The Woman Who Prays a Lot!

The Patron Saint of Faith in Adversity

On November 18th, we celebrate the feast day of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne. She was born in 1769 in France to a wealthy family. At the age of 19 she joined the convent with much family opposition. She remained faithful to her calling, but as the French Revolution began to wreak havoc on the country, her convent was closed. St. Rose continued to serve the Lord by taking care of orphans and even risked her life caring for priests who were in hiding. Once the war was over, she joined a new order, The Society of the Sacred Heart and continued to follow her calling by taking care of children overseas in Midwest America.

St. Rose had a deep desire to minister to the Native Americans, especially the children. She founded the first Indian School and the first free school for girls west of the Mississippi River. Her gentle countenance and love of God helped her to create authentic and powerful relationships among the Native American people. She taught many of them about God and was faithful in teaching them how to pray. Her nickname was “the woman who prays a lot.”

In her final years, St. Rose returned to the convent in St. Charles where she spent her final years in prayer. She died at the age of 83 and is remembered for leading many people to the Lord. St. Rose left behind a legacy of faith, perseverance, and missionary zeal. She had complete trust in God’s will for her life and her example is full of humility, patience in God’s timing and dedicating her life to working for the benefit of others.

In 1940, Pope Pius XII beatified her, and in 1988, Pope John Paul II canonized her, recognizing her as a powerful female saint in the church. She is often remembered as a patron of perseverance, especially for those facing seemingly impossible obstacles in all areas of life: work, relationships, vocation or in their faith journey. The Shrine of St. Rose Philippine Duchesne is located in St. Charles, Missouri.

As Catholic women, we each face unexpected circumstances in our lives that give us the opportunity to be a reflection of Christ through prayer, perseverance or going out of our way to serve others. St. Rose Philippine Duchesne is an example of looking to God to show us how to do the right thing even in the face of adversity. By following in her footsteps, we can make a difference by allowing ourselves to be transformed through prayer. This transformation allows us to show up in the world as the face of Christ even when life is full of ups and downs and to be a light in the darkness with those who are in need of encouragement.

Here are a few quotes from St. Rose Philippine Duchesne:

• Do not look back to the past, nor forward to the future. Claim on the present, for it holds God’s will.

• Preach by example of your lives rather than by words. Example is the very best sermon.

Her prayer:

Lord, I lean on You alone for strength. Give me your arm to support me, your shoulders to carry me, your breast on which to lay my head, your Cross to uphold me, your Eucharist to nourish me. On you Lord, I shall sleep and rest in peace.

Jennie Guinn is a Catholic speaker, Life Coach, Podcaster, Weekly Radio Show Host on Nashville Catholic Radio and Radio Maria USA, and the founder of Catholic Moms in the Middle. After 26 years of working in Catholic education, Jennie felt God calling her "to step out of the boat" to serve in a new way. In her new ministry, she equips and encourages middle-life women to encounter the love of the Father and to be transformed and healed by the power of the Holy Spirit so they can MAGNIFY Christ in their corner of the world.