Sister Rosenda Brady, CSJ
Rosenda (Florence Meurial) was born in Kenogami, Quebec. She entered the Congregation of the Sisters of St. Joseph of Pembroke and served her Congregation faithfully for over 68 years.
Her parents were directly from Ireland, and Sister Rosenda took great pleasure in exhibiting her Irish heritage. She was a great entertainer with a fabulous sense of humour.
Her career was focused on accounting and administration duties. Early in her career she went to Barrhead Alberta to work in a hospital. This is where she initially learned the working operation of hospitals. Her greatest accomplishment was her position at St. Francis Hospital in Barry’s Bay. She began working in the accounting department but not long after she was appointed as Administrator of the hospital. In addition to her job in Barry’s Bay she served as a member of her Congregation’s General Council in a finance position. In 1977 after 11 years at Sr. Francis Memorial Hospital she took on the task of Administrator of the newly built Valley Manor senior citizen’s home in Barry’s Bay.
During her time in Barry’s Bay, her main outlet for recreation was teaching skiing, tennis and swimming. Her keen interest in tennis was recognized by a resident of Barry’s Bay, who eventually donated a parcel of land so that two tennis courts could be built for the residents. She was very proud of this.
Sister Rosenda was awarded the Centennial Commemorative Medal and also the Queen’s Jubilee Medal for her contribution in the health field and community involvement in Barry’s Bay.
In her own words, "Everything I was given by my religious community I shared with the staff in the Hospital and Home where I was administrator. It was just a thrill for me to see each person becoming happy to be who they really are, and to experience their thirst for more knowledge of God."
Donations to our Peru Mission in memory of Sr. Rosenda can be made through our website here.
Expressions of sympathy can be made at pembroke@csjcanada.org