Her Life, A Hymn of Praise: In Memory of Sr. Rosalia Sabud, OND

SR. ROSALIA BAJAO SABUD, OND
May 25, 1957 – JUNE 3, 2025

TAMONTAKA, DOS, MAGUINDANAO DEL NORTE – SR. ROSALIA BAJAO SABUD, OND returned peacefully to our God at 1:58 P. M. on June 3, 2025, at St. Paul Hospital in Tacloban City. Fr. Larry Sabud, SM and Anna Marie Sabud Beatisula, her siblings and OND sisters were with her. She succumbed to septic shock.

Sr. Roselle was born in Davao city on May 25, 1957, the eldest child of 8 siblings of the late Mr. Pastor Sabud and Mrs. Raquel Bajao Sabud. She was 22 years old when she left her family and joined the Oblates of Notre Dame in Cotabato City in 1979, then made her first profession of the evangelical counsels on May 31, 1983 and the final vows on March, 27 1989.

Before her entrance to the Congregation of the Oblates of Notre Dame in Cotabato City, Sr. Roselle was an active member of the San Antonio de Padua Youth Organization (SAPYO) in Agdao parish in the Archdiocese of Davao where the OND sisters were having their missionary engagement and bloomed into a lively offering of the Sabud and Bajao family to the Church and to the world.

Her motto “I will sing to the Lord all my life. I will sing to my God while I live” (Psalm 104:33) was her guide and inspiration that captured her humble disposition to be of service to God’s mission as she carried efficiently and with all dedication the various ministries entrusted to her, expressed with generosity and creativity, relating with the people filled with compassion and friendliness.

For (42) years and (3) days of consecrated life, her mission engagements in the Philippines was in Cotabato, Cebu, Leyte, NCR, and in foreign mission of Texas, U. S. A.

Sr. Roselle’s mortal remains arrived at the Notre Dame of Abuyog Chapel last June 3, 2025. Fr. Larry Sabud, SM her brother priest from the Marist Fathers community and the Parish priest of Abuyog offered the 1st wake mass. The succeeding wake masses: Fr. Ej Montejo, Fr. Romeo “Romy” Murillo, concelebrated by Fr. Noel Abrenio, Fr. Larry, SM and Fr. James Setal was attended by the support personnel of NDAI with some teachers and friends.

June 6 – Sr. Roselle’s body was brought home in Davao. Wake mass at the Sabud residence in Agdao, Davao City was presided by Fr. Kevin Mendiola, SM with Fr. Larry Sabud, SM co-presiding. In attendance were the Sabud and Bajao families and relatives, Marist fathers and OND sisters, neighbors and Sr. Roselle’s Batch mates and friends.

The following day she was brought to St. Therese Care Home in Tamontaka.

June 7 – Fr. Larry Sabud, SM; June 8 – Fr. Ramon Bernabe, OMI; June 9 – Fr. Gerry delos Reyes, OMI with Fr. Larry Sabud, SM and Fr. Nestor Silva, OMI as co-presiders.

The Funeral Mass for Sr.Roselle was celebrated at Our Lady of Hope Chapel in Tamontaka on June 10, 2025 at 9:00 in the morning and burial rites followed at the adjacent OND cemetery with Archbishop Angelito R. Lampon, OMI, D.D. as main presider and Fr. Larry B. Sabud as the homilist; con celebrants were OMI Fathers and Marist Fathers.

On behalf of the congregation of the Oblates of Notre Dame, Sr. Erlinda C. Hisug, OND Superior General, expressed her gratitude to all who were companions of Sr. Roselle in the various ministries and communities, and especially the doctors, those who provided accompaniment to her during her days of confinement in Abuyog, Leyte; her doctors, nurses and other medical personnel at St. Paul’s hospital in Tacloban City; those who journeyed with her mortal remains to Davao and Maguindanao.

To the priests who offered mass while Sr. Roselle was in Abuyog, the Most Rev. John Du, Archbishop of Palo, Leyte who took time to visit her wake. She also conveyed her gratitude and appreciation to all from far and near, who offered generous assistances or joined the ONDs in praying for the repose of the soul of Sr. Roselle and in thanksgiving for the support given to her who in life, strove to please God always.

“We bid you farewell Sr. Roselle. In our hearts you remain. The missionary impetus you lived and witnessed we shall strive to embody more and share to others too. We love you and we greatly miss you. To God we usher your going to final rest and union. Pray for us as we continue to pray for you. Embrace Jesus for us.” (Sr. Marilou Fernandez, OND)