Announcing:
Saint Mary's Press winner for the week of September 13th, 2010!
Congratulations to Jonathan Hay!

Jonathan will receive a copy of Everyday Justice, a $14.75 value.

Everyday Justice
by Alan J. Talley, Scott Holzknecht

Everyday Justice brings the principles of Catholic social teaching to teens, whether they are using it as a companion for a social justice course, to broaden their personal understanding for justice issues, or as a reflection guide while they are on a service project. But more than that, it inspires them to respond to our Gospel call. Each day begins with a quote from the Scriptures, a Church document, or an advocate of justice and is followed by a reflection, a prayer, and a call to action.

Everyday Justice
ISBN: 978-0-88489-858-0, paper, 384 pages

Hispanic Heritage Month
By Steven McGlaun

September 15 marks the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month. September 15 was selected as the starting date for this celebration because that date is the anniversary of independence for El Salvador, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Costa Rica, and Honduras. Additionally, Mexico celebrates its independence on September 16, Chile on September 18, and Belize on September 21. Hispanic Heritage Month is a time to recognize and celebrate the positive impact Hispanic Americans have had and continue to have on the United States of America.

The Catholic Church in the United States is greatly impacted and enriched by the presence of Hispanic Americans. In research dated July 2009, it is estimated that roughly 40 percent of Catholics in the United States are Hispanic. When you look at the numbers for the youth population, over 50 percent of Catholic youth in the United States are Hispanic. In terms of youth ministry and religious education, this number carries significant weight.

Fe y Vida
The research sited above comes from the Instituto Fe y Vida. If you are not familiar with Fe y Vida, it is "a national Catholic formation nonprofit corporation created in 1994, to serve the fast-growing young Hispanic population in the United States." They work to help Catholic leaders respond to the needs of Hispanic youth and young adults. Saint Mary’s Press has been blessed to partner with Fe y Vida in their work. One way we have partnered with them is in the publishing of La Biblia Católica para Jóvenes, which is the first Catholic Bible in Spanish created for youth and young adults. As a part of their mission, Fe y Vida continually looks at the needs of young Hispanic Americans in the Catholic Church and works to develop resources to help meet those needs.

Factors Needing Attention
In the resource Pathways of Hope and Faith Among Hispanic Teens: Pastoral Reflections and Strategies Inspired by the National Study of Youth and Religion (2007), Fe y Vida identifies ten factors that need to be addressed in our Church to effectively minister to and with Hispanic youth. I would like to highlight one of these factors, an inadequate attention to the multicultural dimension of youth ministry.

In addressing this point, two key actions and attitudes are explored. First is the reality that a parish may need to provide different cultural groups with ministry programs specific to that group. Many parishes may "feel compelled to maintain a single youth ministry group or program based on their sensitivity to the injustice implied in any kind of ‘segregation’" (Pathways of Hope, p. 334). Providing "culturally appropriate programs, events, and leadership development activities for the various sociocultural segments of the community" (Pathways of Hope, p. 335), however, is not segregation. It is in fact a pastoral response to the needs of the community.

A second way we are called to respond is to provide training in multicultural awareness for all youth. One action you can take with your young people is to guide them in developing an awareness of other cultures, an understanding of racism, oppression, and the experiences of other cultures. In Renewing the Vision is a clear directive that "ministry with adolescents needs to counteract prejudice, racism, and discrimination" (p. 23). In the "Make It Happen" resource this week, you will find a half-day or evening retreat addressing racism. In developing an awareness of other cultures, it is important to be cautious of not beginning from a place of one culture being the "objective norm" and making "the minority teens feel uncomfortable, forcing them to make a spectacle of the ‘differentness’ of their lifestyle from the perspective of the dominant culture"(Pathways of Hope, p. 338). Instead, we can set out to give young people the opportunity to deepen their understanding of their own cultural heritage in a group of their peers, and then invite all groups to share aspects of their identity.

What Does This Mean for You?
So, what does this mean for your ministry? Each one of you is in a unique situation. The population of young people you work with is unlike any other group. There may be similarities with other schools and parishes, but your community is unique because each one of the young people you encounter is unique. In terms of meeting the needs of the Hispanic youth in your community, look for young people who are not participating, who sit alone, who look like they have questions they are afraid to ask, and reach out. Also, if your diocese has an office for Hispanic ministry, contact them for resources and guidance. If your diocese does not have a Hispanic ministry office, contact another diocese that does have one. If you have Hispanic ministries at your church or school, find out what is going on and how you can be of assistance.

As ambassadors of Christ, we each share a responsibility to reach out to all of God’s children. Hispanic Heritage Month provides us with an opportunity to pay particular attention to how we share the Good News with this fast-growing population within the United States’ Catholic Church. I pray that God will continue to bless you and your ministry.

Peace,
Steven McGlaun

Click Here for More Information

Racism: Our Response (150 minutes)
A Half-Day or Evening Retreat Experience
From Total Youth Ministry: Justice and Service

Overview
Racism is a sin that violates people’s human dignity. Our Baptism requires that we protect and honor the human dignity of each person. In Renewingthe Vision, the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) writes: "Ministry with adolescents needs to counteract prejudice, racism, and discrimination by example, with youth themselves becoming models of fairness and nondiscrimination" (USCCB, Renewing the Vision, p. 23). This retreat experience helps participants investigate the ways they can respond to racism as Catholic Christians. The experience begins with a simulation game designed to illustrate the many issues that surface when we interact with cultures that are unfamiliar to us. Large-group and small-group discussions help the participants to reflect on racism in their own experience and to begin naming some action steps they can take to combat racism. The retreat ends with a prayer service celebrating the diversity of humankind and asking God for the strength to live out commitments to new action.

Outcomes
____ The participants will explore the dynamics involved in developing stereotypes, which ultimately lead to racism.
____ The participants will be able to define racism, discrimination, prejudice, stereotype, and institutional racism.
____ The participants will identify positive action steps they can take to combat racism.

Preparation

Gather the following items:

❑ copies of Cultural Assignments, one group cut out for each participant
❑ copies of Definitions, one for each participant
❑ an audiocassette player or CD player
❑ reflective instrumental background music or live musician, if available
❑ newsprint
❑ markers
❑ masking tape
❑ sheets of blank paper, several for each participant
❑ pens or pencils
❑ snacks for each table
❑ an equal number of slips of paper in pink, yellow, blue, and green, one
slip for each participant
❑ a Catholic Youth Bible or other Bible
❑ copies of Spirit & Song or another hymnal
❑ materials for a prayer center, including a cloth, a Catholic Youth Bible
or other Bible, a cross, a large candle, matches, and any seasonal decorations

Recruit two readers, one to proclaim Gen. 1:24–27 and the other to proclaim Luke 10:29–37.

Establish a prayer center in the space you will be using for this retreat. Cover a small table with a colorful cloth. Arrange a Catholic Youth Bible or other Bible, a cross, a candle, and any seasonal decoration you deem appropriate on the table. Put the prayer center where it will be visible during the session, allowing enough space around the table for participants to gather comfortably for prayer.

Select a gathering song and a closing song to reflect the theme of inclusiveness.

Post on newsprint the following ground rules for the simulation.

We are here to learn how to combat racism in a positive manner. To do this, my role is to make sure our time together is good and our gathering place is safe for all to participate freely.

You may hear things and learn things that make you a little uncomfortable. That is okay. Remember to be open to the Spirit encouraging you to learn, change, and grow.

When you share with the group, you need to speak for yourself and not for anyone else.

When someone else speaks, each of us needs to listen to him or her. Being a good listener is very important.

Our focus is on learning together and finding the areas where we each need to grow. This experience should not be used to accuse others (individuals or specific ethnic groups) of racist actions or attitudes.

Involve: Making the Space Safe (10 minutes)
Welcome the participants, and give a brief overview of the retreat experience. Introduce the topic by saying:

Racism is a very sensitive topic, and discussing it can bring up many emotions.

Because racism can be a volatile subject, we will establish some "ground rules" so that the session stays positive.

Let’s review the ground rules.

Review the ground rules as noted on the newsprint. Be sure to answer or clarify any questions the participants may have. Then continue by asking:

Does anyone have a suggestion to add to our ground rules?

Allow time for response and discussion if needed. Then proceed by saying:

If we respect one another and take care of one another during this session, we can all come away with a deeper understanding of how each of us can combat racism in our society and our world.

Because I am confident that we will all respect one another throughout this session, let us begin our discussion of racism by moving into a simulation experience.

Involve: Multicolored Cultures Simulation Game (30 minutes)
1. To begin the activity, tell the participants that they will be participating in a simulation experience. Say:

Although you are bound to find parts of this activity humorous—and you are free to laugh—please take this experience seriously. A great deal can be learned from this activity.

2. Give each participant one of the cutouts you have made from Cultural Assignments. To ensure even distribution, hand out a pink slip, a yellow slip, a blue slip, and a green slip in that order, repeating the pattern as many times as necessary. Make sure there are males and females in all four color groups.

3. Assign a different corner (or space) in the room to each of the four color groups. Ask the participants to gather in the space designated for the color they have been assigned. When everyone has gathered with his or her color group, say:

Each of the four colors represents a different culture. Each group’s task is to practice its particular cultural ways, using the information provided on the slip of paper you have been given. Each member in the color group should become familiar with the group’s "culture."

Allow 10 minutes for the groups to prepare.

4. Instruct the color groups to divide themselves into four smaller subgroups of equal numbers (or as close as they can get). One of the subgroups should stay at its original location, and the other three subgroups should go to the three other color areas. When all the subgroups have moved, there should be four groups, with subgroups from each of the four cultures. While they are doing this, you will want to put out snacks at each location.

5. Ask the participants to mix and mingle over the snacks. Tell them to behave as naturally as they can while acting out their own particular culture.

Allow about 10 minutes of interaction.

(This activity is adapted from Lisa-Marie Calderone-Stewart, Lights for the World, pp. 92–93.)

Explore: Processing the Simulation Game (30 minutes)
1. Gather the participants together for a general discussion. Ask one participant from each of the four cultures to read the description of his or her culture’s typical behavior. Elicit general comments about the experience. To process the simulation experience, ask participants to finish the following sentences:

During the activity, I felt . . .

Something that happened to me was . . .

Something this activity made me think about was . . .

2. Ask each participant to count the number of times he or she felt insulted during the interaction around the snack table. Total the numbers from the individual participants to come up with one number for the whole group. Expect a large number. Then ask each person to count the number of times he or she purposely tried to insult someone or hurt someone’s feelings during the interaction. Expect a smaller number. Ask the group to reflect on the differences between the number of times they felt insulted and the number of times the insult was intended.

3. Finish the discussion of this activity with the following questions:

If attempts at communicating involve so many unintentional insults, what does this say about our need—as people living in a multicultural society—to understand cultures other than our own?

Can you describe any real-life misunderstandings like those in this simulation game that you have seen happen between persons of different ethnic and cultural backgrounds?

Examples may include: Asian cultures do not look "elders" in the eye, out of respect, but this can be seen as disrespectful in other cultures. Personal space is different between cultures, so a person from one culture can make someone from a different culture uncomfortable by standing too close. When people from India shake their head from side to side, the gesture communicates "yes" within their culture but is seen as a "no" in American culture.

Because of this experience, what do you think you would do differently in the ways you treat people from different cultures?

Write responses to these discussion questions on a sheet of newsprint.

(This activity is adapted from Lisa-Marie Calderone-Stewart, Lights for the World, pp. 92–93.)

4. Offer the following comments as a way to conclude the simulation activity:

Before we understood the other "cultures" we shared a snack with, we may have been insulted because they acted out of their own cultural values, which were different from our own.

Often we form judgments about the actions of people from a different culture without fully understanding their culture or their values.

These judgments eventually become generalizations that we use to describe all people from that culture.

When enough people believe these generalizations, they become stereotypes that become a "belief" of a culture. For example, we probably all know some very smart people. However, if someone is blonde, he or she fights against a stereotype that blonde people are dumb. We may know this to be a "joke," but often it becomes a hurdle for blondes (especially females) to overcome. This is just one example that is not based on culture or race. I am sure that you can think of stereotypes based on race and culture.

Stereotypes are very dangerous because they take away our need to understand people who are different from us. We do not take the time to understand people when we already have them categorized in our minds.

Break (15 minutes)

Explore: Defining the Key Terms (30 minutes)

1. Gather the participants into a large group. Introduce the next part of the retreat in this way:

We have had an opportunity to simulate on a small scale some of the dynamics involved in forming stereotypes. Now it is important to define some of the words we are using so that the discussion becomes clearer.

2. Distribute a copy of Definitions to all participants and review it with them. Be sure to clarify any questions they might have.

3. Organize the participants into small groups of eight, or use the culture groups from the previous activity if your numbers are small. Say:

Look at the five definitions on the handout, and find examples of these definitions in your own lives, in your communities, in the world.

Allow 15 minutes for this activity.

4. Have the small groups re-gather and report on their examples of each definition. Allow time for discussion. Use these discussion questions:

Was it difficult to think of examples? How so?

If it wasn’t difficult, what does that say about our society?

If it was difficult, did hearing other people’s reports trigger any ideas?

What are you challenged to do?

Reflect: Brothers and Sisters to Us, Our Response from Faith (10 minutes)
1. Introduce this process as an opportunity to get to know a pastoral letter written by our U.S. bishops. Include the following points:

Brothers and Sisters to Us: U.S. Bishops’ Pastoral Letter on Racism in Our Day is a document that addresses what we believe about racism and challenges us to respond to the problem of racism as disciples of Christ.

The document defines racism as "the sin that says some human beings are inherently superior and others essentially inferior because of race. It is the sin that makes racial characteristics the determining factor for the exercise of human rights."

Racism is a sin that discriminates against people because of the color of their skin.

Racism is a sin because it denies human beings their dignity, a dignity that comes from God.

Because racism is a sin and because it denies people their human dignity, we must do something to change the situation.

The bishops write:

"Racism is not merely one sin among many; it is a radical evil that divides the human family and denies the new creation of a redeemed world. To struggle against it demands an equally radical transformation in our own minds and hearts as well as in the structure of our society."

Action: Creating a Plan (20 minutes)
1. In group discussion, review the experiences participants have had throughout this retreat. Then say:

Now you are going to have the opportunity to discern what you can do to initiate some "holy change" in your own lives and in your own communities. Enough holy changes can lead to some radical change in the world.

2. Distribute paper and pens, and give the participants some time by themselves to reflect on the day’s events and to write one or two action steps to which they are going to commit in order to combat racism. For example, they could commit themselves never to participate in racist jokes. Or they could resolve to experience the gifts of another culture by attending liturgy in an ethnically diverse parish or by going to an ethnic restaurant. They could resolve to meet people of other cultures and be open to the possibility of a friendship when they do.

3. Play some quiet, reflective music in the background while they do this. After 10 minutes, gather the participants together, and let them know they will have an opportunity to pray one of these action steps aloud during the prayer service.

Pray: Sacred Acts to Change the World (20 minutes)
1. Prepare the participants for the closing prayer by telling them that you will begin with a song, followed by an opening prayer. They will then hear the Word proclaimed, after which, as a sign of solidarity against racism, they will be invited to pray aloud their action steps so that you all can pray for one another. Tell them that together we can combat racism in our homes, our communities, and our world, and that we will conclude the prayer with the sign of peace and a song to celebrate our commitment.

2. Gather everyone together in a circle around the prayer table, and invite the participants to join in singing the gathering song you have chosen.

3. Share the following opening prayer:

Glory to you, God of justice and peace, for sending Jesus the Christ, who teaches us how to live peacefully and walk justly. In him, we know the ultimate victory of justice over injustice, and peace over war. All praise and honor be yours through Christ and the Holy Spirit forever and ever. Amen.

(Edward F. Gabriele, Prayers for Dawn and Dusk, p. 185.)

4. Invite the first reader to come forward and proclaim Gen. 1:24–27. Allow a few moments for quiet reflection. Then say:

We are all male and female, black and white and yellow and brown, created in God’s image. Because of this, we are all called to be holy; we are called to be loving creatures made in the very image of our Creator.

5. Invite the second reader to proclaim Luke 10:29–37. Allow a few moments for quiet reflection. Then say:

These prophetic words still ring true for us today: "Go and do likewise."

6. Invite those who feel comfortable doing so to share aloud their action steps.

Our response to each statement is, "With God, I will have the strength."

7. While still in a circle, begin a sign of peace in this way:

Have a designated leader place his or her hands over the hands of the person on the left and say, "Peace be with you." Invite the person to respond, "And also with you." That person should then turn to the person on his or her left and repeat the sign of peace. This ritual should progress completely around the circle until it returns to the designated leader.

8. Invite the participants to join in singing the closing song you have selected.

9. Conclude the prayer by saying:

May the peace we share with one another today extend to all the peoples of the world. We ask you, God, to give us the courage and the wisdom that we need to live peaceful lives and to combat racism in our daily choices and interactions. May we follow the example of Jesus and treat each person with dignity. We ask this through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

Twenty-fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time
Sepember 19, 2010
Luke 16:1-13

Opening Prayer
Jesus, in this Sunday's Gospel you give us pause to reflect on our own attitude toward worldly possessions. Help us understand that we are privileged and have received these gifts to share. May we remember that by our Baptism, we are called to be your life-giving light in the world. Amen.

Context Connection
The parable in Sunday's Gospel was directed at the disciples: "Then Jesus said to the disciples" (16:1). Jesus wanted to teach his disciples a lesson about the proper use of money. This parable is intended for disciples in every generation and is an important insight that Jesus wants his followers to integrate into their lives.

The parable that Jesus shares with his disciples may be confusing at first. It demands that the reader examine the information closely and also understand the culture from which the story comes. During the time of Jesus, a few who owned land possessed the majority of wealth. They would rent their land to peasants through one of three arrangements: a predetermined percentage of the yield, a fixed amount of the produce (fifty bushels of wheat or twenty gallons of olive oil), or money would be given as payment. In most cases one of the first two arrangements was made. In this story it is the second arrangement. To oversee this payment process, most landowners had stewards, or managers. This individual, who was selected by the wealthy landowner, was placed in a position that gave him control over the finances of the estate. Luke tells us that the manager in this parable fails at managing his master's estate. The manager appears to have no malice toward his master. He is just unskilled and fails to fulfill his tasks. The master informs the manager that he is dismissed from his post, asking him to produce the books to give account of his management. The master has other options for recourse at his disposal: he could have the manager arrested and thrown into jail, he could make the manager repay the money lost by his mismanagement, or both. Instead, the master dismisses him: "You cannot be my manager any longer" (16:2). What the manager does next catches everyone's attention. Before the news spreads that he is being dismissed from his position, the manager quickly asks the debtors to present their bills of what they owe the master and then reduces the bill by a certain amount. This act creates goodwill toward the manager, as well as his master, in the community.

The motivation behind the manager's behavior is not clear in the parable. Was the manager forgiving the principal owed the master or a commission intended as payment for his services? Some scholars interpret the passage this way: the manager, after experiencing the mercy of the master (being dismissed rather than thrown into jail), extends the same mercy to the debtors by removing his own commission from the bill. The manager had assessed the situation and knew that he was not able to do hard manual labor and was too proud to beg. He also knew the master was not going to give him a wonderful letter of recommendation for a job as a manager with another landowner. So he trusted that those whose debt he reduced now would return goodwill to him in the future when he needed it.

The master, upon seeing what the manager has done, commends him for his shrewdness. The manager responds appropriately in light of his circumstances. It is the quality of the response rather than the morality of the action that is the object of Jesus's praise. Jesus adds this insight: "For the children of this age are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than are the children of light" (16:8). Throughout his life Jesus was able to dissociate himself from possessions because they accounted for nothing in the Kingdom of heaven. Jesus challenges his followers to trust implicitly in God. The manager is commended for using wealth for the benefit of others. In doing so, he benefits himself. The manager seems to recognize the value in giving and the benefits in return for the giver. "Whoever is faithful in a very little is faithful also in much; and whoever is dishonest in a very little is dishonest also in much" (16:10).

The Gospel ends by stating that "no slave can serve two masters; for a slave will either hate the one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You [my disciples] cannot serve God and wealth" (16:13). Jesus's message is clear. An individual cannot serve two masters--God and wealth--because they are opposites. As disciples of Jesus Christ, we have to make a decision. Who will our master be--God or wealth?

Note: In some translations the word mammon is used instead of wealth. Mammon is a descriptive word that depicts money as an idolatrous power that sometimes competes with God for human allegiance.

Tradition Connection
The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us that "a Christian is a steward of the Lord's goods"1 (paragraph 952). Jesus expects his disciples to be good managers of the gifts and talents they have received from God. Through Catholic social teaching, the Church guides us and challenges us to bring Christ's saving presence into the world so all people might be transformed by his love. Catholic social teaching asks us, as members of the Church, to respond to the signs of the times. In 1891 Pope Leo XIII wrote Rerum Novarum, challenging both socialism and capitalism to regard the dignity of workers so an individual's labor would be valued and laborers' rights would be respected and upheld. Through various encyclicals, the Catholic Church has continued to call its members to social consciousness during particular times in history. The vision of Catholic social teaching is to challenge all of society to become more like the Kingdom of God. It conveys God's desire and longing for a society where all that God has given is shared equally.

In the fourth century, Saint John Chrysostom states with great vigor:
"Not to enable the poor to share in our goods is to steal from them and deprive them of life. The goods we possess are not ours, but theirs." "The demands of justice must be satisfied first of all; that which is already due in justice is not to be offered as a gift of charity":

"'When we attend to the needs of those in want, we give them what is theirs, not ours. More than performing works of mercy, we are paying a debt of justice." (Catechism, paragraph 2446)

Catholic social teaching holds the dignity of every human person as primary. Nothing can ever compromise this fundamental principle. All forms of government, all economic systems, and all social structures must uphold the God-given dignity of each human being: A system that "subordinates the basic rights of individuals and of groups to the collective organization of production" is contrary to human dignity.5 Every practice that reduces persons to nothing more than a means of profit enslaves man, leads to idolizing money, and contributes to the spread of atheism. "You cannot serve God and mammon." (Catechism, paragraph 2424)

When we build up and protect of the dignity of each individual, we in turn strengthen the common good. Society and the whole world are served effectively by systems that empower individuals to contribute their personal gifts and talents for the common good of all. This is truly being a good steward of one's God-given gifts:

The Church has rejected the totalitarian and atheistic ideologies associated in modern times with "communism" or "socialism." She has likewise refused to accept, in the practice of "capitalism," individualism and the absolute primacy of the law of the marketplace over human labor." (Catechism, paragraph 2425)

Wisdom Connection
Luke's parable about the manager who is dismissed by his master for mismanagement has an important message not only for first-century Christians but also for us today. We are challenged to examine our own attitude toward possessions and wealth. How do we manage the gifts of intellect and worldly possessions that we have been given? How do we use the resources given to us by God for the greater good of the world? Jesus repeatedly promises us that we will be welcomed into heaven if we use our gifts and talents to build relationships of love and if we are life-giving sources in the world.

If we take the call to be Christ-like seriously, a call that originates in the sacramental life (especially Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist), then we are well on the way to being worthy of the gifts given to us by God. The Good News is that whoever gives to others will receive life, but whoever fails to give will not receive true riches.

Acknowledgments
The scriptural quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, Catholic Edition. Copyright © 1993 and 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. All rights reserved.

The quotations labeled Catechism are from the English translation of the Catechism of the Catholic Church for use in the United States of America. Copyright © 1994 by the United States Catholic Conference, Inc.--Libreria Editrice Vaticana. Used with permission.

The Lord's Prayer is taken from Catholic Household Blessings and Prayers. Copyright © 1988 by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc., Washington, DC. All rights reserved.

Endnotes cited in quotations from the Catechism of the Catholic Church
1. Cf. Luke 16:1,3.
2. Saint John Chrysostom, Hom.in Lazaro 2,5: J. P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Graeca (Paris 1857-1866), 48, 992.
3. Apostolicam actuositatem 8§5.
4. Saint Gregory the Great, Regula Pastoralis. 3,21: J. P. Migne, ed., Patrologia Latina (1841-1855).
5. Gaudium et spes 65§2.
6. Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13.
7. Cf. Centesimus annus 10; 13; 44.

Saint Rose of Lima

This week we are going to highlight a saint whose feast day does not fall in this week but is closely related to the topic of this issue of The Servant Leader. Saint Rose of Lima’s feast day is August 23. She is the patron saint of Latin America. Saint Rose was born in 1586 in Peru to Spanish immigrants. She was the first saint born in the Americas.

For more information about Saint Rose of Lima, go to http://saints.sqpn.com/saint-rose-of-lima/