Missioners
Sister Rose Guercio
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Sister Rose Guercio began her long relationship with Korea at the Maryknoll clinic in Pusan when the country was recovering from the Korean war. Before leaving for Maryknoll, NY in 2006, she was International Coordinator of the Citizens Coalition for Economic Justice and editor of its English magazine Civil Society sent to fifty countries. |
Rose was born in Astoria, NY and joined Maryknoll in 1947. She earned her R.N. from St. Mary’s School of Nursing, Rochester, Minnesota. Assigned to Ceylon (Sri Lanka) in 1955, she supervised medical wards in a government hospital until government regulations caused the Sisters departure. In Pusan, Korea she was clinic supervisor and assistant administrator with duties increasing as the clinic developed into a hospital with a nursing school. She began her work in rural areas in Okchon clinic, Chung Puk Do supervising and administering the clinic and initiating maternal/child health care programs. As an “exemplary health worker,” she was awarded a Civil Merit Medal. For Sister Rose, “As a nurse the caring aspect of my work rather than the curing aspect became much more important.”
In Jeung Pyeong, she developed preventive health services. She was Director-Founder of a pioneering Medical Insurance Cooperative, enrolling families with an affordable fee. The governor of Jeung Pyeong made her an honorary citizen of the province. “Not only has she given an example to all in the local community of her love and concern for our people but in the medical profession she has given freely of her time and energy.”
In Seoul, Rose and other Sisters had factory workers living with them sparking interest in economic justice, bible study and meetings with small groups of factory workers. Sister Rose was also active with AMOR, the Association of Major Superiors of Religious Women in Asia representing thousands of Sisters.
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