Catholic Fire

August 23 is the optional memorial of St. Rose of Lima, virgin. Isabella Flores de Oliva was born April 20, 1586 to Spanish immigrants in Lima, Peru. At her confirmation, she took the name of Rose, because as an infant, her face had been seen transformed by a mystical rose. She was pious from an early age. At age five, she built a small chapel for herself in the family garden. When she made her first Confession, she obtained permission from her confessor to make a vow of virginity. Rose had a strong devotion for Jesus and His Holy Mother and spent long hours praying before the Blessed Sacrament. With St. Catherine of Siena as her model, Rose fasted three times a week, offered up severe penances, and when her vanity was attacked, she cut off her beautiful hair, and wore coarse clothing. She frequently deprived herself of food, water, and sleep. As a result of her exterior mortification, she had interior mystical experiences as well as long periods of darkness and desolation. F...

August 23, 2013. (Romereports.com) She lived hundreds of years ago, but her impact is no less profound. Saint Rose of Lima was the first saint from the New World, a place that today houses more than half of Catholics worldwide.   FATHER JOSE TOLA Pontifical Commission for Latin America “She was a woman with an exemplary Christian life, a woman of constant and deep prayer. She is well known for her penitence, because she suffered from the ailments of Christ. And she spent many years of her life doing strong penitence, fasting and other sacrifices. But she also dedicated herself greatly to helping out the poor and the needy.” Saint Rose was born Isabel Flores de Oliva to a large family in Lima, during the early days of the Spanish colony. It was a time of expansion and conversion for the Catholic Church. Early on, Saint Rose displayed an affinity to religion. Her beauty was well known, and her nickname, Rose, came from her rosy cheeks. Although her beauty attracted many su...

Isabella de Flores was born April 20, 1586 to Spanish immigrants in Lima, Peru. At her confirmation, she took the name of Rose, because as an infant her face had been seen transformed by a mystical rose. She had a strong devotion for Jesus and His Holy Mother and spent long hours praying before the Blessed Sacrament. With St. Catherine of Siena as her model, Rose fasted three times a week, offered up severe penances, and when her vanity was attacked, she cut off her beautiful hair, and wore coarse clothing. She frequently deprived herself of food, water, and sleep. As a result of her exterior mortification, she had interior mystical experiences as well as long periods of darkness and desolation. For fifteen years, she went through the "dark night of the soul." Rose worked hard to support her poor parents (by embroidering and gardening) and she humbly obeyed them, except when they tried to get her to marry. That she would not do. For ten years she fought them on this issue as ...