Mary Rosera Joyce, 90, St. Cloud

June 20, 1930 - May 23, 2021

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, May 29, 2021 at St. Mary’s Cathedral (Upper Church) in St. Cloud for Mary Rosera Joyce, age 90, of St. Cloud who passed away on Sunday, May 23 at the Country Manor in Sartell. Reverend Scott Pogatchnick and Reverend Anthony Mellace will con-celebrate. Entombment will take place at Assumption Cemetery Mausoleum in St. Cloud.

Visitation will take place one hour prior to services at the Church. Arrangements are with the Daniel Funeral home in St. Cloud.
Born June 20, 1930 and raised in Lena, Wisconsin; eldest child of Paul and Saba (Ausloos) Rosera. Her siblings are: Fr. Milton Rosera, M.M., who served as a Maryknoll missionary priest in Chile; Rita (John Scheffen); Donald; Ervin; Eloise (Vernon Shallow); Elaine (David Demro); Alfred (Shirley) and Bernadette (Rafael Rodriguez). Mary is survived by numerous nieces and nephews.

Mary at age 16, dedicated her life to the true, the good and the beautiful. Mary is well known for her intellectual writings in philosophy: she was a true lover of wisdom. Mary was known to say, “Bob and I loved wisdom together”

Mary taught philosophy at De Paul University and the College of Saint Benedict. Her husband Robert Joyce was a professor at St. John’s University.

Three years before Roe v. Wade, Mary and Bob prophetically anticipated it and wrote the book, Let Us Be Born. The morning after the Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion on demand at all stages of pregnancy, a radio talk-show host called her for a comment. Mary Joyce’s statement became the theme of the prolife movement: “We need to protect human life from conception to natural death.” Mary contributed to the second edition of Let Us Be Born published this spring.

Robert and Mary Joyce were ardent defenders of the right to life of preborn children, and were founders and leaders in Minnesota Citizens Concerned for Life. Mary wrote many persuasive pro-life letters to the editor.

Mary was a philosopher and author, having written many books (some with her husband Robert). New Dynamics in Sexual Love, 1970, on human sexuality as deeply rooted in the whole person. The Meaning of Contraception, and Love Responds to Life, both critique contraception, and defend Humanae Vitae. She wrote How Can a Man and Woman Be Friends? - on the four qualities of friendship. An explanation and defense of the ordination of men only to the Catholic priest-hood (in Sisters Today). Mary published many Pro-Life articles in The Wanderer; and a critique of abortion in Women and Choice. Her philosophy essays are in the New Oxford Review. Mary’s final essay sums up her lifework in “Man, woman, and their Love as an Image of God the Holy Trinity.” Some of the books are available at www.meaningforbeing.com

On earth, Robert and Mary Joyce were lights that led the way for life; in heaven, they will shine as living “stars” with the saints.