The Little Rose Newsletter The Voice of the Rose Ferron Foundation of Rhode Island

Volume 4 Issue 2 March 2020 We are still working on moving Fundraiser at Savini’s Pomodo Res- the chapel into the building we taurant in Woonsocket, RI. The date currently call “The Annex.” Cement is set for April 18th 2020. Event to was poured and leveled for a new start at 11am, dinner planned for 12 floor foundation and now walls, noon, close at 3pm. Tickets are $30 ceiling and electrical needs have to each and includes two raffle tickets. be addressed. We had a visit from Rose’s grave is around the corner. three construction instructors from See back page for more details. the Woonsocket Area Career & Technical Center with hopes that Prayer Before a Crucifix they would be able to take on fram- Look down upon me, good and ing the Annex. Unfortunately it hit gentle , while before Your face I a snag. The building is old and could permanently located. A 20-foot humbly kneel; and with burning soul I have lead paint in the interior. Stu- shipping container was procured and pray and beseech you to fix deep in dents are not allowed to work in old- placed in the yard to store these and my heart lively sentiments of er buildings where this could exist. other articles associated with our Faith, Hope and Charity, with true We previously stored many items Foundation’s mission. contrition for my sins and a firm in the area where the chapel will be We look forward to our annual purpose of amendment; while Words From the Foundation President I contemplate with great love and tender pity Your five wounds, Ave Maria!! another friend, Marcel Laliberte, pondering upon them within me, We have been who has dedicated so much of his calling to mind what the prophet going through a peri- time and talent with his construc- David put in Thy mouth concerning od of regrouping as tion and plowing experience. He is You, good Jesus: we had to say good- “They have pierced my hands and my having to step back due to health feet; they have numbered all my bye to a dear friend issues and we will continue to pray bones.” Psalm 22: 17-18 and instrumental part for him to have a healing and regain of the Foundation’s beginnings: strength. former Secretary, Jennifer Claire On the administrative side, you Bingham. should have received your donation Jenn was an original member of the 2019 tax letter in the mail. If you Foundation and truly gave so much of have not, please contact us and we her time, talent and deep spirituality. can get one out to you.

We would not be where we are today We do look forward to the if not for all her dedication. At this Healing Services that will be offered time she has discerned another path at the Castle every Friday during that she needs to follow. She will be Lent from 12-4pm - healing sorely missed by all on the Board of through the Wounds and Precious Directors and, we are sure, by many Blood of Jesus. We also plan to be members she has befriended during open every Friday during the month her time with us. We wish her well of May. Please join us. and pray she holds always the peace of God in her heart. Yours with “Little Rose,”

Also, there is need to mention David P. Ethier Page 2 The Little Rose Newsletter A “Sign” from Little Rose The Foundation purchased our long wait. It read: “Le Château de property in September 2017; it was La petite Rose.” When submitting meant for us to wait an entire year our sign design, the letter “P” in the before obtaining a sign designating word “petite” was capitalized. that this is the home of the Rose Somehow the sign makers over- Ferron Foundation of Rhode Island. looked this and now we had a lower

Finally, the day arrived when our sign case “p” instead. was put up letting people know we Unbeknown to all of us, the were here. During that time of wait- sign was exactly as Little Rose intend- ing, members and directors of the ed it to be. For on that same day, at Foundation talked about, dreamt the earlier Board meeting, our Vice about and voted on what the sign President, Carl LeClair, had brought would say and how the sign would adjourned with a prayer as we went with him to present to the Foundation look. outside to watch the men install our – a piece of paper on which was At the end of September 2018, new sign. handwritten prayers by Little Rose, to while a board meeting was being held It was only after the sign installa- include her signature at the bottom. inside the Castle building, the sign tion was over and the men had left, She signed her name distinctly and we company arrived unannounced on a that we discovered a mistake in the must assume intentionally with a small beautiful sunny fall Saturday morning. sign that we did not request when “p” for “petite.” A reminder of her At the excitement of finally seeing our ordering it. Our enthusiasm lowered wanting to be little in God’s eyes. sign up, the meeting was quickly as the sign was not correct after this * * *

“Jesus said nothing about that. . . I am ready to live or die, as He wills; as nothing is impossible to Him. He alone can make all things out of nothing.” Little Rose to Father Leonard. Excerpt from She Wears a Crown of Thorns by Rev. O.A. Boyer "Littleness. That's why some people have a hard time being humble, because they can't be little. They cannot be aware of their nothingness without becoming disheartened and discouraged and all the rest." ~ Mother Angelica Volume 4, Issue 2 Saint Gianna Beretta Molla Page 3

Many people think of their morning of April 21, 1962, Gianna Eman- mother as a saint in their lives; howev- uela was born by Caesarean section. De- er, not many are recognized as such by spite all efforts and treatments to save the public. Pierluigi, Maria Zita, Laura both of them, on the morning of April and Gianna Emanuela can say that 28th, in extreme pain and after repeated their mother is a Saint and have the exclamations of “Jesus, I love you. Jesus, I backing of the as she love you,” mother Gianna passed on. She was officially canonized on May 16, was 39 years old. 2004 in Saint Peter’s Square, Rome, by St. Gianna is the inspiration be- Pope John Paul II. hind the first pro-life Catholic healthcare The canonization of Saint center for women in New York, the Gianna is the first of its kind. Many “Gianna Center.” The Gianna Center in mothers have been beatified for their Manhattan opened on Dec. 8, 2009, the heroic virtues but they entered religious Feast Day of the Immaculate Concep- life after becoming widowed. In St tion. The work of the Gianna Center is Gianna’s case, the fact that she was a a widespread Roman Catholic lay associa- very different from a standard ob-gyn spouse and mother is being exalted and tion in Italy. She received a medical degree office. For years, the standard medical highlighted. St Gianna is the first can- on November 30th 1949, from the Pavia approach to women’s health was to use onized woman physician and profes- College and opened an office in Mesero the birth-control pill to treat problems in sional who was also a “working mom.” close to her hometown in 1950. It was her any women who are not trying to get Her husband and their children were hope to join her brother – a priest in the pregnant and then using IVF for women present at the canonization. It was the Brazilian missions – where she intended to trying to get pregnant who can’t. Fortu- first time that a husband had ever wit- offer gynecological services to poor women. nately, the work of the Pope Paul VI In- nessed his wife's canonization. However her chronic ill-health made this an stitute has given us a better medical foun- dation. Now that we have the tools Gianna Beretta was born in impractical reality, so she had to be content they’ve developed, including NaProTech- Magenta/Milan, Italy, on October 4th with continuing her practice. In 1952, she nology (Natural Procreative Technology), 1922, the tenth of thirteen Catholic began to specialize in pediatrics at the Milan- Catholic doctors can now deliver better children (just eight survived into adult- ese College where she gave special attention care. This is the first women's health sci- hood) to Alberto Beretta and Maria de to mothers, babies, the elderly and the poor. ence program to network family planning Micheli – both members of the Third She saw her work as a “mission” with reproductive health monitoring and Order of Saint Francis. One of her and increased her generous service to Catho- maintenance. It is a fertility care-based siblings was the Servant of God Enrico lic Action, especially among the very young. medical approach rather than a fertility Beretta. In her family lineage are in- She loved the outdoors and enjoyed skiing control approach to family planning and cluded: a Monsignor, two priests and and mountaineering. gynecological health. Women now have religious nun. She married Pietro Molla on Sep- an opportunity to know and understand Saint Gianna grew up with a tember 24, 1955, and dedicated herself to the causes of the symptoms from which strong faith and a commitment to pray- forming a truly Christian family. She had they suffer. There are a growing number er. Upon receiving her First Commun- three children and juggled the demands of of women asking for it and a growing ion at the age of five, she attended wife, mother, doctor, Catholic. number of medical professionals wanting Mass and received Communion every- In September 1961, toward the end to provide it. day until her death. She prayed the of the second month of pregnancy for her St. Gianna Beretta Molla is the rosary every night with her family as a fourth baby, she developed a fibroma in her patron saint of mothers, physicians, and young girl and with her husband and uterus. The doctors gave her three choices unborn children. Her feast day is cele- children after her marriage. following an examination: an abortion, a brated on April 28th. While studying medicine, she complete hysterectomy or the removal of More on her life can be found dedicated herself to the needy and el- the fibroma alone. Before the required surgi- on https://saintgianna.org/main.htm derly with the St. Vincent de Paul Soci- cal operation, and conscious of the risk that ety. In 1942 she began her studies in her continued pregnancy brought, she plead- medicine in Milan. It was often impos- ed with the surgeon to save the life of the sible to attend classes because of the child she was carrying, and entrusted herself constant wartime bombing. In addi- to prayer. “If you must decide between me tion to her schooling, she was active in and the child, do not hesitate: choose the the Azione Cattolica (Catholic Action), child—I insist on it. Save the baby.” On the Page 4 The Little Rose Newsletter

The Writing is on the Wall A phrase can often be heard: was painted meticulously in an “The writing is on the wall” - said artistic thorn-style pattern of writ- Strong God, Holy God, with the intention of meaning that ing. A small sample is shown in the Immortal God Have pity on us and the something has become clear to the picture below. The English transla- entire world. AMEN understanding of the person tion for this portion is the following: making the statement. This phrase takes on new mean- ing as one walks into the Domestic “Chapel of Thorns” created by Little Rose’s third cousin, Rose Myette. Literally, there are French prayers written all over different locations in the chapel including many curtains and inside a special cabinet that was created specifically to house Little Rose’s Scourged Jesus Statue. This writing

What is Reparation? Little Rose was also affected by this new call to

reparation and healing love. She understood that In June of 1928, Pope Pius XI issued an Encycli- Jesus wanted her to share in this work. That same cal on the Sacred Heart of Jesus in which he year, on December 8, Bishop Hickey permitted a explained the theology of reparation. Reparation is local priest to receive Rose’s private profession of a form of prayer and spirituality that seeks to make religious vows in view of a future religious commu- up for human sins, offering penances and prayers in nity of “Sisters of Reparation of the Sacred Wounds union with the offering of Jesus Himself. The Pope of Jesus.” From that day onward, she wore the explained that what we offer now in the course of elements of a religious habit in her sickbed and time was foreknown to Jesus during His prayer and continued her self-offering with renewed devotion. suffering at Gethsemane. This aided Him in She was also “affiliated” to the Sisters of the accepting the “chalice of suffering.” So our human Precious Blood, a Canadian-founded cloistered acts of love and “repair” have already had a real community. Their New Hampshire Monastery sent success and effect in consoling Him; now in time, two Sisters to visit her in 1929 and present her with they may yet have the effect of conversion and their red Cord of the Precious Blood. re-building the life of grace for our brothers and Rose’s whole life was marked by physical pain sisters. This letter enkindled a new impulse toward and the moral sufferings that sick people endure as reparational prayer, especially in souls and comuni- they strive to persevere and accept their sufferings ties already drawn to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and in a spirit of faith and trust. honor to His Precious Blood and Passion. Volume 4, Issue 2 Page 5 Marie Rose Ferron’s Virtue of Fortitude Excerpt taken from Virtues and Glories of Marie Rose Ferron – a collection of selected articles that appeared in the “Little Rose Magazine” issues from 1965 – 1979. Available in Little Rose Book Nook at the Rose Ferron Foundation of Rhode Island. Everyone with any experience of life in her vocation of suffering on behalf knows the great need men have for of others. When speaking of Rose’s the virtue of fortitude and its related suffering one must include not only virtues. Life is not easy; good is not her many physical afflictions but accomplished without difficulty. many ordeals such as confinement, Perseverance in good is a tremen- persecution, calumny, abandonment dous trial of man’s strength, but only and, the trial of not being able to the brave deserve the prize. Only receive Jesus in the Holy Eucharist the heroes of this life can find the daily. Through all of these she happiness of heaven. The secret of persevered. heroism is fortitude, and the secret of Little Rose is, in our estimation, a fortitude is love. When a man has wonderful modern day example of great love of good – the moral good the courage and fortitude needed by – then he can find strength to be all who are living in these troubled brave in the pursuit of good. Nothing times. renders us so fearless as the love of God, for love conquers all. this is how she spent her life – Supplication for Sinners Constancy in effort consists in suffering in union with Christ for souls. struggling and suffering to the end, "O Lord Jesus, when I reflect without yielding to weariness, Our Lord is the model of mystical upon the words which you discouragement or indolence. Saint victims. The prophet Isaiah (Ch. 53) have said: 'Many are called Thomas remarks: “A special difficul- looks upon Him as a man of sorrows, but few are chosen', I fear and ty is attached to long persistence in who had borne our infirmities, as one tremble for those I love, and I a difficult task.” Yet, no virtue is struck by God and afflicted. Little beg You to look upon them solid that has not stood the test of Rose, being a victim, shared these with mercy. And behold, with time, that has not been strengthened sufferings, but only in proportion to an infinite tenderness, You do by deeply rooted habits. her ability. She bore the infirmities place their salvation in my of the sick and was afflicted for Let us now briefly consider the hands, for everything is sinners. assured to him who knows fortitude practiced by Little Rose during her life of almost continuous Father Boyer relates that when Rose how to suffer with You and sufferings and trials. Father O.A. would come out of the of for You. My heart bleeds Boyer tells us in “She Wears a Crown ecstasy, when her soul returned to under the weight of affliction, of Thorns” of the little prayer that animate her body, it returned with a but my will remains united to Jesus taught Rose when she was fortitude that crushed the obstacles in Yours, and I cry out to You, seven years old. (Supplication for the way of salvation and it acquired Lord. It is for them that I Sinners) According to all that has a hunger and thirst for sacrifice that want to suffer. I wish to been related by her confessor, her even martyrdom could not satisfy. mingle my tears with Your relatives and friends, Rose not only She was often heard while in ecstasy Precious Blood for the said this prayer every day but she begging Our Lord to spare others salvation of those I love! You lived it until the end of her life on this and pile on her their miseries and will not turn a deaf ear to my earth. sufferings. She knew what it would sorrowful cry ... and You will cost her yet she was not afraid to In this prayer her concern and love save them ..." pay the price. for others is so great that she begs Jesus that she might suffer for the Rose was only seven years old It was the virtue and gift of fortitude when Jesus taught her this prayer salvation of those she loves. Yes, and that strengthened Rose to persevere Page 6 The Little Rose Newsletter Our Little Rose and the Opera Singer

One does not normally operatic stage. From the splendid re- think of an opera singer when sults of a benefit concert to aid ten tiny thinking of our Little Rose. How- tots from a Chicago childcare home, ever one played a very important came the inspiration to inaugurate a series of fundraising concerts. part in spreading the word of Marie Rose Ferron in the early She was so impressed with the 1950’s. spirit of sacrifice that was so coura-

Yvonne Chalfonte, lyric geously embraced by Little Rose, that soprano from New Orleans wrote during a visit with Father Boyer, she and sang a two part musical drama arranged to sing a nationwide tour which entitled “The Life of A Mystical included over 44 US States and several Rose” in 1950. It was later Canadian Provinces over a 2-year peri- od beginning in December 1950. expanded into four parts based on the biography of Marie Rose With concert accompaniments, Ferron She Wears A Crown Of Miss Chalfonte narrated the intriguing Thorns by Rev. O. A Boyer, S.T.L. vocal debut singing at a Ball. The history of the devout French-American

She began her musical enthusiastic response she received family into whose care was entrusted career as a pianist and made her convinced her that one day she would Little Rose, youthful victim of God’s realize her dream on the concert and choicest blessings.

Volume 4, Issue 2 Page 7

Laughter is better medicine . . . The Internet Age and Little Rose

YouTube has several clips on the life of Little Rose that are worth viewing:.

An American Rose - also a CD available through Foundation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-xsJiNbna4

Foundation film - in progress https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-gXonvM7yU

Marie Rose Ferron – “Little Rose” Mystic and Stigmatic. Mother Angelica interviews Jeanne Bonin, Author of A Stigmatist https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r9r75vR21gI Rose and Her Disabilities People may know she had the , had to be strapped to a board in bed so she wouldn’t curl up, had deformed feet, had lim- ited use of a hand that needed a brace and even had false teeth. All Time is God’s Time One thing that is not well-known is One of God’s many pre- that she required cious gifts bestowed upon mankind is time. A gift something that that no one on earth can many other people purchase for us, borrow, have. She needed or take away from us but the Giver of glasses to see and time Himself, God, and so we turn to was sensitive to light Jesus the Divine Gardener. To work at times. with Little Rose in keeping her memory alive is to work in God’s heavenly While we have garden whose “harvest is great but the yet to see her wear- laborers are few,” labor that will ing glasses in any last for eternity for an everlasting American Beauty Rose, that will bloom photo the Foundation currently has a pair of both her glasses that forever. The one Rose that God Him- have been handed down from her sister. self nourished and cared for while she was on this earth and who is continu- Our Foundation Supporters ously growing in the hearts of many Jodie Antonnelli after death. An everlasting blooming Joseph F. Arsenault John Harrington Lise Ann Paille Rose whose petals have reached all Priscilla Ashburn Janet Kinney Helen Peltier over the earth and this beautiful fra- Marc & Pat Auger Dr. Darline Kulhan Raymond Piccirilli grance is being received by many Mary Barret Arthur R. Lapointe Lillian M. Ramos throughout the whole universe with Nadine Barrois Msg. M. Malnar Victoria Ricketts each passing day. Anna Nave Joahan Rioux Cathy Boisvert When God gave us this Rose he Michael Casey Paulette Nickel Diana Santo didn’t give it to Rhode Island or to Thomas Collard John O’Donnell Kathryn Wietz Michigan. He gave it to the whole Deborah E. S. Cotham world, and he wants all of us to do Mr. & Mrs. Steve Seyster David & Denise Ethier our part to help this Rose to bloom. Timeless Antiques & Collectibles Collette Fortin In Memory of Rosanna Whitesell Taken from the Little Rose Magazine, edited by Eugene Jane Gauvin Many wished to remain Anonymous Szynkowski, Detroit Michigan, Vol.1 No. 1 Spring 1965 Judith Gendron

Think about leaving something in your will to help us continue to establish Little Rose’s legacy for the future. “It is in giving that we receive.” ~St. Little Rose responded to her Help us to fulfill our mission by 02895 RI Woonsocket, St, Arnold Island, 339 Rhode Ferron of Foundation Rose to: payable PAYMENT: CHECK MAIL https://www.roseferronfri.org/fundraiser ORDERS: ONLINE it. name on with your in anevent envelope the of day the on door the at up pick to you for tickets your hold will we check, event. the before week tickets. raffle

When placing a ticket order online or mailing in your reservation with a a with reservation your in mailing or online order ticket a placing When two and dinner chicken style family a is purchase ticket each with Included

calling by offering her sufferings up to this fun event! forward andlook your support for grateful are We to Jesus for the salvation of souls. joining us at our TICKETS MUST BE PURCHASED IN ADVANCE She lived a virtuous life loving God

Annual Fundraising Event

so intensely that she communicated we that note to important is It her charity when she spoke. She to be held on Saturday

Credit Card payment accepted online only. Please go go to Please online only. accepted payment Card Credit suffered with patience and joy for April 18th, 2020 11am—3pm the good of the Catholic Church. While she was alive many people Dinner to be served at 12 Noon. called on her and asked her prayers; $30.00 per Ticket requested tickets of number with check a in Mail many favors were obtained. Even today, the Foundation is contacted Savini’s Pomodoro Restaurant by many who believe Little Rose Woonsocket, Rhode Island.

-

ticket

interceded for them and answered Tickets will not be sold at the door.

their prayers. a attend will who of count a need

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purchase The Rose Ferron Foundation of Rhode Island has a great mission: to create a “home” and to preserve in this “home” an important historic collection of artifacts telling the inspiring story of the French Canadian born Marie “Little Rose”

Ferron to allow future generations

to learn and benefit from knowledge of her life.

If you have ideas to bring her name forward, please feel free to contact the Foundation By calling President, David P. Ethier at 401-489-5332

Rose Ferron Foundation of Rhode Island 339 Arnold Street Woonsocket, RI 02895

Email: [email protected] Web: roseferronfri.org Egiving: roseferronfri.org/online-giving

Rose Ferron Foundation of Rhode Island

The Rose Ferron Foundation of Rhode Island is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, all volunteer organization. All donations are tax deductible. Our Newsletter is also found on our website listed above. For $5 donation we can mail out hard copy to address you provide.