First Profession: February 2, 1946 

Death: May 20, 2024 

 

 

 

 

“BEHOLD THE HANDMAID OF THE LORD, BE IT DONE TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD. “ These Words from Luke’s Gospel were the cornerstone of Sr. Mary Ancillita’s life as a Marist, Missionary and Religious sister. 

We all have a story, God is the source of our story, and we are the players.  I would like to share with you a brief part of Roses’s story, I say brief because she lived to the good old age of 100.  Much can happen in a 100 years, so we will remember the important events of her life.  Rose was born in Waterville Maine on Oct. 26, 1923; her parents were Thomas J. Roberge and Roseanne Poulin.  Rose had 7 siblings, 6 who are deceased, her sister Gloria is still living and in a memory care facility.  She also has several nieces and nephews, some living outside the state. 

 

After graduation Rose found a job at Western Union, her dream was to save enough money to go to a school of music.  She was gifted in singing and playing the piano, but God had other plans for Rose.  One day she received a letter from her spiritual director who placed a brochure within the letter of the Marist Missionary Sisters, sister read the brochure and knew this is what God wanted her to do.  Her dream of the school of music became unimportant at this time. 

 

 Sister entered the Marist missionary sister’s novitiate on Feb. 1st, 1944, and was professed on Feb. 2nd, 1946.  When one door closes, many more open.  In 1955, her superiors, seeing her gifted talent sent her to a school of music for two years.  In 1956, she followed a teachers training College and this began her teaching career where she taught music and commercial subjects.  From 1960 to 1972, she was missioned in Samoa where she loved the people and the culture, if you asked her to say something in the Samoan language; she could give you a good mouthful.  In 1972-74, she was on the novitiate staff in New Zealand. 

 

From 1986-88 she went to a new mission of Vanuatu, where she taught music.  Sister wrote in one of her articles “The warm Welcome of the French sisters made me feel very much at home.  My fears and apprehensions never materialized and I found myself very happy in this new mission experience among a very different people and culture.  I now look forward to another three year extension to my teaching apostolate in Vanuatu.” 

As I mentioned before we could go on and on of the places sister has been, her many returns to Samoa, her spiritual renewals her time in Florida, her service in the USA etc. 

 

Now I would like to concentrate on who Sister Rose was as a person.  Sister lived in Marillac for almost nine years and she was loved by all.  She was noted for her graciousness and thankfulness. She lived joy each day and brought joy to others.  Sister Maria, who lived in the same community as Rose, remembers that Rose had a good sense of humor and that she was thankful and pleasant when she needed help.  She would tell Maria, you are my angel, thank you. Even though she had difficulty walking with her walker, she attended most of the activities. She was very attentive to her neighbors and ready to help in any way possible.  She was a smart dresser and found joy in wearing her Sunday best. 

 

I would like to share with you some thoughts of Cindy; she cared for sister for eight years and visited her often in Framingham. These are Cindy’s words: “Sister Rose was deeply spiritual and she loved her life as a Marist Missionary sister.  In the 8 years I knew Rose, she always had something positive to say.  I would ask her how she was feeling, did she enjoy her dinner, did she enjoy the music and her response was either supercalifragilisticeexpialidocious or Top Notch.  She loved playing bingo and when the therapy dog came once a month to Marillac.  For years, she led her four North community in the rosary every morning without missing a beat.  She loved to sit out under the trees in the front of the building and pray, read the bible or say the rosary; she prayed four rosaries a day for the world.  If anyone asked me if I knew where Sister Rose was, I would say check the chapel balcony or look in the front of the house under the trees.  Rose enjoyed the simple things in life and she was grateful for everything.  I feel very blessed for having had the privilege of having Sister Rose in my life.” 

Cindy found this poem, which she felt, fit Rose to a tee. 

 

REMEMBERED JOY  (Anonymous – an old Irish Funeral Poem) 

Don’t grieve for me, for now I’m free! I follow the plan God laid for me. 

I saw His face, I heard His call, I took His hand and left it all… I could not stay another day, to love, to laugh, to work or play; Tasks left undone must stay that way. And if my parting has left a void, Then fill it with remembered joy. 

A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss… 

My life’s been full,  

I’ve savored much 

Good times, good friends, a loved one’s touch. 

Perhaps my time seemed all too brief, 

Don’t shorten yours with undue grief. 

Be not burdened with tears of sorrow, Enjoy the sunshine of the morrow. 

 

We would like to thank the staff at Marillac for their loving care of Rose and St. Patrick’ s Manor for their care especially in the last days of her life. 

Rose is now singing her praises to her Lord: BEHOLD THE HANDMAID OF THE LORD, BE IT DONE TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD. 

 

Gratefully in Mary,  

                                                                                             

Sister Helen Muller, smsm                                                      Sister Claire Rheaume, smsm Regional Leader