THE CROSS AND THE ROSE-PART 2

THE CROSS AND THE ROSE - PART II

OUR LADY OF THE ROSES 

It is here at my mother's home on June 17, 1997, my mother has given me a small box, which was full of medals of saints, small crosses, and rosary beads. These had belonged to my uncle and grand-parents who have since passed away. My mother is 86 years old and these are the special items she wanted me to have. I placed the medals of saints and small crosses on my bedroom dresser on an organizer tray, underneath the crucifix, which hangs on my bedroom wall. On August 31, she gave me another box she found, with more medals of saints and small crosses, and also a chaplet of beads which belonged to her mother. On Sept. 7, I placed these medals and crosses on my dresser along with the other ones she had given me. There was also a small clear plastic envelope, with a medal tucked inside. It was loosely folded over on the open side, with a staple. I opened up the envelope. There was a jolting, sparkling, sizzling bolt, that jumped out and shot into the pile of other medals on my dresser. (It was like a genie, let out of a bottle.) A strong scent of flower aroma immediately filled the air around my dresser and lasted all night. It is a relic medal of Mother Catherine Aurelie Caouette, of the Precious Blood Monastery in Saint Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada. At this time I do not know much about Mother Catherine Aurelie, only that she was born in 1833 and died in 1905 (33 finds me again). Her name Catherine Aurelie, closely resembles the name of the coach's wife I gave my cross to at a basketball game. Why this is all so, I do not know, or what the relevance is. These unexplainable things continue, and what I have told you, is of truth. 

The chaplet of beads my mother had given me, was broken in many pieces and she hoped I could fix it. The relevance here is unexplainable, for on Sept. 9, when I looked at it closely, I saw that it was a chaplet in honor of the 33 years and the blood-sheddings of Our Lord Jesus Christ. It has 33 beads in the shape of small red hearts. (These small red hearts are also like the beads on the rosary, Rosalie had shown me at Fr. DiOrio’s retreat in Sturbridge on August 11, 1996.) I put together the broken pieces of the chaplet, restoring it to its original form, and started praying it daily. The origin of this chaplet is unknown to me; what is remarkable is this: the red heart-shaped beads are exactly like Rosalie’s rosary beads; 33 finds me again; I myself made a chaplet of 33 beads in honor of our Lord's life, passion and death, before this, on July 9. I cannot explain, why this chaplet of 33 beads has come into my possession, but the connection to my threes, is astonishing. I have placed this chaplet on my dresser, along with the crown of thorns chaplet that I made, and also my rosary beads which have turned to gold. 

It is on Jan. 30, 1998, I am in my car at work, at lunch time, praying the rosary. I am in about the middle, when I have this deep interior locution. It is an internal vision: “To find a plot of land; to build a large size rosary, planted with red rose bushes. The perimeter of the rosary at its highest point, should dip down to form the shape of a heart. At the lowest point and beginning, is to be a cross made of numerous white rose bushes in proportion to the rest of the rosary. Each bead of the rosary, to consist of three red rose bushes. Each Our Father of the rosary, to be of three white rose bushes. There is a path of flat stones to walk upon going left and right, winding around amongst the roses of each bead. In the center is some sort of rock garden, with a large boulder; there is a place of water; and a statue of Our Blessed Mother and Immaculate Heart; and the Sacred Heart of Jesus. It is to be a place, for the purpose of prayer, of rosary, solace, and reverence, with Our Blessed Mother, and Our Lord Jesus.”
How is this to happen; or where; or when; or by what means; I do not know! It was beautiful; and the thought of this, as a place of meditation and prayer, is really beautiful. I reflect upon this, as the possible significance, of my connection to the red rose and the scent of roses. For this, is what may be pursuing me: to somehow, make this happen; that all who come here, will find peace, and be enriched in prayer, with Our Lady of the Roses. 

In October 1997, My friend Daryl had given me a bookmark-size card (2 x 7½) of Our Blessed Mother, with a picture of Her looking upward, with a tear, falling from Her eye. There are red roses in each of the four corners. The words on it read: “Mary, We pray for your Immaculate Heart to Triumph.” I have placed this bookmark, underneath the crucifix, setting it on my organizer tray, on top of my Pieta prayer booklet. Our Blessed Mother is looking upward at her Son on the cross. This sorrowful tear on our Blessed Mother’s cheek, sets the tone for how I feel, and what I hold within my heart and soul. Every day with my hand, I have wiped away this tear from Her face, with compassion, and reverence. A falling tear melts me, and has a deep touching effect internally within me. For a falling tear is but the release of the soul; a calling out in anguish, desperation, sorrow; the pouring out of thy inner self. Each time I see a falling tear, it is a weakness in me, that opens my emotional reservoir; for at this moment, I have consumed their pain with them. 

On July 10, Daryl has given me a plastic vial. The shape of the container is of Our Blessed Mother, and it is filled with water from Lourdes. It is on July 13, I have used this Lourdes water in blessing myself, the crucifix, and medals. I then placed drops of the water on and around all the items on my dresser, and on the statue of Our Blessed Mother, and the bookmark of Our Lady, and kissed them. A very, very, strong scent of aroma of lilies broke out. 

On July 23, I was deep in prayer, holding the crucifix in my hands, and said: “Jesus, I lift up my heart and soul to you.” The scent of roses flourished strongly for a moment. At the conclusion of my prayers, I prayed the novena to Saint Therese: “O Little Therese of the Child Jesus, please pick for me a rose from the heavenly gardens and send it to me as a message of love. O Little Flower of Jesus, ask God today to grant the favors I now place with confidence in your hands . . . (mention your special request). Saint Therese, help me to always believe as you did, in God’s great love for me, so that I might imitate your 'Little Way' each day. Amen.” 

And after my private petition, I asked St. Therese to send me a rose, as a confirmation that she heard me. I got up and went to my dresser, returning the crucifix on the wall and looking at my Pieta prayer booklet. It has a picture of Our Blessed Mother holding Our Lord's body in her arms. I opened the cover, and on the inside (I hadn’t noticed before) it read: This booklet is published in Hickory Corners, Michigan, by the Miraculous Lady of the Roses. Unexplainable. 

It is on July 29 after work, I called The Miraculous Lady of the Roses, in Michigan. I spoke to a woman there, and asked her if there is actually a Lady of the Roses. She told me there is Our Lady of the Roses of Italy. I asked her to send me information about Our Lady of the Roses and further questioned her, if the scent of roses was associated with her. She said yes, and told me a little about it, and also about a woman from Massachusetts with this scent of roses. I told her about my scent of roses, and my spiritual writing. I eagerly await this information in the mail. 

On Aug. 8, I received the package in the mail, regarding Our Lady of the Roses, that I had requested. It is here, the facts present themselves about Our Lady of the Roses of San Damiano, Italy. On Oct. 16, 1964, in a small Piedmontese village, Rosa Quattrini a 60-year old peasant, saw Our Blessed Mother for the first time above a pear tree in her garden. Our Blessed Mother announced to Rosa Quattrini she was to be called Our Lady of the Roses, and appeared to Rosa every Friday and Feast day. Our Lady of the Roses, has given many messages during the apparitions. The main message was to pray, and pray the 15 decades of the rosary. On Oct. 21, 1996, Our Lady of the Roses requested during an apparition to dig a well in the corner of the garden, she has called, “Her little garden of paradise.” On October 26 the well was completed, and many cures and conversions have taken place through the Miraculous Water of San Damiano. Rosa Quattrini known as Mama Rosa, visited Fr. Padre Pio many times for guidance. The last public message to the world was on May 31, 1970; on June 1, 1970, she was restricted and forbidden to transmit further messages by order of the Bishop of Piacenza. Mama Rosa Quattrini, the instrument of the Madonna of the Roses, was born Jan. 26, 1909, and died Sept. 5, 1981, at the age of 72. 

Within this information, I received a sealed envelope which contains rose petals and the petals of the pear tree, Our Lady of the Roses appeared over. This was a total surprise, as I did not know about any of this, or the existence of any such petals. This very morning, as I was anxiously awaiting today’s mail for this material to arrive, I prayed to Saint Therese for roses, rose petals, and the scent of roses. Once again, “a beautiful tangible gift, I indeed understand.” On Aug. 10, I called the Miraculous Lady of the Roses in Michigan, and spoke to Lillian whom I had spoken to before. I asked her about the petals she sent me. She told me since I had the scent of roses, she sent them to me, but she doesn't send them to everyone, only by request. 

It should be noted here, within this writing: when I wrote about the rosary made of rose bushes in the shape of a heart, I referred to this as Our Lady of the Roses. I did not know what else to call it; the title seemed very appropriate. Until July 29, 1998, I was never aware there was an actual, Our Lady of the Roses. Unexplainable! 

All I have written here, is of truth, in the name of Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen. 

Robert J. Varrick

rjvarrick@gmail.com