St Rose of Lima--1586-1617

Rose of Lime is the first canonized saint of the New World. She was a frail child and originally named Isabel but at her baptism the bishop (who was later canonized and is known as St. Turribius) inadvertently named her Rose and the name stuck. Even as a young child Rose was known to pray before the crucifix in her mother's room when she was just old enough to walk. She was a lay Dominican. (A lay Dominican is a member of the order who remains as a lay person but who enters into the prayer life and spirituality of the order. Lay Dominicans can be married or single, male or female.) Hence, Rose never entered a convent and lived at her family home. Rose, with the help of her brother, built a small hermitage in the family garden where she spent many hours in prayer--but only after her 10 hours of daily household duties were completed. She lived a life of abstinence and penance. Rose is a model for all harried twentieth-century Christians because she found ways to pray constantly – even while she worked.

She is portrayed with a crown of roses. She is the patroness of the Americas. Feast Day: August 30.

In the symbol panel, the Infant Jesus, to whom St. Rose had an extraordinary devotion, is surrounded with a circlet of roses..