SISTER ROSA MAI THI DANG

Rosa Dang was born on April 6, 1979, in Kim Son District, Ninh Binh Province. She was the fourth child among seven siblings, and being baptized one week after birth because of her frail health. Her parents: Mr. Joseph Mai Van Su and Mrs. Maria Phan Thi Mo, named her Dang to offer her to God if she recuperated. Rosa Dang grew up, was nurtured by love, and inherited piety from her family. From childhood, she yearned to devote her life to God in a role-playing game as a sister of Lover of the Cross, who desired to dress nicely as a religious sister. This yearning was flaming in her heart. The turning point of her life began when she was twelve years old. Accompanied by Sister M. Agnes, she left her family for Southern Vietnam. She lived in Nha Trang Community to pursue her schooling and to learn more about religious life. Indeed, it was a rough time for a teenage girl to live far away from her family. She said that she saved all of her pocket and lucky money to send hundreds of letters to her father to ask him to come to take her home because of feeling homesick. However, her father had never received any of those letters because of the address written on the envelopes:

From: Your daughter, in Nha Trang

To: My father, in Ninh Binh.

Time passed by, and she overcame difficulties. Rosa Dang grew more into maturity and intelligence. After graduating from High School, she joined the aspirancy in Thi Nghe Community, where she continued doing her further studies at the Preschool Education College. During this time, Rosa Dang partook in a charity group to help the poor and the despaired. Through humble services, such as washing clothes, cutting hair and nails, group animating, and visiting people, she experienced God’s presence in low and fragile people. The experiences deepened her love for God and humanity.

On August 14, 2003, Rosa Dang and eight other candidates were admitted into postulancy and accompanied by Sister M. Blandine. One year later, she proceeded to the Novitiate on August 22, 2004, at Thu Duc. She made her first profession on July 24, 2007. For the following three years, she studied Theology at Paul Nguyen Van Binh Theological Institute. On August 24, 2010, she was assigned to Thanh An Community as a bursar and participated in other ministries. Two years later, she went to Perth, Australia, for English language learning from August 6, 2012, to May 14, 2013. Then, she went to Davao, the Philippines, to prepare for her perpetual profession for a six-month preparation program. Rosa Dang made a life commitment to RNDM vocation on December 27, 2013, and was missioned to Laos.

At a welcome party on February 20, 2014, Sister Rosa- a new missionary in Laos Church- was named Khun-me Doang by Bishop Louis Marie Ling. Khun-me Doang means a lovely flower. On the following day, Khun-me Doang started learning the Laotian language. After one month, she knew many prayers, remembered the names of many food and meals, and could communicate well in Laotian. Therefore, people said that she was gifted with the language. After a few months of self-studying, she could speak Laotian quite fluently. She frequently came to the “Kilometer 17” Village and helped Sr. Cam Linh settle into a new place with those abilities.

After the preparation period in Pakse, on March 30, 2015, Sr. Rosa and Sr. Thanh Tam were sent to Attapeu to carry out a new mission at a kindergarten school, which belongs to Hoang Anh Gia Lai Company. They worked as a health caregiver and a teacher. The future held many challenges, risks, and uncertainties: the children were too small, where the sisters lived has many snakes, and the hospital was far away. Besides these challenges, they had Eucharistic celebration only once in several months. However, with zeal for mission, the sisters put their trust in God’s care. They gradually adapted to the new life and mission. Sr. Rosa was wholeheartedly involved in any mission entrusted to her. She gained credibility from parents and children. Besides the teaching ministry, she did gardening. The garden teemed with flowers and vegetables of many kinds. She also knew how to treat some common diseases. When people recovered from sickness, she often said: “Dang gave medicine to patients, they drank, and God healed them.” She also became a “skillful snake-killer” by circumstance. Although life was difficult and lacked many things, especially daily Eucharistic, she often experienced inner peace. She was faithful to prayer and spent quality time with God and our Foundress Euphrasie Barbier to draw strength, love, and zeal for mission. Sr. Rosa experienced God’s providence and presence through the love, support, and encouragement from RNDMs and the local bishop and priests.

On September 10, 2017, Sr. Rosa was appointed as the community animator of Pakse Community in Laos. Not long after the end of September 2017, Sr. Rosa felt unwell. She thought her stomachache bothered her again, so she took time to rest. A few days after, she felt her health was rapidly deteriorating; thus, she returned to Vietnam for a proper health check. The result came as a big shock; she was diagnosed with aggressive cancer, which needed surgery and chemotherapy. Therefore, she remained in Thu Duc for her treatment.

In October 2020, Sr. Rosa moved to the senior home to have better care and a restful atmosphere. After 83 times receiving chemotherapy, her body could not accept the treatment any longer. For the last time, she was hospitalized on March 16, 2021, and then was sent back to the community on the feast of St. Joseph. There she received the last sacraments. On March 20, 2021, she breathed her last breath while surrounded by the love and prayer of the sisters, novices, aspirants, and loved ones.

Although suffered much from the sickness, Sr. Rosa embraced all that came into her life with peace, courage, and strong faith. She was grateful to God, the sisters, family members, and friends for their loving care, prayer, encouragement, and close accompaniment. Those who have lived and worked with Sr. Rosa experienced her as kind and sincere towards others, generous, and wholeheartedly self-giving for the mission. She was also a person who trusted, hoped, and loved God deeply.

Rosa Dang’s life on earth was a song of praise to God for calling her to live the RNDM life and mission. She was convinced of her vocation and surrendered her missionary journey to the guidance of the Holy Spirit. She recognized God’s guidance through the congregation, parents, and those who have been her companions on this earth.

We thank God for the gift of Sr. Rosa’s life among us. Thank you for all that she contributed to the life and mission of the congregation. We entrust her to the love of the triune God. May she know peace, love, and the fullness of life in God whom she loved and longed for to be one with forever.

May she rest in peace.