Our “Saint of the Week” series continues this week , and this week we feature Saint Rose of Lima. She was born, was raised, and died in Lima, Peru (South America), and when she was canonized in 1671, she became the first American to be declared a saint. Her saintly life on Earth began when she was confirmed; she took the name of Rose when she was confirmed because of her unusual red complexion, which she and her family took to be a sign of God’s particular love for her. As a child, she was remarkable for her great reverence and love for all things relating to God. She gave herself to a life of prayer and mortification, which fostered her intense devotion to the Infant Jesus and His Blessed Mother.
After reading the works of Saint Catherine of Siena, she adopted her as her model for her own life, a holy endeavor that culminated in her taking a vow of virginity, a vow strengthened by her commitment to regular prayer and fasting. She was an industrious worker as well as prayerful, and she was particularly skilled with lace and embroidery, by which she helped to support her family. She would eventually receive the habit of the Third Order of Saint Dominic. Many miracles were attributed to her soon after her death in August of 1617, which paved the way for her relatively swift canonization in 1671.
Saint Rose of Lima is a great and holy model of humble, earthly sainthood through quiet prayer and hard work. May she inspire us to live lives of holiness in our own daily living.