Patroness of South AmericaIsabel de Flores y del Oliva, called Rose by her mother because of her red cheeks and confirmed with that name by St. Toribio de Mogrovejo, was the first person in the Americans to be canonized as a Saint. Born at Lima, Peru, in 1586, she worked long and hard to help support her family, growing flowers and doing embroidery and other needlework.
Having taken a vow of virginity early in life, St. Rose consistently refused to marry and at twenty years of age became a Dominican Tertiary, and lived in a summerhouse in the garden of her home. Here she practiced penance and mortification, modeling her life after that of St. Catherine of Siena.
St. Rose bore her many and great adversities with heroic patience and consoled the sick and suffering among the poor, Indians, and slaves. Consequently, she is regarded as the originator of social service in Peru. She died in 1617 at thirty-one years of age and was canonized in 1671 by Pope Clement X.
PRAYER: God, You filled St. Rose with love for You and enabled her to leave the world and be free for You through the austerity of penance. Through her intercession, help us to follow her footsteps on earth and enjoy the torrent of Your delights in heaven. Amen.