Identity area
Reference code
Title
Date(s)
- 1872-2024; majority 1921-2024 (Creation)
Level of description
Extent and medium
Context area
Name of creator
Administrative history
The Religious Institute of the Sisters of Service (SOS) are a community of Roman Catholic religious women established to work with newcomers to Canada and bring the Church to rural communities. They were founded on August 15, 1922 in Toronto, and have 124 permanent members.
Unlike most other Catholic women religious at the time in traditional habits and large convents, the SOS wore simple grey uniforms and hats and lived in small communities. The simple and flexible nature of their Institute allowed the Sisters, as a domestic missionary community, to more easily adapt to the ways of life in the communities in which they lived. Their motto was "I Have Come To Serve" and the Sisters lived this charism by serving in many communities across Canada. In Western Canada, they worked as teachers, nurses and social workers. In larger cities, they operated hostels/residences for working women, particularly recently arrived immigrant women. The Sisters also maintained a presence at Pier 21 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, assisting newcomers in the transition from the ports to their homesteads. The SOS also provided catechetical instruction via religious correspondence schools and religious vacation schools during the summer months.
In 2011, after deciding to accept no new applicants to the novitiate, the Sisters signed a sponsorship agreement with the Sisters of St. Joseph of Toronto, who have assumed their administration.
Archival history
Materials were maintained by the congregational archivist prior to donation and transfer to the University of St. Michael's College in 2024. Where specific archival-custodial history is available, it is included at the relevant series level description.
Immediate source of acquisition or transfer
Content and structure area
Scope and content
Fonds consists of the governance, administrative, and personnel records for the community of the Sisters of Service. This includes reports, financial records, meeting minutes, policies, General Chapter records, operational correspondence, publications by and about the SOS, photographic materials, audiovisual materials, personal records of Sisters, and a collection of artifacts and memorabilia related to the SOS.
In addition to records of the SOS members and co-foundress, Sister Catherine Donnelly, the fond also contains records of its priestly co-founders, Archbishop Neil McNeil, Rev. Arthur Coughlan, CSsR, and Rev. George Daly, CSsR.
The Fonds is divided into the following series:
- Founding
- Governance and Administration
- General Chapters
- Motherhouse
- Novitiate, Formation, Vocations
- Missions
- Personnel
- Writings
- Catechetics and Religious Education
- Photograph and Slide Collection
- Audio Visual Collection
- Artifacts and Memorabilia
Appraisal, destruction and scheduling
Accruals
Further accruals expected.
System of arrangement
The received arrangement of the fonds has been preserved when possible. Where changes to arrangement have been made, this is indicated in the descriptions at the appropriate level.
Conditions of access and use area
Conditions governing access
Materials are being processed but can be made available upon researcher request.
Materials are generally open; administrative records are restricted for 30 years after the date of creation; deceased Sisters' files restricted for 30 years after their death; files for non-permanent members are closed. Further details available at the relevant description level.
Conditions governing reproduction
Researchers are required to sign a Researcher Agreement form acknowledging their responsibilities in terms of Canadian copyright legislation. Some third party materials fall under copyright external to the Sisters of Service and the University of St. Michael's College, researchers are required to seek permission from the appropriate source.
Language of material
- English
- French
- Italian
- Latin
- Spanish
Script of material
Language and script notes
Physical characteristics and technical requirements
Finding aids
Allied materials area
Existence and location of originals
Existence and location of copies
Related units of description
Notes area
Note
Title based on contents of fonds.
Alternative identifier(s)
Accession
Access points
Subject access points
Place access points
Name access points
- Sisters of Service (Subject)
Genre access points
Description control area
Description identifier
Institution identifier
Rules and/or conventions used
Dates of creation revision deletion
Created by S Rogers 20 June, 2024.
Revised by F Rousselle, 29 April 2025.