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

Volume 4 Issue 1 December 2019 Wintertime at the Castle will bring a stop at Little Audrey Santo’s in Worces- slowdown of activities but an increase in ter, MA, and then to the Rose Ferron construction as we continue to rehabili- Foundation of RI. The visit included: tate our secondary building, that we call presentations about Little Rose and our the Annex. In October, a new cement group’s mission and the ‘mementos’ in floor was poured, with many thanks for the Castle - our altar, tapestries, cloth- the donation of the cement. This al- ing and other items. The visit concluded lowed for the floor to be leveled off. A with praying the Divine Mercy Chaplet. portion of the roof was also replaced. It was our very first busload and we A revised floor plan was also drawn feel more than ever the need to com- up by our architect. Many thanks for his plete the Annex to allow for more donated time. This allowed us to apply are hopeful to have a beautiful nativity space. Please continue your support. for and obtain the required building scene displayed in this area for the Ad- Every little bit helps. permit. Now we need to focus on car- vent and Christmas seasons. pentry and plumbing to install wooden On November 2nd, All Souls Day, flooring and a much-needed bathroom we had a visit from a tour group called before the installation of the heating “Catholic Footprints Pilgrimages” from and AC units and new walls to complete New Bedford, MA. They created a spe- the front room. As of this writing, we cial Victim Souls day trip, with the first Words From the Foundation President

Ave Maria! Advent there is still a love and devotion to greetings are wished for Little Rose. you during this beautiful This September was our fourth pres- Season before Christ- ence at the Annual French Heritage mas. May your prayer Festival held in Woonsocket. Also, dur- times and reflections ing this month we held our first yard increase before the fes- sale fundraiser. In October we held tive Christmas Season ahead. our third Rosary Rally at our head-

We are happy to report a total of 48 quarters. This one was different from Memberships and of that number 40 the previous two as we unveiled our joined as Annual Members at $25 a year new “Little Rose Rosary Rally” banner. and 8 as Lifetime Members at $333. On November 2nd, All Soul’s Day, This truly was a boost that allowed us to we hosted a busload of pilgrims from go forward with renovations. Special New Bedford. The tour company thanks and continued prayers for all who showed interest in doing many more One of Little Rose's prayer cards. have joined us as new members. Also, tours in the future. A great sign of Translated: we thank those who continue to donate progress! The Child Jesus is waiting for us at the allowing us to keep moving forward. Manger. Divine Child, I prostrate at the Yours with “Little Rose,” Membership & donations not only sup- foot of Your Manger and from the port us but more importantly show that bottom of my heart, I say: P. Ethier Jesus, my Jesus, I love you.

Page 2 The Little Rose Newsletter Little Rose in Fall River

People think of Woonsocket, RI, Novena to St. Gerard Majella (1726-1755), when speaking of Little Rose. However, Patron of expectant mothers who was Fall River, MA, was where the Ferron said to levitate, bi-locate and had the ability Family first lived in the United States in to read souls. The same abilities were later 1905, after leaving her birthplace of St. attributed to Rose. Remarkably her hand Germain de Grantham, Québec, Canada. was cured when she took holy water one Rose was three at the time; she was a morning after Mass two years later. In an healthy young girl who liked to sing, run instant it opened and once again she could and play but she was just as ready to freely move her fingers. But her foot never pray. At this young age, she had devo- healed, and for twelve years she was unable tions to Saint and to to walk without crutches. When the time the Child Jesus with came that she was no longer able walk and a Cross. she wanted to get to the kitchen or another Father Boyer, room, she would take two chairs and lift author of her biog- and slide herself from one chair to the other raphy, She Wears a until she reached her destination; this being Crown of Thorns, difficult and painful, her family referred to related that around this as her “Way of the Cross.” the age of four, the When Rose would see her sisters Child Jesus appeared and their girlfriends going off to church on to Rose for the first Sunday, she would hear them chattering and time. Years later, Ferron had an ordinary and his wages laughing from her bedroom window — she when asked about had to supply the needs of a large family. just felt crushed. She wished so much to be the vision, Rose said, When he came home he loved to gather his able to go with them. Rose’s teenage years “I saw Him with a family around him and liked to see them were full of sorrows, sufferings and disap- cross, He was looking at me with grief in dance and sing to the music of his violin. pointments because the affliction of her leg His eyes.” The Rosary was said nightly before turning prevented her from taking part in normal Whenever something was lost or in. activities. misplaced in the home, Little Rose would The Ferron children rarely had such pray to Saint Anthony for his help to things as ice cream or cake. When Little find whatever was lost. Her brothers and Rose would be playing with her sisters and sisters sometimes hid certain articles in friends her mother would give them bread order to see if she could find them. She and butter with a little sugar added – this would say a prayer to Saint Anthony then was their treat. look for the items and she always found At the age of ten, she made her First them. She then thanked Saint Anthony Holy Communion. She had a new white for his help. dress with shoes and stockings to match for When Little Rose was eight years the occasion and later wore it when she old, her piety was such that when she began to receive Holy Communion, wanting attended Mass, she would afterward to always be immaculately clean for her Je- make the Way of the Cross or say the sus. Rosary just as some of the elders did. At the age of twelve, she hired herself As a child, Rose loved to sing. God out to work taking care of a lawyer’s family. gave her a very pleasant voice and she Rose wanted to become a nun and give her loved to sing religious hymns. Later, she whole life to Jesus; since she was too young began to sing in the church choir and to enter the convent, this work would help when she would become unable to walk, her family financially. one of her big brothers would carry her While not wealthy, Little Rose enjoyed up to the choir loft so that she could being with friends, playing as most children At the end of May, 1925, the Ferron honor God with the beautiful voice he do. When she was thirteen that was about family moved from Fall River, MA, to the had given her. When Rose was in ecstasy to change. She became seriously ill as a city of Woonsocket, RI. Rose had been she would at times sing in different lan- result of carrying dinner to her father on a confined to her bed for the past three years guages. slushy early-spring day. During her recov- and only rarely got out of bed with the aid The Ferron’s were a poor family but ery, her right hand and her left foot now of crutches. She could no longer get out of they were rich in faith and love. Mr. seemed paralyzed. She began to make a bed and remained so until her death.

Volume 4, Issue 1 Page 3 Preserving Rose’s Thorns When Rose Myette passed Lisieux, in Nasonville, RI, a fellow away in August, 2014, the Domes- parishioner named Marie Magill tic Chapel of Thorns that she and came forward. She told David she her sister Wilda built in their home, had a very large garage that had was in danger of being lost as the just been emptied. She offered it home was willed to Rose’s grand- to him to use for storage for free niece who wanted to sell the house Chapel Location until he could find a permanent quickly. home. One blessing after another The following February in was opening the way for David to 2015, David Ethier, our President, secure the Chapel. was given until the end of the The date was set for the big month to remove the Chapel or move and on March 1, 2015, the purchase the home himself. That heroic effort of moving the Chapel winter was particularly snowy, with and placing it into a garage for snow continuing to fall daily. This storage took place. hampered his efforts as the home Months later, with David’s lead- was on a slight hill - add to this the ership, the Rose Ferron Foundation fact that the Chapel was located of Rhode Island was established in on the second floor. While he did July 2015. However, it was not consider purchasing the home, the Rose Myette’s house, Front View. until September 2017 that the asking price was too high. He then Foundation found and purchased thought of his relatives who were in The next dilemma was where the property on Arnold Street in the professional moving business Woonsocket, RI. Finally, after over and at David’s request, they was this storage to be? While dis- cussing the whole situation with fel- three years, in May of 2018, a agreed to help him move the portion of the Domestic Chapel was Chapel into storage. low parishioners one day after Mass, at his parish, St. Thérèse of “resurrected” for the public to view and experience its beauty.

Rose Myette’s House, Side View.

Friends from MA recently gathered for a photo of their visit to our Do- Left to right: Liz Colebourn, Janet Plonka, mestic Chapel located inside Little Amy Pontbriand and Barbara Humberd Rose’s Castle where they learned about Little Rose. Page 4 The Little Rose Newsletter How can I close the House of God? Ragheed Aziz Ganni was born on January 20, 1972, in the predominantly "How can I close the Christian city of , near Mo- House of God?" sel, . Then the gunmen demanded that Completing a degree in Civil Engi- the four men convert to Islam and neering at University in 1996 when they refused they were shot and after performing obligatory military down. Father was service under the re- martyred in front of his church along gime Ganni entered the seminary in with three subdeacons: Wahid Hanna Iraq. In 1996 Ganni's bishop sent him Isho, Gassan Isam Bidawed and his to for further study. He was an cousin, Basman Yousef Daud. alumnus of the Pontifical University of Thousands of people attended the St. Angelicum where he funeral of the four men in Karemlash, completed a Licentiate in Ecumenical Iraq on June 4, 2007. Father Ganni was Theology in 2003. He was ordained a secretary to , the Chaldean Catholic priest in Rome on of Mosul of the Chaldean October 13, 2001, at the Pontifical Ur- Church, Iraq's largest Christian com- baniana University. serve the Church and people there. munity. During his study in Rome he resid- Father Ganni was a frequent visitor The Vatican Secretary of State Car- ed at the Pontifical Irish College where to Ireland because it was too dangerous dinal Bertone telegrammed Fr. he played soccer for the College. The for him to return home to Iraq during Ragheed’s bishop on behalf of annual showcase 5-a-side tournament the holidays when he was studying in Benedict XVI saying that "Ragheed’s played in May between the Scots, Eng- Rome. Father Ganni went to Ireland sacrifice will inspire in the hearts of all lish, Beda and Irish Colleges has been and worked at the Lough Derg Shrine men and women of good will a re- named the "Ragheed Cup" in his hon- in Donegal. His friends called Ragheed newed resolve to reject the ways of ha- or. “Paddy the Iraqi” and arranged for the tred and violence, to conquer evil with His first Mass was celebrated in Irish hierarchy to offer him a parish good and to cooperate in hastening the Chapel at the Irish College. Today, Fr. after he was ordained in 2001 since it dawn of reconciliation, justice and Ragheed is one of the nine figures rep- was so dangerous in his native country. peace in Iraq." Archbishop Rahho was resented in the apse of that Chapel He refused and stated that he was murdered only nine months after where the relics of St. needed at home. “That is where I be- Ganni's death, in the same city of Mo- rest in the altar there wrapped in the long, that is my place,” he said. He was sul. priestly stole of Fr. Ragheed. Fr. able to return after Saddam Hussein Cardinal Angelo Amato, Prefect of Ragheed regularly offered Mass for the was ousted from power in 2003, even- the Congregation for the Causes of Lay Centre at Foyer Unitas. tually becoming the parish priest of , confirmed in a letter dated Mosul's Chaldean Church. Fluent in , Italian, French, March 1, 2019, that the Vatican had no and English, Fr. Ragheed served as a On June 3, 2007, , objection to starting the process of can- correspondent for the international the Sunday after , Fr. onization of Father Ganni and the agency “Asia News” of the Pontifical Ragheed had just finished celebrating three subdeacons who died with him. Institute for Foreign Missions. the Sunday evening Divine Liturgy The Cause of will have (Mass) and as he was walking away Fr. Ragheed was finishing his degree to declare that Father Ganni and the from the church, the group was in Rome when the Iraq war broke out. three deacons, were killed in odium stopped by unknown armed men. One He received permission from his bish- fidei, Latin for "in hatred of the faith." of the gunmen was heard shouting at op to return to the Angelicum in Rome Fr. Ragheed saying “How many times He is buried in his home parish, to work on a Doctorate in Ecumenism. did we tell you to close the church? Church of the Holy Spirit. ISIS had In a prewar interview he expressed his How many times did we tell you not to ransacked Karemlash, Father Ganni’s opposition to the invasion of Iraq fear- pray in the church?” and demanded to hometown, during their occupation ing that Iraqi Christians would be tar- know why he didn't do it. Fr Ragheed from 2014-2016. They vandalized Fa- geted and persecuted. He looked for- replied asking: ther Ganni’s tombstone but left his ward to returning to his native land to resting place untouched. Volume 4, Issue 1 Page 5 Prayer to St. To thee, O Blessed Joseph, we have recourse in our tribulations, and while imploring the aid of thy most holy Spouse, we confidently invoke thy pat- ronage also. By that love which united thee to the Immaculate , Mother of God, and by the fatherly affection with which thou didst embrace the Infant Jesus, we humbly beseech thee gracious- ly to regard the inheritance which Jesus Christ pur- chased with His Blood and to help us in our necessi- ties, by thy powerful intercession. Protect, O most provident Guardian of the Holy Family, the chosen children of Jesus Christ; ward off from us, O most loving Father, all taint of error and corruption; graciously assist us from Heaven, O most power protector, in our struggle Annex Building Filled with Prayer with the powers of darkness; and as thou didst On Saturday, October 12th, 2019, we gathered for our third once rescue the Child Jesus from imminent peril to annual Rosary Rally. This was our first “Little Rose Rosary Rally” His life, so now defend the Holy Church of God held in our Annex Building on our newly leveled cement floor. from the snares of her enemies and from all adver- May Our Lady lift up our humble prayer intentions to console sity. the Heart of her Son, Jesus. Shield each one of us with thy unceasing patron- age that, imitating thy example and sported by thy aid, we may be enabled to live a good life, die a Laughter is better medicine… holy death, and secure everlasting happiness in “Brothers,” said the preacher, “the subject of my sermon Heaven. Amen. today is Liars. How many in this congregation have read This prayer was written by Leo XIII and attached to his Encyclical, the sixty-ninth chapter of Matthew?” Quamquam Pluries. It has been recommended to be included at the end of the Rosary. NEARLY EVERY HAND WENT UP “You are just the people I want to preach to,” the Reverend said. “There is no such chapter.” Reprinted from The Little Rose Magazine 1973

Think about leaving something in your will to help us continue to establish Little Rose’s legacy for the future.

“Remember, when you leave this earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received ~ only what you have given.” St.

But pray unceasingly also for the rest of men, for they offer ground for hoping that they may be converted and win their way to God. ― St. Page 6 The Little Rose Newsletter

She Never Blamed Jesus Again An original first testimony received through the Foundation’s website at roseferronfri.org on 5/4/18 “1963 to 1968… “We will say the Rosary now.” I “...when I was in bed from a bro- could not kneel because of my leg ken leg that would not heal, I al- so I sat and said the Rosary. After ways had rosary beads at the head we finished, we went to return the of my bed. The rosary beads were rosaries and she said, no, they were given to me by Little Rose's sister ours. I can't begin to tell you what I [Flora Ferron Lemire]. felt because these rosaries were huge and glowed in the dark. That “This one day I was feeling sorry was in 1964. for myself and threw a horrible fit of anger at Jesus on the Cross over “I lost my leg to osteomyelitis in my bed [at this point Jesus broke 1968. I never forgot my beautiful apart from His Cross] and I also dream and never blamed Jesus took the rosary beads and broke again. them into pieces and threw them “Today that Cross is hanging in the on the floor. I cried until I had no bedroom and I cannot put Jesus on more tears left as I am tearing as I the Cross ..I cannot put the nails in type this to you. his hands ..so he sits in the bureau drawer and my rosary [from Flora] look at Him once more but I knew hangs on the picture of the Blessed one time was enough although I Mother. wanted to look again. “I am in my own home taking care “A few weeks later, my friend came of myself and praying to Jesus eve- in from New Jersey and as always ry day, I know he is taking care of we went to visit the shrine of Little me for there is no way I would be Rose in Woonsocket [Flora’s Chap- able to care for myself….. He is

el, 302 Providence St]. This time, giving me strength to go forward.” Little Rose's sister [Flora] came to Frances Pinto, me and to Mary [my friend] and handed us rosary beads and said, Saunderstown, Rhode Island, USA

Mrs. Pinto touches the image of Little Rose every time she passes by.

“Well, that night I had the most beautiful dream of Jesus and He was going to paint the picture of the Last Supper for me and as He said that I was on the floor before His most beautiful face. He was sitting on a couch and my injured leg was outstretched on the floor. I smiled at Him and he smiled back. I put my head down and wanted to Volume 4, Issue 1 Page 7

Received from Devotées September 2019 The Work of the Foundation “Dear Overseers of the Rose Ferron Foundation [of Rhode Island], We very much appreciate your work to make Rose known and loved. … two orders enclosed. One is for me, and the second is for my cousin. Her Mother included the names ‘Rose’ and ‘Marie’ in her name in honor of Rose Ferron!” – A. M., Louisiana, U.S. A Great Devotion “I just received the September (2019) Newsletter and was very pleased to read all the varied information pertaining to Little Rose and her family. “Thank you again for contacting me as I do have an avid interest in the life of Rose Ferron which included much suffering and following the will of our Lord for so many years. Her sacrifice was remarkable and her story should be heard across this nation and the world.” – B.T-T., Massachusetts, U.S. I Will Begin “Thanks for the packet of “Little Rose” cards, Novenas, newsletters, etc. I have (an illness) and will begin a Novena tomorrow asking “Little Rose” for a miracle. Add me to your prayer list.” – M.R., Arizona, U.S. [Your intention has been added to our ‘prayer basket’ in Little Rose’s Castle and the Foundation offers prayers individually, at monthly Board meetings, during our Rosary Rallies, at our various events, and at Masses for the intentions of Members, Benefactors and Friends. – Ed.] Our Foundation Supporters Joseph Arsenault Marcel Laliberte Marc & Patricia Auger Carl LeClair People from Richard Ayotte Diane M. Libucha across the coun- Valerie M. Baker Marie L. Magill Richard Bannister Material Concrete Corp. try and around Louise Barba Patricia & Agnes McHugh the world con- Nadine Barrois Paulette C. Nickel Judith A. Betlach Lorraine R. O’Coin tinue to visit our Cathy Boisvert Lise Ann Paille Jasminka Brayton John Papariella new headquar- Nichole Burgdorf Nancy Pellegrini ters, including Catholic Footprints Pilgrimages Dan Peloquin, Architect Thomas Collard Helen M. Peltier one visitor who Daniel Comerford Janet M. Plonka Paul & Mildred Collamati Mary J. Raymond had a very Lucille Delannoy Janet Robidoux special license Anna Maria Dias, O.P.B. Margaret Ruhnke Laura Dominick Steven R. Seyster plate! David & Denise Ethier Barbara Trainor Tessier Fred & Nicole Fraser Timeless Antiques & Collectibles Jose L. Garza, Jr. Marylyn H. Vogt Jane Gauvin Donald Watson Sharon Geving In Memory of Newly Available in our Little Rose Book Nook Philip Gidley Rosanna Whitesell Edward ‘Sonny’ Goryl "Coronada de Espinas" Spanish Translation of "She Wears A Crown Many wished to remain Anonymous of Thorns," by Rev.O.A.Boyer, S.T.L. Softcover $20.00 + P&H $5.00 Dr. Darline Kulhan If you have ideas to bring her name and life forward, please feel "American Stigmatist," by Fr. Hebert George Kramer, S.M. free to contact the Foundation President, David P. Ethier by Softcover $5.00 + P&H $3.00

EMAIL : [email protected] WEB: roseferronfri.org “Virtues and Glories of Marie Rose Ferron,” a new 2019 reprint of the 1984 Calling David at 401-489-5332 book originally printed by the “Friends of Little Rose,” $15.00 plus $4.00 P&H. or on FACEBOOK: Rose Ferron Foundation of Rhode Island

Rose Ferron Foundation of Rhode Island 339 Arnold St. 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 a hard copy to an address you provide.