Sr. Rose Raymond Barba is the assistant administrator for Assisi House. She first came to Assisi House 12 years ago to help her friend Sr. Jane LaManna, who was then the Assisi House administrator and was seeking volunteers. At the time, Sr. Rose Raymond was studying for a certificate in pastoral counseling from Neumann University. She didn’t anticipate an extended ministry at Assisi House, but then her work evolved from helping out to serving as the assistant administrator.

Sr. Rose Raymond first became familiar with the Sisters of St. Francis when she attended Little Flower High School, in North Philadelphia. She was pleased to find her Franciscan teachers well grounded, encouraging, challenging, “normal,” and—especially—both prayerful and able to have fun. They showed “how to serve God and not be so stiff.”  READ