National Catholic Sisters Week: Honoring Our Legacy

This week (March 8-14) is National Catholic Sisters Week and we are proud to honor our founders, the Servants of Mary. Marian is rooted in the charism of the Servants of Mary; their history is our legacy and our reason for being. 

The sisters’ mission as educators began long before they arrived in Nebraska. In 1840, they established a small school in France, eventually expanding to open girls’ schools in England and the United States. Before settling in Omaha, they established convents and academies across Wisconsin, Indiana, Illinois and Iowa.

The sisters’ journey from Europe to America was no small or easy task, and with each new beginning came hardship. When first arriving in Omaha, the sisters lived in poverty. As Sr. Mary Alice Haley+, OSM, recounted: "There were no tables, no chairs, no stove... We took our supper at the ironing board, which served as a table... At bedtime, the sisters slept on the floor."

Seeking a central location for their motherhouse, near railroads and higher education, the sisters purchased land near Benson, Nebraska, and in 1925, built a convent and a 130-acre farm, where the sisters raised livestock and tended orchards to stock their kitchen—a practice that continued until the mid-1960s.

The Servite presence expanded in Omaha’s parochial schools with sisters teaching not only at Holy Name but also Holy Ghost (1922), St. Rose (1943), St. Benedict (1946), Christ the King (1954), St. Pius X (1955) and St. James (1965). The sisters were also commissioned to serve in schools in Detroit, Massena, New York, Denver, St. Louis and Sioux City, Iowa. Over 125 years, the Servants of Mary had approximately 260 sisters ministering in 145 schools nationwide.

In the early 1950s, Mother Mary Ligouri envisioned a school dedicated to young women, and in 1954, a Holy Marian year, ground was broken for a new high school and convent addition. Marian officially opened in 1955. In those early years, funding was limited, but the sisters’ dedication was so great that they even served as the school's custodial staff, cleaning the building after hours.

In 2024, the sisters transitioned from the motherhouse to the Immanuel Senior Living Community, yet their commitment remains unchanged. They continue their ministry through prayer, compassion and ongoing support of the school.The former motherhouse still serves as the administrative offices for the Servants of Mary. 

Marian bought the convent from the sisters in 2019 and recently assumed operational ownership of the building and its grounds. Marian’s leadership is now exploring how this space can best serve students in the years to come, and we look forward to sharing these developments with you. 

We are proud of our history and indebted to the Servants of Mary for their service and dedication. We will remain true to the mission and culture they have instilled at Marian.