Jubilarian 2023 - Sister Rosemary Flanigan

Sister Rosemary was born in Kansas City, Missouri. She was received into the Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet in 1948 as Sister Thomas Marguerite. She earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy from the College of St. Teresa in 1947, a master’s in philosophy from St. Louis University in 1956 and a doctorate in philosophy from St. Louis University in 1964.

Sister Rosemary served in education for 42 years of ministry. In 1950, she began teaching elementary education at St. Patrick Grade School in Denver. That same year, she moved to St. Louis and taught at St. Leo Grade School for a year before teaching at St. Teresa of Avila Grade School until 1954.

Moving to secondary education, Sister Rosemary taught from 1954 until the early 60s at the Academy of Our Lady/Spalding in Peoria, Rosati-Kain in St. Louis, and St. Francis de Sales High School in Denver.

Then she became a full-time student, completing her doctorate in 1964. She transitioned to higher education serving as an administrative staff member and professor at Fontbonne College for four years and then moved to Kansas City, Missouri, in 1968.[i]

She taught at Avila College until 1973. For the next two years, Sister Rosemary taught at Longview Community College and St. Teresa's Academy.

In 1975, she began 17 years of service at Rockhurst College, where she taught and chaired the philosophy department.

In 1992, Sister Rosemary retired from Rockhurst and began 18 years at the Center for Practical Bioethics where she served as the director of the ethics development and education committee, as both ethics consultant and program consult.

Sister Rosemary retired in 2010. Since 2022 she has resided at Nazareth Living Center, continuing to carry out her ministry of prayer and presence.

She is especially proud of a lecture series which was established in her name by the joint boards of the Ethics Center and of St. Joseph Medical Center that annually addresses an ethics issue in healthcare delivery.

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