Carmel and Poverty

There are lovely stories associated with one of the saints of today, St Rose of Viterbo (c1233-1251).  She entered the Third Order of St Francis reputedly in response to a call from Our Lady herself.  I always have a sympathy with other souls who have been in one of the Third Orders.   Rose wished to become a Poor Clare but was refused due to her poverty because that meant she could not provide the dowry required for admission. She accepted her rejection while foretelling her admission to the monastery after her death.  She was originally buried in the small parish church of Santa Maria in Poggio in central Viterbo; however in 1257 Pope Alexander IV ordered that the body be moved to the monastery she had desired to enter, located a few hundred meters away from her original burial, at which time it was renamed in her honour.  Her exclusion from the Poor Clares because of her poverty – bearing in mind the name of this Order - seems very ironic, but it is a reminder of why Teresa did not want entrants into her Carmels to have to provide a dowry.  I like the fact that Rose got her wish to become a Poor Clare metaphorically as it were, in her grave. 

Intercessions:

Cancer: Brian Davis, Bernard (and wife Angela caring for him), Jacqui, Sue B, Theresa K, Fr Jon B

Siena, Elara – sick children

Wojtek – massive heart attack leaving him incapacitated

David OCDS – housebound; Martin Gilham – unable to attend community meetings

Sophia – blind infant

Joy Smith OCDS – seriously ill

Grace – troubling ailments, job difficulties, family (deceased mother and health of father)