First Saturday Parish Rosary at St. Anthony of Padua Church, 11/7/2015

My Rosa Mystica statue with relics of Our
Lady's veil & St. Martin de Porres at its base.

The Saint we honored at our First Saturday Rosary was St. Martin de Porres, the illegitimate son of a fair-skinned, Spanish father, and a Black mother (a freed slave) who died in the 17th Century; his father was relatively wealthy, while his mother was poor. So Martin's life, being bi-racial, straddled two cultures; two social statuses... and he was made fun of by both the Spanish and the slave-class (black and native indians) because they didn't see him as being completely one of their own.

How difficult and painful it must have been for St. Martin to be in "social limbo"; not feeling like he belonged anywhere... yet, through God's grace, he forgave the ridicule, over and over, and just strove to see Christ in each person; serving Christ, via ministry to his neighbor, regardless of skin color and social background.

After he joined the Dominicans in the city of Lima, St. Martin's reputation for exceptional sanctity (and remarkable miracles, too) became so widespread in Peru, he attracted everyone to himself... and in his love-filled presence, racial and social status lines were blurred, and the people united as a peaceful family in God.  Our featured Saint, today, posed a challenge for all of us in attendance, which was... to be a person who healed division in the different areas of our lives - at home; at work; and out on the streets -  rather than be the cause.  St. Martin de Porres, pray for us.

After our Saint-Lesson, we proceeded with our Rosary, keeping our Saint's life-example in mind.  It was a reflective prayer, given that our spiritual goal is to pray for Peace every month.  And people must have been touched by my narrative on St. Martin, because afterwards, several of them went up to the display altar to venerate his relic - a 1st Class [Flesh] Relic - that I brought to our Day Chapel for today's meeting.  It's always a joy for me when I see the people venerating the Saints with sincere enthusiasm.  The Saints deserve to be remembered and honored, and the power of their intercession should never be overlooked.

Prayer participants venerating the relics

on the display altar... and discussing the life

and miracles of St. Martin de Porres.

Our next First Saturday Rosary will be prayed on December 5th, beginning at 4:25pm with the sharing of next month's yet-to-be-determined Saint.  All are invited to pray and be inspired... and to venerate genuine relics of the Blessed Mother's veil and a featured Saint.  We hope to see you there.