For those of you who have a chance to visit the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C., there is a statue of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne on the crypt level with many American-born saints. You might ask why is her statue there?
French-born to wealthy parents in Grenoble, France, Rose's family was well-connected and various members held posts in the French government. Born in 1769, she was sent to a monastery school run by the Visitation sisters to be educated along with her cousin. From her earliest days she longed to be a religious. Her father, however, had other ideas. When Rose was 17, she went for a visit to the Visitation convent and asked for admittance. She was admitted as a postulant and remained there until the Reign of Terror in France closed the convent in 1792, and sent her and other sisters home.
Rose remained at home until the Reign of Terror was over. While there she worked nursing those who had been imprisoned and others in need. After the Concordat of 1801, when the government allowed the Church to function again, she purchased the Visitation monastery building. With a few other sisters she attempted to restore their original Visitation convent, Sainte-Marie- d'en-Haut. They did not succeed.
In 1804, Rose heard of a new French congregation of women religious, the Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus under the inspiration of Mother Madeleine Sophie Barat. She offered herself and the monastery to Mother Barat who accepted it, along with Rose, and several other sisters who had been with the Visitation Order.
The work of the Society of the Sacred Heart like the Visitation Order was to give young women a Catholic education. Rose continued to do that work between 1804 and 1818 in France. After a visit by Bishop William DuBourg, S.S., a Frenchman who was serving in the territories of the United States. Sister Rose answered his request for religious women educators to teach French and Indian children in his diocese of Louisiana, and the two Floridas. Like St. Therese of Lisieux, Sister Rose had always desired to serve in the missions.
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Recipe for Madeleines taken from SugarSpunRun.com
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At age 49, Sister Rose arrived in New Orleans but settled in Saint Charles, Missouri, near St. Louis where she began missionary work. It was here that she opened the first free school for girls west of the Mississippi River. For the next twenty years she founded many schools. At age 72 in 1841, she was invited to serve in a school for the Potawatomi Indians, in Sugar Creek, Kansas. Many thought she was too old to teach and that was true. However, the Jesuit priest head of the mission insisted she come with these words, "She must come; she may not be able to do much work, but she will assure success to the mission by praying for us . Her very presence will draw down all manner of heavenly favors on the work." She remained in Sugar Creek for one year praying constantly for the success of the mission. The Potawatomi named her Qua-kah-ka-num-ad, which means "Woman who prays always." Her health would not allow her to remain in this poor and isolated region. She returned to Saint Charles to spend the rest of her years praying before the Blessed Sacrament. She died in 1852 at the age of 83.
In 1988 Sister Rose Philippine Duchesne became the fourth naturalized U.S. citizen to be canonized. Her love, tireless work, and prayer for the missions are honored in the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception by a statue depicting her teaching French and Indian girls.
St. Rose Philippine Duchesne, Pray for Us !
A French Recipe: Madeleines
https://sugarspunrun.com/madeleines/#recipe-video
I recommend viewing the video. It is six minutes long and covers details that are helpful in ensuring you have a delicious, light, and tasty cookie to celebrate St. Rose's virtues of prayer and perseverance.
Below is a picture of a madeleine pan which you will need to for these cookies. You can find them online and in many department stores.
A Prayer of Dedication to
Saint Rose Philippine Duchesne
Kim King, RSCJ
When we are asked to be bold and courageous,
You are our inspiration
When our imaginations dream and see beyond the limits of our sight,
You are our hope
When we fail to meet a challenge and need to accept our limitations,
You are our model
When we pray with the desire for deep union with God,
You are our Saint
And with your blessing, to the greater glory of God, we seek to be loving people
who live and serve others with your same purpose, vision, and quiet humility.
Amen
BOOKS for Children
The book by Margaret Ann Hubbard is a Vision book. The book by Barbara Yoffie is from Liguori and the other two are written by Sisters of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne religious order, Society of the Sacred Heart of Jesus.
