Roni Dengel Rolf

Veronica Mary Rolf (also known as Roni Dengel Rolf) 1942-2025

Veronica Mary Rolf was the beloved author of four books on Christian spirituality and theology, which focused especially on the revelations of Julian of Norwich and on groundbreaking ways to integrate biblical spirituality and resurrection mysticism into a life of daily prayer and meditation. Her work as a theological scholar, lecturer, and retreat leader followed a career of almost sixty years in the theatre—as a Broadway and television actress, a professional playwright, and a master teacher of dramatic arts.

Born Veronica Mary Dengel, she became known professionally for many decades as Roni Dengel, and later as Roni D. Rolf, once she married the actor-director Frederick Rolf in 1971.

Veronica was passionate about everything and everyone in her life. She saw the potential in every person—often more than they saw in themselves—and her belief enabled many people and organizations to go beyond what they thought was possible. She was a devoted wife, mother, and grandmother and a widely appreciated religious scholar and author. She inspired thousands of people around the world through her podcasts and live seminars with the hope-filled messages that were so crucial to her own existence.

As Veronica Mary Rolf, she wrote Living Resurrected Lives: What it Means and Why it Matters, co-authored with her daughter Eva Natanya, which won a 2021 Catholic Media Association Book Award for Contemporary Spirituality; Suddenly There is God: The Story of Our Lives in Sacred Scripture, which won a 2020 Catholic Media Association Book Award for Scripture; An Explorer's Guide to Julian of Norwich, which won the 2018 IVP Readers' Choice Award; and Julian's Gospel: Illuminating the Life & Revelations of Julian of Norwich, which won a First Place Catholic Media Association Book Award, among several other accolades.

As Roni Dengel, she made her stage debut on Broadway at the age of nine and literally grew up in the professional theatre, playing leads and featured roles on Broadway, in classical repertory theatre, and on television. She was appointed to be the first actress in the Affiliate Artist program, sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts. In this capacity, she performed her One Woman Shows and lectured on theatre arts as a goodwill ambassador throughout the United States. As a playwright, her work was produced on New York stages and on national television.

She was also the founder and executive director of the Manhattan-based Center for Creative Collaboration, Inc., a not-for-profit organization dedicated to serving at-risk youth through the arts, the marketplace, and the community. In addition, she was the founding Artistic Director of a multi-racial performing arts company—The CharActors—in New York City. For two decades, she trained and directed hundreds of professional actors as a Master Teacher of Dramatic Arts at the Stella Adler Studio (New York City), The Actors' Centre (London), Teatro Andamio '90 (Buenos Aires), and Berkeley Repertory Theatre (California).

In 2007, Veronica created the One Thousand Acts of Peace website, which inspired educational programs for children and adult peace activities around the world. She designed and taught a three-year course on the history of Christian Mysticism entitled "Ascent to the Divine," and also started and maintained the Julian of Norwich Group (with over 8,900 members) on Facebook.

Based upon her published books, Veronica led numerous in-person retreats as well as several retreats online, the recordings from which remain available for free registration from her personal website: https://www.veronicamaryrolf.com

Her popular podcast series—Life, Love, & Light—went in depth to explore "The Revelations of Julian of Norwich" (Season One); "Biblical Mystics" (Season Two); "The Mystical Path" (Season Three); and "Living Resurrected Lives "(Season Four). It remains available on Apple and Google podcasts, Spotify, Stitcher, Pandora, and a host of other directories, including Buzzsprout: https://lifelovelight.buzzsprout.com/

Here are just a few words expressed by those who encountered her life and work:

"She was a beautiful soul whose writings helped my spiritual journey tremendously. I trusted her wisdom and will miss her voice terribly."

"Her warmth filled the room as she taught us about the beautiful life of Julian of Norwich. Her teachings were a gift to all of us."

"Roni was such a force of nature, utterly alive. She lived an incredibly full life, full of giving and sharing God's love through Julian to all who were hungry for Him."

Veronica passed away from cancer at her home in September 2025, surrounded by her family. She is survived by her husband of over fifty-three years, Frederick Rolf, her two adult children, David and Eva, David's wife Leigh, and two teenaged grandsons, Adam and Matthew. In addition to her immensely creative professional life, she was known to her family and close friends as a superb cook, a passionate organic gardener, a skilled poet, and as a woman whose vibrant love and wisdom was poured into everything she did. She was a wonderful listener and guide to both students and friends, and she embraced the entire world in a continual rhythm of compassionate prayer. Veronica lived and died in wholehearted devotion, embodying her faith in countless ways both known and unknown.

(In lieu of flowers, please feel free to make a donation to an international aid organization such as Catholic Relief Services or International Rescue Committee.)

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