The Marquette community mourns the loss of Sister Maria Rosa Leggol, OSF, a Honduran Franciscan nun who received an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree from Marquette in May 2009.
Sister Maria Rosa Leggol raised and educated more than 40,000 Honduran orphans over fifty years. As an orphan herself, she entered the religious life at a young age. She joined the School Sisters of Saint Francis at that order’s Mother House in Milwaukee and completed her novitiate at the age of 24. She celebrated serving more than 70 years devoted to religious life.
Sister Maria Rosa was a catalyst for many programs that assisted the people of Honduras, including her role as one of the founders of Global Brigades – the world’s largest student-led global health and sustainable development organization. In 2003 she launched the organization alongside Marquette alumnus Dr. Shital (Chauhan) Vora, H. Sci ’04, PT ’06, to provide medical and dental care to rural communities in Honduras. Sister Maria Rosa’s overall work impacted 86 free health clinics across that country.
Since 1877, the OSF Sisters have been committed to serving the sick, the poor, and all those the Lord sends our way with the greatest care and love.
Please remember Sister Maria, her family and friends in prayer.
