Sister Rosemary Benson, OSF 1931-2024

Sister Rosemary Benson, OSF, passed away on Friday, March 1, 2024. She was 92 years old and a member of the Franciscan Sisters for 76 years. 

Sister Rosemary was born April 23, 1931 in Buffalo and raised in Lackawanna as the youngest of three girls.

From an early age, she had a passion to teach children and reach out to those who were away from the Catholic faith. She chose to join the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Divine Child, a religious order that addressed those ministries, entering religious life in 1947. 

Taking the name Sister Mary Martha, she embarked on a journey of faith and service that spanned nearly eight decades.

 Her ministries took her to Batavia, Rochester, Texas and Cattaraugus County. Sister Rosemary spent over 40 years in the Southern Tier of Western New York teaching religious education, visiting homes, leading retreats, and serving as pastoral associate in the Angelica, Belmont, Belfast and Scio.

In 2004, the Franciscan Missionary Sisters of the Divine Child merged with the Franciscan Sisters of the Neumann Communities. Sister spent her senior years as a “minister of praise,” dedicating hours in prayer for the needs of the broken, the forgotten and the lost. Her joyful presence was a response to the love that she daily felt from her religious community, her family, friends and especially her faith.

 Sister Rosemary is survived by her many nieces and nephews and the Sisters of St. Francis of the Neumann Communities. 

Her funeral will be held at OLV National Shrine & Basilica in Lackawanna on Thursday, March 7 at 10:30 a.m.