The death on Easter Sunday of Sister Mary Rose Figura, OP, of the Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament in Farmington Hills, MI, prompted prayers and grateful memories in the Archdiocese of Vancouver, with which she had an important connection.
Sister Mary Rose, 91, was the prioress of the Michigan monastery when it led efforts to found a community of cloistered Dominican nuns here. She visited Vancouver a number of times during the early years of what is now Queen of Peace Monastery near Squamish.
Five Dominicans, two from Farmington Hills and the rest from other American monasteries, formed the initial community in 1999, beginning on the property of the former Rosemary Heights Retreat Centre in Surrey and relocating to Langley before the present monastery was built in 2012.
The present prioress at Queen of Peace, Sister Claire Marie Rolf, OP, recalled Sister Mary Rose’s contribution to the Canadian foundation. “She believed in the group and the mission of Queen of Peace,” she said. “Sister Mary Rose was a wonderful character and full of hope for our adventure in creating a new monastic community here.”
There are now 15 sisters at the Queen of Peace, located in the Upper Squamish Valley, including seven postulants, novices, and temporary professed.
Noting her good humour and energy, Sister Mary Rose was described as “a sweeter, Dominican version of Mother Angelica” by Msgr. Gregory Smith, who met them both during his time as chancellor of the Archdiocese of Vancouver.
“We were already friends by the time I visited Farmington Hills, but I have great memories of the warmth of her welcome and the encouragement she offered in every conversation,” he said. “In her later years, she faced major health challenges, but kept in touch and generously assured me of her prayers.”
Born in Detroit, she became a registered nurse, and later a nurse anesthetist, before being called to the contemplative life in 1960.
Archbishop Michael Miller sent his condolences to the Michigan community, which in the current circumstances celebrated the funeral of Sister Mary Rose in a private liturgy April 15.
