October 6th - Bl. Marie Rose Durocher
Eulalie Durocher was born in 1811 in Quebec, Canada. She was the tenth of
eleven
children. Eulalie's mother died when she was eighteen. Her brother, the
pastor
of a parish in Beloeil, invited his younger sister to his parish. She
became a
lay apostle. She took charge of the household duties for her brother, the
priest. She also started the first parish sodality in Canada. The thirteen
years
she was involved in the life of the Church and the parish were preparing
her for
a special work for God.
In 1843, when Eulalie was thirty-two, the bishop of Montreal asked her to
begin
a very special mission. Eulalie started a new religious order of women
called
the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary. Their particular work for
Jesus
would be to educate the poorest and most neglected children. Eulalie
became
Mother Marie Rose. Others followed this generous woman. They, too,
believed in
the im****tance of educating children for the love of Jesus.
Mother Marie Rose lived only six years after her congregation began.
However,
she helped her sisters from heaven because the community continued to grow
and
open new convents. They started a mission in America, too. They went to
Oregon
in 1859. Today the Sisters of the Holy Names of Jesus and Mary are spread
throughout the world.
Mother Marie Rose Durocher was declared "blessed" by Pope John Paul II on
May
23, 1982.
We can thank Blessed Marie Rose for the sacrifices she made to educate
children.
When we are tempted to "take it easy" at school, we can ask her to give us
the
will power to try our very best.
Saint Quote:
By nature, each one of us is enclosed in his own personality, but
supernaturally, we are all one. We are made one body in Christ, because we
are
nourished by one flesh. As Christ is indivisible, we are all one in him.
Therefore, He asked His Father "that they may all be One as We also are
one."
--Saint Cyril of Alexandria
Bible Quote:
Jesus said to her: I am the resurrection and the life: he that believeth
in me,
although he be dead, shall live: And every one that liveth, and believeth
in me,
shall not die for ever. Believest thou this? (John 11:25-26)
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A prayer to Mary as Queen of the Most Holy Rosary and other titles,
written by
venerable Pope Pius XII, and promulgated by the Secretary of State on Nov.
17,
1942. I am sure he was inspired to pen the prayer in response to the
second
world war, but it seems as much necessary now in this time of "peace."
Queen of the most holy Rosary, help of Christians, refuge of the human
race,
victorious in all the battles of God, we prostrate ourselves in
supplication
before thy throne, in the sure hope of obtaining mercy and of receiving
grace
and timely aid in our present calamities, not through any merits of out
own on
which we do not rely, but only through the immense goodness of thy
mother's
Heart. In thee and in thy Immaculate Heart, at this grave hour of human
history, do we put our trust; to thee we consecrate ourselves, not only
with all
of Holy Church, which is the mystical body of thy Son Jesus, and which is
suffering in so many of her members, being subjected to manifold
tribulations
and persecutions, but also with the whole world, torn by discords,
agitated with
hatred, the victim of its own iniquities. Be thou moved by the sight of
such
material and moral degradation, such sorrows, such anguish, so many
tormented
souls in danger of eternal loss! Do thou, O Mother of mercy, obtain for
us from
God a Christ-like reconciliation of the nations, as well as those graces
which
can convert the souls of men in an instant, those graces which prepare the
way
and make certain the long desired coming of peace on earth. O Queen of
peace,
pray for us, and grant peace unto the world in the truth, the justice, and
the
charity of Christ. Above all, give us peace in our hearts, so that the
kingdom
of God may spread its borders in the tranquility of order. Accord thy
protection to unbelievers and to all those who lie within the shadow of
death;
cause the Sun of Truth to rise upon them; may they be enabled to join with
us in
repeating before the Saviour of the world; "Glory to God in the highest,
and on
earth peace to men of good will." Give peace to the nations that are
separated
from us by error or discord, and in a special manner to those peoples who
profess a singular devotion toward thee; bring them back to Christ's one
fold,
under the one true Shepherd. Obtain full freedom for the holy church of
God;
defend her from her enemies; check the ever-increasing torrent of
immorality;
arouse in the faithful a love of purity, a practical Christian life, and
an
apostolic zeal, so that the multitude of those who serve God may increase
in
merit and in number. Finally, even as the Church and all mankind were
once
consecrated to the Heart of thy Son Jesus, because He was for all those
who put
their hope in Him an inexhaustible source of victory and salvation, so in
like
manner do we consecrate ourselves forever to thee also and to thy
Immaculate
Heart, O Mother of us and Queen of the world; may thy love and patronage
hasten
the day when the kingdom of God shall be victorious and all the nations,
at
peace with God and with one another, shall call thee blessed and intone
with
thee, from the rising of the sun to its going down, the everlasting
"Magnificat"
of glory, of love, of gratitude to the Heart of Jesus, in which alone we
can
find truth, life, and peace. Amen.
Imprimatur: + Francis Spellman, Archbp. of New York, May 30, 1951.
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