Sister Rosemary Healy, MM
Born: September 9, 1931
Entered: February 1, 1951
Died: February 11, 2024
As we gather this morning to say farewell to one of our own; we begin with a verse from Psalm 30 which captures these last years of Rosie’s life: “At nightfall, weeping enters in, but with the dawn, rejoicing.” It was just at dawn, on February 11, 2024, that Sister Rosemary Healy, our much-loved Rosie, transitioned from her long days of suffering into her eternal life of rejoicing with God, sharing all that God has prepared for her.
Rosie was born in Butte, Montana on September 9, 1931, to Daniel and Margaret Sullivan Healy, both of whom were born in County Cork, Ireland. She had one brother, Daniel Joseph who has pre-deceased her. The family moved to San Francisco in 1944 where Rosie graduated from St. James Grammar School and later from Immaculate Conception Academy in June, 1949. She did general office work for two years before entering the Maryknoll Sisters at Valley Park, Mo. on February 1, 1951. Her Pastor’s recommendation letter said that Maryknoll would “get a gem” in Rosie, a comment strongly echoed by her high school principal—they were right! At reception, Rosie received the name Sister Agnes Dannette, honoring her father. She made her first vows at Valley Park on September 8, 1953 and her final vows here at the Maryknoll Sisters Center on September 8, 1959. She spent five years in secretarial work with the Maryknoll Society Development Department before beginning her studies at Maryknoll Teachers College from which she graduated in 1962 with a Bachelor’s Degree in Education. In summers, she studied creative writing and literature in New York City. After teaching for three years at St. Anthony School in the Bronx, Rosie studied evangelization in Salamanca, Spain—the prelude to many years of service in Latin America.
In 1966, Rosie was assigned to Manizales, Colombia, but first was sent to study Spanish language in Mexico, living with our Sisters at Helen Herlihy Hall. In Colombia, from 1967-1970, she worked with a Maryknoll team administering the Latin America Catechetical Institute under CELAM, the Latin America Bishops Conference, a group which was constantly moving the church forward in ways that seeded radical change. In November 1970, Rosie was elected to the Maryknoll Sisters Central Governing Board—she called it: “a unique and wonderful mission experience.” Although she excelled at this ministry, it was an extremely difficult time to be in leadership, and for Rosie, who was very sensitive to the needs and suffering of others, one term was enough.
After service on the CGB, Rosie worked on the Western Admissions Team before returning to Central America, first to Mexico in pastoral work and then as Regional Coordinator from 1981-1984, living in Huehuetenango. One of the sisters called her “the greatest pastoral agent the diocese ever knew, and she was that to us as well.” It was a hallmark of her life in all of her successive ministry placements that Rosie cared deeply for the Sisters with whom she lived and for the Guatemalan people. 1984-1989 saw Rosie in ministry in Catarina, Guatemala on a pastoral team forming Basic Ecclesial Communities. From 1989-1994, Rosie served in two parishes in Mixco, Guatemala, Lomas de Portugal and El Milagro, doing what she did best—formation of lay leaders, creating women’s groups and training delegates of the word. The next three years, 1994-1997, brought Rosie to the USA where she served on the Rogers Community Council—and, as she wrote, “having fun with Jeannie Rancourt.”
Rosie returned to her pastoral ministry in Mixco, Guatemala in 1998 for five more years accompanying 23 Basic Ecclesial Communities and women’s groups across the district. In 2004, Rosie returned to the United States and served in the Congregational Secretariat until 2006, working with records and files being prepared for transfer to archives. She then spent four years with Creative Productions in the Development Department, using her literary skills in the newly established WEB content area. In 2011, Rosie’s sharing for her 60th anniversary in Maryknoll was filled with gratitude “for the people of Latin America…for the inspiration of my Maryknoll Sisters…for Holy Mystery, our loving Creator God who chose us, trusts us and is faithful.” As her need for care increased, Rosie transferred to Chi Rho in 2017 and to Eden in 2018.