Today December 7

Today is the feast of St. Mary Joseph Rossello (1811 - 1880). This great and compassionate woman saint is a fitting follow-up to yesterday's saint. She, too, befriended and protected children. Of even the naughty ones, she said, "They have been unhappy. We must make them happy. We must be angels toward them." There are pictures of her holding them in her lap, graciously smiling. And she died with the words: "Into your hands, O Lord, I commend my spirit."

St. Mary Joseph even died with a little girl by her side -- a little African slave girl ransomed by their spiritual director and taken in by "Mother," as they called St. Mary. Mother Rossello founded shelters for homeless girls -- and she took all in, no questions asked. Many were sick, all had been abused, all were frightened, some were violent. She looked upon them all as blessings. Would that more people even today see them the same way, and not as liabilities! She had a great -- and fruitful -- devotion to St. Joseph, of whom she said, "To St. Joseph, all children are images of the Child he reared."

She spoke to St. Joseph in familiar terms, as one man speaks to another. During her whole long and debilitating illness, she could be heard talking to someone. The infirmarian thought maybe her patient was losing her mind, until she crept close to hear her say, "My sweet saint, keep my daughters [she was the founder of the Daughters of Mercy] under your protection. Be with the Institute always. Protect my little children."

And that devotion paid off. The homeless shelter was called the House of Providence. One day the HOP had no food and no money to buy any. She ordered all the sisters and girls to the chapel to pray. Then, dramatically, she said, "Check the poorbox." Nothing. No matter. We have prayed too briefly, or too poorly -- we must pray more." After an hour, she returned to the box. There was just enough to feed them all.

Though this strong woman, born in poverty, fourth of nine children of a potter in Savona, Italy, good at math (always a delightful gift in a girl) and immensely spiritual, was a serene and faithful pray-er, she suffered great spiritual dryness in her life. She felt useless, worthless, condemned. Her prayers were rote, she suffered doubt, and met with no consolation. She called these many last years of her life her "darkness." I find it a common occurrence in the lives of the saints. In vain did the sisters, her Daughters of Mercy, remind her of all her great accomplishments. She still suffered the darkness. But til the end, she never stopped praying, and was rewarded with a release. She rejoiced with her platonic male friend, Father Filomeno, when the fog lifted. She said, "How good that you are here with me and that He made you His messenger!"

I told you already her final words. But her witness continued after death -- even physically. 58 years after her death, her body was found incorrupt. And her heart, which was removed to be taken to the old nuns' home, was also incorrupt and still bled. It bleeds still. Generous St. Mary Joseph Rossello, pray for us.