Sister Rose Genevieve Koll, MM

Sr. Rose Geneveive Koll, MMBorn: August 24, 1902
Entered: October 15, 1929
Died: August 4, 1983

Sister Rose Genevieve died at Santa Teresita Hospital, Duarte, California on Thursday morning, August 4th.

Genevieve Martha Koll was born August 24, 1902 in Salina, Kansas. Her father was Nicholas Koll and her mother, Louise A. Morin. Genevieve Koll entered Maryknoll on October 15, 1929. On her formal Reception Day, she received her religious name, Sister Rose Genevieve. She pronounced her first vows January 6, 1932. Before coming to Maryknoll, she had attained her Registered Nurse degree in Colorado Springs. Sister would often speak of her Novitiate days with wry humor saying that far from attending classes with the rest of her group, she was more often ministering to a sick member in the hospital or Convent Infirmary.

Sister Rose Genevieve was assigned to Korea in 1933. She took up her work there with characteristic zeal and devotion and came to love the Korean people. Sister made her final vows on January 6, 1935 in Yeng You. In 1940 she received an assignment to St. Paul’s Hospital in Manila. When World War II broke out, Sister was confined to Assumption Convent along with other Maryknoll Sisters. Later, in July of 1944, they were interned at Los Banos. These were difficult days for all the internees as food rations became less and less as the months wore on. In February of 1945, all of the Los Banos internees were rescued by American forces; in April, Sister Rose Genevieve returned to the U.S. She remained in the States until 1949 when she was reassigned to Korea. In 1950 she was assigned once more to Manila; and she was to spend the remainder of her overseas mission life in the Philippines devoting her considerable talents and skills in areas where Maryknoll Sisters had a mission presence. “I will hold your people in my heart” – this is a line from a hymn by Father Schutte, S.J. These words seem to sum up Sister Rose Genevieve’s life in mission. She loved the Korean people and she loved the Filipino people. Certainly, she held them deep in her heart all the days of her life.

Sister Rose Genevieve had a real devotion to our Dominican heritage and always wore the white scapular. It seems fitting that she should be laid to rest on the Feast of Saint Dominic. We, who lived with Sister and knew her over many years, always were conscious of the fact that she was a very prayerful person. Prayer came first in her life and in her very quiet way she was faithful to this.

In addition to being a fine nurse giving willing and generous service whenever called upon, Sister Rose Genevieve was very versatile in homemaking skills. Whenever a new mission was opened in the Philippines, Sister would be sent to see to all that was needed. Sewing, mending furniture, putting fresh paint on household cabinets, hanging curtains and drapes, upholstering chairs – she could put her hand to anything to make living quarters comfortable. Sister had been brought up on a farm in Kansas and, perhaps because of this background, she was a very practical and capable person. She was able to accept as a matter-of-fact, the inconveniences and lack of comforts on the missions; and in applying her homemaking skills, she was able to make living conditions better for all the Sisters.

Sister Rose Genevieve was never one to live in the past; she was keenly interested in the renewal of religious life, yet she had vivid memories of her mission life in both Korea and the Philippines. In these last years of her life – difficult years as her health steadily declined – her Korean people and her Filipino people were always in her prayers and in her heart. Let us all today give thanks to our Divine Lord for Sister Rose Genevieve’s life and call to mission.

The Liturgy this morning is being con-celebrated by the Reverend Peter Berendt, C.P., and Reverend Raymond Hill of Maryknoll. In the sanctuary is Monsignor William North of Pasadena – a friend of Sister Rose Genevieve since his student days as a seminarian. We welcome them and other friends of Sister Rose Genevieve who are present with us today.