Misunderstood by Her Family, St. Rose of Lima Became a Dominican Tertiary
St. Rose’s family tried in vain to convince her to marry.
Feast Day: August 23
More than four hundred years ago in South America, there was born a girl whose beauty was intended not for this world, but for the next. St. Rose of Lima was so attractive that she drew the stares and admiration of others. She was so abhorred by this that she rubbed her face with pepper and lye to disfigure it.
From an early age, Rose was interested in the things of God. As a young girl — in imitation of Saint Catherine of Siena, another Dominican — she began to fast three times a week and performed severe penances in secret. She resisted the attempts of her parents to get her married and spurned the attention of suitors who began to notice her. Despite the censure of her parents, she spent many hours contemplating the Blessed Sacrament, which she received daily.Finally, out of frustration, her father gave her a room to herself in the family home, and with the help of her brother, she built a small cell in the family’s backyard garden, to which she went for long periods of time for prayer. She supported her family with her needlework and with flowers that she grew, and helped the poor in various ways. Continue reading ‘Misunderstood by Her Family, St. Rose of Lima Became a Dominican Tertiary’ »
