She was born in France, just prior to the French Revolution. Without telling her parents, at the age of 19, she entered the convent of the Visitation sisters.
As the French Revolution broke, hostilities towards the Catholic Church caused many convents to close, including that of St. Rose. Yet that did not stop her from ministering to the poor, sick, and homeless.
When the Revolution ended, she attempted to bring her community back together, but she was unsuccessful. So she and the few remaining nuns joined the young Society of the Sacred Heart, whose young superior, St. Madeleine Sophie Barat, became her lifelong friend.
From the time she was a young girl, Rose longed to go to America as a missionary among the Native Americans. When the bishop of New Orleans in Louisiana came to convent looking for missionaries, St. Rose volunteered. She and 4 nuns made the 70-day sea voyage and worked for several years establishing parish schools in Louisiana and Missouri.
Finally, at the age of 72, in poor health, she began a mission at Sugar Creek, Kansas, among the Potawatomi tribe. Their convent was a wigwam and they slept on the bare ground. Let me say it again…at the age of 72! They opened a school for the Indian girls, but she had great difficulty in learning the native language, and had to spend her time praying and caring for the sick.
The severe winters and the lack of proper food sapped her health, and she died, thinking herself a failure.
She was the first missionary nun among the Indians, and courageously blazed the trail for a host of valiant women who were to follow her. She did not convert people by her speeches, she converted them by her prayers and her charity towards them. A priest said of her, “her kindness was like water, pure and fresh, to which the Indians could come and drink.” Her example spoke volumes to those she served, sewing the seeds of the Gospel through her kindness.
St. Rose wrote, “we know that God does not require great achievements from us, but a heart that holds nothing back for itself.” Through the Eucharist we celebrate today, where Jesus gives himself totally for our salvation, may we give our entire hearts to be poured out in service of those in need, hearts to be transformed by grace, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
- - - - - - -
That all Christians may exercise courage and fortitude in laboring for the good of souls.
In thanksgiving for the consecrated religious whose selfless efforts laid the foundation of faith for so many in this country.
That our young people may have as their role models, Christians of magnanimous spirit and heroic charity.
For all the needs of the sick and the suffering, the homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, the underemployed and unemployed, immigrants and refugees, victims of natural disaster, war, and terrorism, for all those who grieve the loss of a loved one, and those who will die today, for their comfort, and the consolation of their families.
For all who have died, for those whose names are written in our parish necrology and all the deceased members of our parish, for deceased clergy and religious, and for all the poor souls in purgatory for whom we pray in a special way during the month of November, and for X. for whom this Mass is offered.
Incline your merciful ear to our prayers, we ask, O Lord, and listen in kindness to the supplications of those who call on you. Through Christ our Lord
No comments:
Post a Comment