SR. ROSAIRE BISHOP OSF
S. Rosaire Bishop, age 87 of the Sisters of St. Francis in Oldenburg, died on July 3, 2021, at the Motherhouse in Oldenburg. Born as Mary Kathleen on October 7, 1933, in Indianapolis, to Charles and Marie (Scharfenberger) Bishop, she was the third of 11 children born into the family, and arrived on her parents’ second wedding anniversary. Her parents’ first-born were boy-girl twins, and later they would welcome a second set of boy-girl twins. After welcoming nine girls and two boys to the family, her parents often joked, “The only way we could have any boys was through twins.”
A native of Indianapolis, Rosaire’s parents often read to their children – which launched Rosaire’s life-long quest for knowledge. The family attended Assumption Parish, and Rosaire graduated from St. Philip Neri grade school followed by St. Mary Academy. By the third grade, Rosaire had decided she wanted to be a Sister, but it was during her high school years at St. Mary Academy that she became familiar with the Oldenburg Franciscans and made her decision to enter the Community.
Rosaire entered in 1951, following in the footsteps of her older sibling, S. Madonna, Through the years Rosaire earned a bachelor’s degree in Education at Marian College in Indianapolis, a master’s of Arts degree from Clarke College in Dubuque, IA in 1970; a certificate in Egyptian Culture at the American University in Cairo in 1974, and finally a master’s degree in Library Science from Indiana University in 2003. S. Rosaire expanded her teaching knowledge by enrolling in offerings at the Robert Taft Institute of Government at Indiana State University; Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge in King of Prussia, PA; International Studies at Westminster College in New Westminster, PA; Economic Workshops at IUPUI; and Geographic and Cultural Literacy of the Middle East at The University of Michigan.
The Franciscan’s 40-year teaching career began in 1953, and included St. Aloysius in Bridgetown, Ohio; St. Francis in Kansas City, MO; St. Wendel in Wadesville; St. Peter in Chillicothe, Ohio; St. Clare in Cincinnati; and the following schools in Indianapolis; St. Christopher, St. Mark, Little Flower, St. Bernadette, Central Catholic, and Martin University. Rosaire changed her career path in 1996, to serve as a librarian at both the Sisters’ Motherhouse and Oldenburg Academy, leaving the Academy in 2005, but continuing as librarian for the Sisters until her retirement in 2018.
Rosaire once noted, “I enjoyed teaching in the classroom environment, and each summer I would expand my knowledge through additional learning to prepare myself for the coming school year. In the early 70s, our Community nominated three Sisters to travel to Egypt, and I was fortunate to be nominated. We explored Athens, Greece and Cairo, Egypt. We visited a pyramid, rode a camel and captured lots of slides, which I shared with students and other teachers as a unique international learning experience. I believe learning is a lifetime process, and it has filled my life.”
She is survived by sisters Sr. Madonna Bishop OSF, Thelma Bray, Ann Morrison, Cathy Stebanau, Joan Forthofer, brother Jerry Bishop and numerous nieces and nephews. She’s preceded in death by her parents, sisters Joella Frentz, Linda Cox, Alice LaPenza and brother Harold Bishop.
Visitation is Wednesday, July 7, from 1 – 3 p.m. at the convent. Funeral services follow with Rev. Michael Chowning officiating and burial in the convent cemetery. Those who have been vaccinated are welcome to attend but masks are mandatory. For those unable to attend, the service will be live streamed 3 p.m. Wednesday at https://youtu.be/3cEN2VOsFiE. Memorials may be made to the Srs. of St. Francis (www.OldenburgFranciscans.org), P.O. Box 100, Oldenburg, Indiana 47036