading west to teach, Catherine was struck by the absence of the Catholic Church in the rural communities in which she taught, especially during the 1918 influenza outbreak where she served as a nursing volunteer.
Returning to Toronto in 1920, Catherine approached the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peterborough with interest in teaching missions in Western Canada, but was without success. Upon the advice of her sister Mamie, now Sister Justina of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, Catherine sought direction from Fr. Arthur Coughlan, CSsR, who suggested she try Sister Justina’s own congregation. However, Catherine felt at odds with the traditional structure of the novitiate and restless with “too much going on out west.” Catherine again met with Fr Coughlan, who during the interview laughed and said: “We had better start a community of our own.”
Priestly Co-Founders
Archbishop Neil McNeil, 1920
Fr. Arthur Coughlan, CSsR, c. 1921
Fr. George Daly, CSsR, 1921
In 1921, following his conversations with Catherine Donnelly, Fr. Arthur Coughlan, CSsR, approached Archbishop Neil McNeil of Toronto to propose a new community of religious women to serve Catholic settlers in Western Canada. Like the rural missionary sisters of Mary MacKillop in Australia, these sisters would serve the spiritual needs of their communities while also carrying out teaching, medical, and social work. Archbishop McNeil gladly agreed, having been concerned with Catholic immigrant communities during his time as Archbishop of Vancouver and Toronto.
Alongside Catherine Donnelly, they worked out the details of creating a new community, the Institute of the Sisters of Service. At this time, Fr. Coughlan was the Provincial Superior of the Redemptorists and was busy administering the growing Toronto Province, and so, Fr. George Daly, CSsR, was brought onboard to find money and candidates for the new Institute, engaging in a speaking tour across Canada. In the early years, Fr. Daly drafted the Rule of the Institute of the Sisters of Service based on the spirituality of St. Alphonsus, “to serve the most abandoned”, while also serving as spiritual director and financial manager for the SOS.
Novice Mistresses
The Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto supported the establishment of the Sisters of Service by providing religious formation to the candidates of the new Institute. Sister Lidwina Henry, CSJ, was appointed novice mistress and superior wherein she created the novitiate program, governed its internal administration, and made decisions regarding the acceptance or rejection of candidates. In 1926, Mother Lidwina was succeeded by Sister Othilia Maguire, CSJ. Mother Othilia served as novice mistress and superior until June 1928, when three newly formed Sisters of Service were appointed by the archbishop and took over the governance of the Institute.
Above: Mother Lidwina Henry, CSJ (centre) with first SOS entrants (L-R) Josephine Stokes, Catherine Donnelly, Kathleen Shenck, and Mary Ann Bridet Burke, on novitiate grounds. Toronto, 1923
Right: Mother Othilia Maguire, CSJ (seated) visiting (L-R) Sisters Catherine Wymbs, Mary Ann Bridget Burke, Catherine Donnelly, and Ida Pickup. Vilna, Alberta, June 1928
The Catholic Women's League (CWL)
The CWL was one of the earliest and most prominent benefactors of the SOS. Founded in England as a social and advocacy organization to serve immigrants, women, and children, they were formally established in Canada in 1912.
The Canadian CWL was courted by Fr. Daly for financial support of the new SOS Institute, with partnerships between the CWL and the SOS spanning the following decades. From 1923 to 1951, the CWL contributed $125,820.70 to the SOS, as well as gifts in kind and countless volunteer hours from their members across Canada.
Members of the Catholic Women’s League (CWL) working in the office of the religious correspondence school, Regina, Saskatchewan, 1937
The women’s residence at 4 Wellesley Place was the first SOS mission. For the first year, the Catholic Women’s League (CWL) operated the hostel and oversaw furnishing, with the SOS taking over in June 1924.
“Church and Country” was the secondary motto of the SOS, linking to the Catholic Women’s League (CWL) axiom of “For God and Country”. This motto was published in the SOS magazine, The Field at home, 1928-1960.
The Uniform
The uniform of the SOS was designed to be both fashionable and functional to remove barriers between the Sisters and those they served. According to Archbishop Neil McNeil “the habit would have to be modified to suit the conditions.” The uniform was made to contemporary taste with a low waistline and skirt eight inches from the ground, accompanied by practical, low-cut shoes. The traditional religious headdress of a wimple and veil was replaced by a hat which was updated as styles changed.
L-R: Sisters Catherine Wymbs, Margaret Guest, Catherine Donnelly in the original uniform of the SOS, August 1923
Sister Florence Regan wearing a straw hat which formed part of the SOS uniform, 1930
Modelling of the complete set of updated SOS uniforms, 1963
The Untraditional Rule
On Fr. Daly’s office wall, he had the following motto framed: “Look at big maps! Take the long view! Don’t tie yourselves down with too many written rules and customs. Always remain flexible.” He drafted the initial Rule of the Institute of the Sisters of Service with this pioneering spirit in mind.
Most other Catholic women religious at the time lived in large convents, however, the SOS lived in small communities and were permitted to travel solo on all modes of transportation. The Rule of their daily lives also stressed the need for flexibility in their daily prayers, allowing for modified spiritual exercises. The simple and practical nature of their Institute allowed the Sisters to more easily adapt to the ways of life in the communities in which they lived.
Sister Lena Renaud at bat on the grounds of King Edward School No. 2, Camp Morton, Manitoba, 1961
Sister Lena Renaud at bat on the grounds of King Edward School No. 2, Camp Morton, Manitoba, 1961
Sister Mistress Margaret Guest (centre right) with novices, postulants, and snowmen, Toronto, 1936
Sister Mistress Margaret Guest (centre right) with novices, postulants, and snowmen, Toronto, 1936
Sister Ann O’Brien driving her car, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, 1955
Sister Ann O’Brien driving her car, Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, 1955
Sisters Mary Roberts and Viola Mossey chopping ice for water with the school in the background, Sinnett, Saskatchewan, 1942
Sisters Mary Roberts and Viola Mossey chopping ice for water with the school in the background, Sinnett, Saskatchewan, 1942
Game on the novitiate badminton court, Toronto, 1935
Game on the novitiate badminton court, Toronto, 1935
Sisters Margaret Morgan and Mary Jackson outside the schoolhouse, Bergfield, Saskatchewan, 1938
Sisters Margaret Morgan and Mary Jackson outside the schoolhouse, Bergfield, Saskatchewan, 1938
Unusual Vocations
In striving for practical flexibility, the SOS did not restrict applicants by age, former marital status, or previous admittance to other congregations. Many of the women who joined the SOS were considered ‘older’ entrants (over 30) and many had had professional careers in various fields prior to joining the SOS. Four of these Sisters are highlighted here.
Sister Eva Chartrand wearing the original design of the SOS straw hat, 1927
Prior to entering the SOS in 1925 at age 36, Eva Chartrand established a millinery shop in Sudbury. Her experience in business served her at the SOS Winnipeg residence where she established an employment bureau to assist the residents - mostly young, single, immigrant women - in finding jobs as domestics. Sister Chartrand also arranged for practical training for the residents and negotiated higher pay on their behalf.
Sister Catherine Wymbs, c. 1937
Sister Catherine Wymbs trained as a nurse at St. Boniface General Hospital (Winnipeg) and completed post-graduate studies at the Women’s Hospital in New York City. She then served as a nursing sister for the Canadian Army Medical Corps during WWI. She remained in Europe following the war as a nurse during the 1918 influenza. In 1923, Catherine entered the SOS at age 41.
Sister Carmel Egan, c. 1930
Sister Carmel Egan was part of the first group of SOS to profess vows in 1926. Prior to entering at age 32, she had worked as a federal civil servant at the Dominion Bureau of Statistics. Due to her professional background, she was selected by Archbishop McNeil as part of the first SOS administrative council.
Sister Florence Regan in her office as Sister General, Toronto, 1932
Sister Florence Regan entered the SOS in 1925, age 36. Prior to joining the Institute, she had a career as a stenographer in the manufacturing department of Imperial Oil, achieving the position of executive secretary. She was appointed by Archbishop McNeil as the first Sister General of the SOS, a role which she held from 1928 to 1937.
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