Servite Stories

Why Am I A Servite?

Sister Ann Marie Caporale, OSM
Retired teacher and hospice chaplain
Chicago, Illinois

My journey to becoming a Servant of Mary was profoundly influenced by my parents’ deep love and devotion to the Blessed Mother, a sentiment reflected in our daily family rosary. The centrality of the Eucharist in our home instilled in me a strong desire for my First Holy Communion, an event I anticipated with great joy. We lived in a Servite Parish, where Father Phillip Philbin, OSM, served as our first pastor, and our school, Annunciata, which opened in 1949, was staffed by the Servants of Mary, with Sister Aloysius, OSM, as the first principal.

The day of my First Holy Communion, May 10, 1950, was wonderful. While walking home after Mass, I asked my mother the time of the next Mass, explaining that I wished to receive Jesus again. When she informed me that Holy Communion could only be received once a day, I resolved to attend Mass daily, and so I did. I attended the 6:30 AM Mass.

The desire to become a Servant of Mary grew from this period, nurtured by the encouragement of Sisters Regina and Veronica, who urged our class to pray for vocations and often spoke of Ladysmith, which greatly intrigued me. Following my eighth-grade graduation, I went to Ladysmith, Wisconsin, for high school.

This is how my teaching ministry began: As a newly professed sister in the pre-Vatican II era, I was called to Mother Patricia’s office and asked to go on mission because the pastor at St. James in Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin, required another teacher. I continued my education at local colleges and universities while teaching in various elementary schools in Wisconsin, New Jersey, West Virginia, and Illinois.

Twenty-five years later, I took a sabbatical in Berkeley, California, where Sister Sandra DeGidio encouraged me to pursue a Master’s degree. I graduated on May 22, 1991, with a Master’s in Applied Theology, which proved invaluable in my subsequent hospice ministry. During these studies, I also developed an interest in massage therapy and received my certificate from Oakland, California. This training allowed me to serve my Sisters and seniors at Addolorata Villa in Wheeling, Illinois; Servants of Mary Motherhouse in Ladysmith, Wisconsin; and St. Francis Senior Center in East Side, Chicago.

As a community, we have truly learned to love, accept, support, and appreciate one another. We have always been blessed with tremendously gifted leadership teams. Guided by the Holy Spirit, they have discerned the needs of the time and guided our members through challenging times.

I professed my vows as a Servite Sister on June 19, 1961. Living as a Servant of Mary has been a tremendous gift and blessing, offering countless opportunities to grow and deepen my faith. I could never be more grateful for each one of my sisters. May Our Blessed Mother continue to be our compassionate guide.

Every Sister has a different story, but one thing is certain: It is God who calls each of us according to our situation. May God be praised!