Sr. Roberta Desjardins ~ June 20, 2026

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Sister Roberta Desjardins SUSC(Sister Paul Anna)Entered into life: October 31, 1930 Entered into eternal life: June 20, 2026

Sister Roberta Desjardins (Sr. Paul Anna) SUSC died June 20 at Mary Immaculate Residence, Lawrence at the age of ninety-five. Born in Lawrence MA on October 31, 1930, she was the daughter of the late Sylvio and Anna (Turcotte) Desjardins. In addition to her Holy Union Sisters, she is survived by her nephew Paul and his son Jonathan of Lyon, France and Thomas and his wife Brenda of Reno, Nevada. She was predeceased by her brother Sylvio.Sister Roberta was a graduate of Sacred Heart High School, Lawrence. She entered the Holy Union Sisters on January 21, 1951, and pronounced her final vows on July 27, 1959. She studied education and art at the Sacred Heart Teacher Training School in Groton MA and earned a B. S. Ed from Rivier College in Nashua, New Hampshire.Sister Roberta taught briefly in Holy Union Schools in Massachusetts and Rhode Island before being missioned to Cameroon in 1957. She was there only a few years before she was named leader of the Cameroon Vice-Province. In 1971 she was elected to the General Council of the Holy Union Sisters in Rome. When she completed her term, she returned to Cameroon, where she ministered among the Baka people in Moloundou in the tropical rain forest of southeastern Cameroon. In 1984 Sister Roberta returned to Rome for a year’s sabbatical. While there, she worked with the Jesuit Refugee Services at the Centro Astalli, serving the large number of Ethiopian refugees who were fleeing a repressive government. At the end of the year, she returned to Moloundou. In 1995 she was again chosen to lead the Cameroon Region. In 2000 she left Cameroon to serve as the administrator of the Holy Union Generalate Community in Rome.In 2010, Sister Roberta returned to the United States. For several years she was the coordinator of the retired Holy Union Sisters at Mary Immaculate Residence |and volunteered on several Holy Union Committees. In 2025 she celebrated her seventy-fifth Jubilee. At the time of her death, Sister Roberta was the oldest Holy Union Sister in the United States.

To say that Roberta possessed many gifts is an understatement. As a young sister, she was missioned to Cameroon and pronounced her perpetual vows there, something that was unusual. In her different ministries, she turned her capable hands to whatever was needed. Wherever she ministered, she learned the local language which enabled her to relate on a personal level with the people. Long after she left Cameroon, Roberta maintained interest and contact with the younger sisters who were joining the Congregation. Holy Union also benefitted from her linguistic skills when she was called on to translate at international meetings. Because she was at ease with technology, she continued to translate documents for the Congregation well into her retirement. When she returned to Lawrence, Roberta found time to develop her artistic skills, taking classes in pottery, painting scenes of locations from her wide international experiences.

Throughout her long life, Roberta truly embodied Article 58 of the Holy Union Sisters Constitutions:When serving in a multicultural situation or in a land other than our own,we respect the heritage and customs of the people as well as their cultural expressionof God’s presence. Through openness to other traditions, we will be enriched as we serve.

Donations in Sister Roberta’s memory may be made to the Mission Advancement Office of the Holy Union Sisters 205 Bedford Street, Fall River MA 02720You can download a copy of Sr. Roberta’s biography here:Biography DESJARDINS Roberta

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