Sister Rose Marie Franklin, MM

Sister Rose Marie Franklin died after a long illness, November 23, 2014, at Maryknoll Sisters Home Care III. She was 88 years old and celebrated 70 years as a Maryknoll Sister in September of this year.

Born on July 1, 1926 in Oak Park, IL. to Rose (Mann) Franklin and William B. Franklin, Sister Rose Marie had a twin brother, William B. Franklin, who predeceased her. She attended Trinity High School in River Forest, IL from 1940 - 1944.

Sister Rose Marie entered the Congregation of Maryknoll Sisters of St. Dominic at Maryknoll, NY, on September 7, 1944, from St. Lucy’s Parish, now known as St. Catherine’s Parish, Chicago, IL. At her reception on March 7, 1945 she was given the Religious name of Sister Rose Marie. Her first Profession of Vows was made at the Maryknoll Sisters Motherhouse, Maryknoll, NY, on March 7, 1947, and her Final Vows on March 7, 1950, also at Maryknoll, NY.

From 1947 to 1953 Sister Rose Marie did secretarial work at the Maryknoll Fathers Seminary in New York. From there she was assigned to Pusan, Korea, where she studied the Korean language for two years, did secretarial work, was in charge of maintenance, catechetical work and the language program until 1964.

Her next assignment was to Kang Hwa, Korea, where she did clinical and parish work and helped initiate the Young Christian Workers (YCW) organization for factory women in 1964.

She was then sent to Inchon in 1967, where she was an original member of the Diocesan and National Catechetical Committee and assisted in the founding of the Korean Sisters Major Superiors Association while actively involved in the YCW at the same time.

Sister Rose Marie took an eight-month course in catechetical studies at the East Asia Pastoral Institute (EAPI) in the Philippines in 1966 and received her Certificate for it in 1967. She served at the Inchon mission until 1971.

Sister Rose Marie then studied at the University of Guam in Agana, Guam, from January 1972 to December 1973, earning a B.A. in sociology on May 18, 1974. She then proceeded to take her Masters in Sociology at Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo, MI in April 1974 and graduated in August 1975. From May 1975 – August 1978, she studied for her Ph.D in Sociology, also at Western Michigan, receiving her doctorate on December 16, 1978.

From there Sister Rose Marie served at the Sisters’ Center in the Research and Planning Dept. from September 1978 to June 1982. On October 1, 1982, she joined the Sisters’ Eastern U.S. Region and worked with the Global Education Associates as Coordinator of Development and World Order and Coordinator of World Associates until 1983. She was then assigned to Louis Harris and Associates, New York, NY, where she worked as an interviewer from 1983 – 1984. She was then involved in research and peace education at the Intercommunity Center for Justice and Peace, New York, NY, from 1984-1990.

In 1990, Sister Rose Marie, the delegate of the Eastern U.S. Region to the Sisters’ 13th General Assembly, was elected to the Congregation’s Central Governing Board (CGB) and was General Secretary from 1990 to 1996.

In 1997 she returned to Korea, where she did pastoral work and taught English in Seoul from 1997-2002.

Sister Rose Marie returned to the Maryknoll Sisters Center and did part time work in the Personnel Dept. from 2002 – 2006. In 2007 she retired and in 2012 she was assigned to Maryknoll Sisters Home Care facility at Maryknoll, New York where she resided until her death. Sister Rose Marie has willed her body to science.

A vespers service will be held on Thursday, December 4, 2014, at 4:15 in the Main Chapel at the Maryknoll Sisters Chapel in Ossining, NY. A Memorial Mass will take place on Friday, December 5, 2014, at 11 a.m. in the same location. Dorsey Funeral Home, Inc. in Ossining is handling the Funeral Arrangements.