They called her Sr. Adele. She wasn’t a nun. Might you be called too?

Adele Brice, a Servant of God, lived as a Secular Franciscan despite being known by many as Sister Adele. Although she wore a habit and lived a life similar to a nun, she remained a laywoman and never took the public vows of a canonical sister.

Born in Belgium in 1831, Brice moved to America with her parents in 1855 and settled near Green Bay. After reporting a vision in 1859, she began teaching the faith to children in local homes. She eventually opened a school and lived with other women who wore habits, leading people to call them the Sisters of Good Help. During her time, members of third orders often used religious names and the titles of sister or brother.