St. Rose of Viterbo

04/09/15

Today's Saint:

St. Rose of Viterbo

-Born in a poor family in Italy
-Had a disease which made her lay in bed
-Mother Mary appeared to her and instructed her mission
-She got cured and start becoming more close to God
-Her town was conquered by emperor who was against the church
-She preached the people about being faithful to Jesus and his church
-Put in exile
-Prophesied the death of emperor and it happened
-Returned to town, lived in holiness and died

Rose was born around 1235 in Viterbo, Italy. She was a poor girl who lived at the time when Emperor Frederick had conquered land that belonged to the Church. Rose’s special mission was to make the people of her own city and nearby cities remain faithful to the Church and the Holy Father. And this she did when she was just a teenager. In fact, Rose was only eight years old when our Blessed Mother appeared to her while she was sick and told her that she was to wear the habit of St. Francis. Our Lady also told Rose to give good example by her words and actions. Slowly the girl regained her health. She began to think more and more about how much Jesus suffered for us and how much he was offended by sin. She prayed and made sacrifices to show Jesus how much she loved him. When she was twelve, this daring girl began to preach in the streets of the city. She told people to stand up to the emperor who had taken land from the Church. So many people listened to the saint that Rose’s father became frightened. He told her he would punish her if she did not stop preaching. She answered gently, “If Jesus could suffer for me, I can suffer for him. I do what Jesus has told me to do, and I must not disobey him.” For two more years Rose preached with such success that the enemies of the pope wanted her killed. In the end, Rose and her parents had to leave the city. She foretold the death of the emperor a few days before it happened. Back in Viterbo, the saint tried to become a nun, but was not accepted; so she returned to her own home. There she died in 1252, when she was only seventeen. Her body is still preserved and venerated in Viterbo.

In her very short life St. Rose did much good. She did what she knew was the right thing to do, even though it was difficult and did not make her popular. We can ask her to help us be as energetic and courageous every day as she was.