Rose of Lima

Saint Rose of Lima
memorial
· 23 August

Profile
Who was the first American Saint? If you said Elizabeth Seaton, or Mother Cabrini you would not be correct. Our Saint for today was indeed the first saint born in the Americas. She was born to Spanish immigrants to the New World, Peru.

As you may be able to guess it is said she was a beautiful girl and devoted daughter, all these female saints are described as “beautiful.” I’m sure many were very devout…but statistics say they were probably at least very ordinary in appearance. As Jerry Seinfeld has said, “have you been down to the Department of motor vehicles lately? It’s a Leper Colony down there…” In spite of the statistics though was so devoted to her vow of chastity that she used pepper and lye to ruin her complexion so she would not be attractive.

Rose became a Dominican, lived and meditated in a garden, raising vegetables and making embroidered items to sell to support her family and help the other poor. She was also a visionary. One of her “visions” was the impending earthquake that was going to destroy Lima Peru unless all the people prayed to stop it. She convinced everyone to pray and “miraculously” there was no earthquake. Too bad the Brooklyn Bridge wasn’t built yet she could have found a buyer.

She received the best kind of stigmata that there is, invisible stigmata. She only felt the wounds of Christ but no one could see them….. How convenient. I believe I have invisible stigmata, every morning upon arising. My hands are stiff, my feet hurt and my lower back from the scourging. I pray to Saint Ibuprofen or Saint Tylenol and it generally goes away miraculously.

Through her life she suffered from assorted physical and mental ailments. Like seeing earthquakes and feeling stigmata among the rest. For all practical purposes though, she was the founder of social work in Peru.
Born
· 20 April 1586 at Lima, Peru as Isabel

Died
· 24 August 1617 at Lima, Peru of natural causes

Patronage
· against vanity
· Americas
· Central America
· embroiderers
· florists
· gardeners
· India
· Latin America
· Lima, Peru
· needle workers
· New World
· people ridiculed for their piety
· Peru
· Philippines
· South America
· vanity
· West Indies

Representation
· anchor (noted for being steadfast in hope and courage in spite of great sufferings)
· crown of flowers
· crown of roses
· Dominican tertiary holding roses
· Dominican tertiary accompanied by the Holy Infant
· Holy Infant
· roses

Readings:
Lord, increase my sufferings, and with them increase Your love in my heart. - Saint Rose of Lima
Apart from the cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to heaven. - Saint Rose of Lima