Lives of the Saints: 

St. Rose of Lima, patron saint of Latin America (1586–1617)

It takes courage to stand up for what you believe, especially when everyone else seems to disagree with you. St. Rose of Lima, born to parents of Spanish heritage in the city of Lima, Peru, did not back down when her friends and family tried to push her from the path she knew God had set for her.

So great was her love for Jesus that she did all she could to make herself holy. When her parents tried to force her to marry, she resisted. In fact, because she was such a pretty girl and often approached by men, she tried to hide her beauty by rubbing pepper on her face. Marriage may have been what society expected of her, but God wanted something more.

Her father refused to allow her to enter a convent. Not wanting to disobey him, Rose became a member of the Third Order of St. Dominic and continued living at home. She supported her parents when they were in need. She worked in the garden during the day and sewed through the night to provide money for her family. Rose cared for the sick, hungry and elderly in her community as well, often bringing them into her own room and caring for them.

St. Rose cared deeply for her family, but she also worked hard to do what God asked of her. Through long periods of prayer and solitude, she came closer to God. Her faith led her to reach out to those in need around her, and, as a result, it was she who began social services in Peru. So great was her example that, when she died, all of the public authorities of Lima attended her funeral. Rose was the first saint canonized from the Americas.