Posted on: 30 December 2024

Author:Sister Joan Kerley

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YOUR PRAYERS ARE REQUESTED FOR THE REPOSE OF THE SOUL OF
SISTER ANNE BROSS
Who died in Franciscan Convent, Burnley on the 28TH December 2024

Anne was born in the State of New York on September 7th 1943 to John Bross and Dorothy Rodgers and was baptised on September 26th at St. James church where she also received her First Communion and Confirmation. Anne had three brothers and a sister, named Mary. Her brothers are deceased but Anne enjoyed telephone conversations with Mary until recently.

Anne graduated from Mercy Secretarial High School in 1963 in Albany, New York; entered the congregation in Albany and made first vows on 8th December 1965. She took the name Daniel Marie.

After profession she was appointed to the Mill Hill College in Slingerlands and then Broughton Hall, UK, followed by a time in Bryn Eithin, Wales, before returning to the US where she became a parish sister while studying at Maria College.

Anne trained in gerontology and was passionate about giving committed and loving service to the elderly. For many years, her responsibilities as a parish sister in Albany included visiting the housebound, taking Communion to them and assisting in various parish ministries. In later years she worked for the Eddy Health Care System where her principal duties were focused on ensuring that the elderly residents in their care facilities understood what resources and state benefits were available to them, visiting them in their apartments and, in conjunction with other staff members, organizing social events and parties.

Although Anne never went ‘on the missions’ herself, she was very interested in what the Sisters were doing and for many years she went on mission appeals in various parts of the USA.

Anne was a very practical person who was often called upon in the community to fix stuck windows, sew on buttons, unclog drains and generally help out with simple household repair jobs. She was quite adept at catching mice as well!

In 2007, she participated in a Sabbatical Course at the Franciscan Study Centre in Canterbury after which she remained in Canterbury, helping in the library of the Franciscan Study Centre and became a volunteer chaplain at East Kent NHS Hospital Trust. When the Franciscan Study Centre closed its doors Anne, along with Sr. Margaret McGrath, took up residence in Burnley.

In Burnley her generous nature and childlike simplicity endeared her to both staff and sisters, and she blossomed under the care she received. Anne became gradually more incapacitated as her Alzheimer’s progressed, but she still responded to everyone. On Christmas Eve a sharp decline in her health could be seen and she died peacefully on 28th December.

MAY SHE REST IN PEACE