Saint stories
Saint stories
Saint Rose of Lima
Rose de Flores was born on April 30th, 1586 (the feast of
Saint Catherine of Siena) in Lima, Peru to Caspar de
Flores and Maria del Olivia. She was baptized as Isabel de
Santa Maria de Flores on May 25th, 1586.
Isabel was named after her grandmother. Her
grandmother was honored that her daughter, Maria named
this beautiful child after her. Maria told her mother that
she once had a vision in which she saw a beautiful pink
rose over Isabel's cradle. "That rose was a sign from
heaven telling me to change the child's name to Rose," said
Maria. "I'm absolutely convinced of it." Isabel's
grandmother replied, "A sign from heaven indeed! It was
nothing but your own imagination!" Isabel's mother and
grandmother argued over Isabel's name a lot. Maria
began to get tired of arguing with Isabel's grandmother
and told Isabel that her name from now on was Rose and
that she was not to answer to anything else.
When Rose was five years old Maria decided to try to
teach her to read and write. Maria became impatient with
her daughter and decided to stop teaching her because she
wouldn't learn. Rose wanted to learn to read and write so
much that she prayed to Jesus and asked Him to teach her.
One day while Maria was busy in the kitchen Rose came up
to her and said, "Mommy I can read" .Maria didn't believe
her and told Rose that it wasn't nice to tell stories. Rose
said," But I'm not telling stories. Jesus taught me to read!"
Maria told her to go get a book and show her. Rose ran
and got the biggest book off of the shelf and brought it
back to her mother. She opened the book and began to
read the life of Saint Catherine of Siena. Maria was
amazed and asked her who taught her. Rose said that Jesus
did but Maria did not believe her.
As Rose grew older she learned to love Jesus more and
more. She offered up all her sufferings for those who did
not love Him.
When Rose was old enough she became a Dominican
Tertiary. She lived with her parents, sold flowers from her
garden and took care of the sick. Her father gave her one
of the rooms in their house for a sick room. There Rose
took care of all of her patients. Rose took care of the most
gross diseases and became ill herself. She accepted the
offer of Don Gonzalo de Massa and his wife to take care of
her the last three years of her life.
Rose died August 24th 1617 when she was 31 years old.
Rose was canonized by Pope Clement X for the many good
works, sufferings and praying that she did during her life.
Saint Rose of Lima was the first canonized Saint of the
New World. Saint Rose of Lima's feast day is August 23rd.
Maria Goretti
Today's Saint!
Maria Goretti was born October 16th, 1890, in Corinaldo, Italy. In 1896 her
family moved to Colle Gianturco where they shared a house with Alexander
Serenelli and his father Giovanni. Later they moved to Ferriere de Conca.
Not to long after they settled down Maria's father, Luigi Goretti, was
stricken with malaria and died.
In the summer of 1902 Maria was sitting
at the top of the stairs mending a shirt and watching her sleeping baby
sister. Alexander Serenelli walked up the stairs and into the house. Maria
heard him fumbling around with tools inside. Alexander called Maria into
the house. Maria hesitated. Alexander grabbed her by the arm and dragged
her into the house. Maria new what he wanted. Alexander told her,
"let me have you or else". Maria told him, "No! It is a sin! You will go to
hell! Alexander became so enraged that he stabbed her 14 times with a knife.
Twenty four hours later Maria died.
Maria was declared blessed by Pope Pious XII on April 27th 1947. Three
years later she was declared a saint for her purity. Saint Maria Goretti's
feast day is July 6th.
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