Servite Stories

Why Am I A Servite?

Sister Mary Dominica Effertz, OSM
Volunteer Ministry
Ladysmith, Wisconsin

I was born into a bustling family of thirteen children in Weyerhaeuser, Wisconsin, on June 6, 1932. Life on the farm was my first classroom, teaching me early on how to help others and share what we had. My parents were wonderful role models who lived their faith daily, teaching us to trust God and care for our neighbors. I still cherish the memory of our family gathered every evening during Lent to pray the Rosary. Those moments truly shaped the woman I would become.

For my first five years of school, I attended a rural, one-room schoolhouse. When my siblings and I began taking the bus to Saints Peter and Paul Catholic School, I met the Servite Sisters for the first time. Their joy was contagious. I loved them and wanted to be just like them. Toward the end of eighth grade, my teacher invited me to visit the Sisters’ convent in Ladysmith. With my parents’ support, I decided to attend the girls’ Catholic high school connected to the convent.  

I began my journey with the Servants of Mary in 1945, eventually professing my vows in the summer of 1950. What followed was a 50-year adventure in teaching. Most of my career was spent in the Diocese of Superior, working with the “little ones” in first and second grade. I loved their straightforward honesty and their excitement for learning. My goal was always to lead them closer to Jesus and Mary, showing them through my own actions how much God loves them.

Since “retiring” from the classroom in 2000, my ministry has simply changed shape. Whether I am visiting the sick, playing the organ for Mass, or mentoring families in the Servite Lay Diakonia, my mission remains the same. Our Servite community may be small, but we are a family. It is a gift to spend my life dedicated to the Mother of God, striving every day to be a compassionate presence for others.