Today is the Feast of Saint Rose of Lima (1586 – 1617) in Peru who was the first person from the Americas to be canonized when she was raised to the altars by Pope Clement X in 1671. But why should we celebrate her feast day? Here's a great little reflection by Dawn Haussman, pictured above, who is the Director of Consecrated Vocations for the Diocese of Lansing. Dawn writes:
Blessed feast day of our sister in heaven, Virgin Saint Rose of Lima! She has a wild and inspiring story in that she so deep desired to belong solely to Christ as his bride that she tried to disfigure the beauty of her face so she wouldn’t be as attractive to men who wanted to marry her. She fought her parents on this topic, and they finally allowed her to remain single but not enter a religious convent. Hence, she is considered a virgin bride of Christ in the world, not a religious sister in a convent, though she did become a Third Order Dominican.
Rose also began living in a hut in her family’s garden to afford more time of solitude with the Lord, while opening her room to help people in need: homeless children, elderly, and the sick. She’s also known for doing rigorous acts of penance. Beautiful Saint Rose of Lima, pray for us, that we also may have passionate love for Christ, courage to live radically different in the world for the kingdom, and have a heart for service to those in need in our lives.