Maria Rosalita Roberts

Sister Maria Rosalita Roberts, the first Liberian Catholic sister and a pioneer among West Africa's women religious, passed away peacefully at the age of 88.

Born in Rivercess, Liberia, Sister Rosalita (then Johnetta Roberts), and her sister, Rose, were brought to Monrovia by their father Mr. Gallow Roberts in the late 1940s to attend St. Theresa Convent School, Johnetta had no idea that she was destined to make history. By the time Johnetta reached the 11 th grade, her best friend and sister, Rose, had caught up with her through double promotions. By then Johnetta was sure that she had heard an inner voice ''come follow me''. She made her desire known to the Sisters at the convent, but they were not ready to nurture Liberian Vocations. They directed Johnetta to talk with Bishop John Collins about the call she wanted to answer. Bishop Borwah in Ghana had founded a Congregation for African women. After some consultation, the Bishop decided to send Johnetta Roberts and Cecelia Sieh to Ghana to be trained as nuns. About four months later, they returned to Monrovia. The program in Ghana was at the elementary level; Johnetta and Cecelia were out of place.

In October 1957, Reverend Mother Chrysostom Yadusky, Superior General of the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters had brought to Liberia the 2nd group of Religious women to come to this mission land after the Franciscan Missionary of Mary arrived in 1936. They were stationed in Cape Palmas. In 1958, Rev. Mother came to visit her Sisters. But it was always necessary to stop over in Monrovia, Liberia's capital because there were no direct international flights to the southeast and always the Franciscan missionaries of Mary in Monrovia were welcoming and hospitable. On Rev. Mother's return journey to the States, Bishop Collins was her guest. He had a a request to make of her. Would she please take and train as Bernardines two Liberian girls interested in the Sisterhood. Rev. Mother heartily obliged and Johnetta and Cecelia accompanied her to the States. Johnetta had already finished high school, while Cecelia was a senior. In the meantime Rose too, had finished high school at Saint Teresa Convent. Her sister Johnetta did not hesitate to ask Rev. Mother to please give her only full sister a college education. Rose entered Alvernia College and graduated after 4 years with a B.Sc degree in biology.

Johnetta became a postulant in August 1958. After this initial year of formation, she was vested with the habit of the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters and received the name Sister Maria Rosalita; this marked the beginning of her novitiate year. Bishop John Collins of the Vicariate Apostolic of Monrovia, wrote back to Rev. Mother Chrysostom and said, that now he was prepared to see his Maker. The Bishop, by the time his life ended in Monrovia in 1961, had spent 48 years sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ and walking the breadth and length of Liberia's 43,000 square miles. In 1946, he had ordained Liberia's first Catholic Priest, Father Patrick Kla Juwle. Now to see Sister Rosalita in the habit was the icing on the cake of his missionary endeavors. He saw the Church growing from strength to strength with the increase of Liberian vocations. In 1964, Rev. Mother accompanied Sister Maria Rosalita to her home country. The following year, Sister made her Final Vows.

With her BSc in elementary education from Alvernia College (Now Alvernia University) Sister first taught at St. Josaphat School in Philadelphia, USA. In Liberia, Our Lady of Fatima High School in Cape Palmas and Cathedral Catholic School in Monrovia benefited from her teaching skills. Sister Maria Rosalita wanted to do more in her field of education. This is why she did not hesitate to approach the late President Tolbert for a grant to earn a master's degree in education at Seton Hall University in New Jersey, USA. On the heels of that accomplishment, another grant from the Government of Liberia made it possible for her to graduate from Fordham University in New York with a doctorate degree in Administration Policy. Upon her return home, the movernment of Liberia was pleased to add Sister to its staff at the Ministry of Education, firstly with the position of Assistant Minister of Education for Curriculum Development and Student Personnel Services, and later with the position of Deputy Minister for Instruction. Sister remained at the Ministry until the Civil War began to gain momentum as of 1990.

The Liberian s Civil War wreaked havoc with people's lives; internal displacement, fleeing to other lands, killing, maiming and starvation were everywhere. Sister then returned to her Congregation in the USA. Vatican II had brought many changes as to how women religious are to live their lives. Some Congregations adjusted more slowly to these changes than others did. Sister Maria Rosalita felt restrained by the norms of the Bernardines, so she transferred to the Daughters of the Heart of Mary in 1995, but Sister always had a Franciscan heart. She wanted to reach out to the poor whenever and wherever. So as a DHM she experienced her teaching apostolate in Bronx, New York, where she cared for the children of drug addicts, alcoholics, and prostitutes. Despite being mugged several times in broad day light, she remained at her post until her retirement just before the Covid 19 pandemic. The Dicici Retirement home of the Daughters of the Heart of Mary in Holyoke, MA, USA was operational until 2023 when the residents had to relocate elsewhere. Sister Rosalita was transferred to St. Anne nursing home, Colombia, PA. Rather than have Sister Maria Rosalita Roberts, Liberia's first Religious spend her last days in a secular institution deprived of the sacraments, Sister John Ann Proach, OSF, Minister General of the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters and her Council were most gracious in welcoming Sister Maria Rosalita back to the fold where her last days were spent not only with the Sisters she had known and lived with for nearly forty years, but also with the remaining Sisters, some of whom she started her apostolate journey together, their journeys as Women Religious.

A girl from little Rivercess became a trailblazer, reminding Liberian girls that religious life is an option to consider.

Sister Maria Rosalita Roberts, DHM, will be buried in the cemetery of the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters, in Reading, Pennsylvania, a privilege we, her family and Liberians in general are eternally grateful to Sister John Ann Proach, OSF, her Council and the entire Bernardine Franciscan Congregation.

Sister Rosalita Roberts is survived by many loving family members and friends, including her brother, Gallow Roberts, and two sisters, Rose Zoegar and Martha Roberts.

Viewing on Friday, June 20 2025, at 2:00 p.m. at St. Joseph Villa, Reading, PA. Mass on Saturday, June 21, 2025, at 11:00 a.m. at Sacred Heart Convent Chapel, Reading, PA followed by burial in the Bernardine Franciscan Sisters' Cemetery, Mount Alvernia, Reading, PA.

Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc is honored to serve Sister Maria Rosalita's family. Condolences may be expressed at kuhnfuneralhomes.com.

~~ Obituary for Sister Marie Rosalita Roberts written by Sister Laurene Brown, OSF