Obituary: Sister Dolores Rosso, M.M., Dies At 97

MARYKNOLL, NY — Sister Dolores Rosso, M.M. died on July 6, 2021, at the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll. She was born on Feb, 22, 1924 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to Daniel Rosso and Anna (Brennan) Rosso. She was the eldest of five siblings and is survived by her brother Thomas and her sister Marie, who is also a Maryknoll Sister.

In 1942, Dolores graduated from Little Flower High School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She then began working in the office of the National Biscuit Company, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, for one year. On Sept. 7, 1943, Dolores entered the Maryknoll Sisters Congregation, Maryknoll, (from St. Martin of Tours Parish, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania). She made her First Profession of Vows on March 7, 1946, at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, and her Final Profession of Vows on March 7, 1949, also at the Sisters Center.

From 1945 to 1949, Sister Dolores studied at Maryknoll Teachers College (located on the property of the Sisters Center), earning a bachelor of education degree. She then received her first mission assignment to Hawaii. There, she spent the next 22 years teaching mostly English and religion at the Maryknoll School (Punahou) on the island of Oahu. Sister Dolores was awarded by the State of Hawaii for “Teacher of the Year.” She also served for many years on the Council of Pacific Speech and as a member of the National Council of English Teachers. From 1967 to 1969, she continued her studies at the University of Hawaii, earning a master’s degree in English literature. For the next 11 years, from 1971 to 1982, Sister Dolores served as executive director of the newly established Maryknoll High School Alumni Office.

In 1983, Sister Dolores returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, to serve as the director of the Maryknoll Sisters Archives. During her term, she helped facilitate the merger of the Maryknoll Mission Archives: a collaborative project of the Maryknoll Sisters, Maryknoll Fathers and Brothers and Maryknoll Lay Missioners.

From 1991 to 1994, Sister Dolores returned to Honolulu, Hawaii, and became the executive director of the Spiritual Life Center, an ecumenical facility for retreats and workshops with a focus on Contemplative Outreach.

The following year, Sister Dolores was selected as regional archivist for the Maryknoll Sisters Central Pacific Region. In 1996, she returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, to serve on the coordinating team preparing for a Congregational Gathering. Once again, she returned to the Central Pacific Region in 1998, this time to serve on the Regional Leadership Team for three years. From 2003 to 2010, she again worked with the Maryknoll High School Alumni Office.

In 2010, Sister Dolores retired to the Maryknoll Sisters Center in Maryknoll.

Funeral Services: A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated in the Annunciation Chapel at the Maryknoll Sisters Center, Maryknoll, on Tuesday, July 13, 2021. Burial will follow in the Sisters cemetery.