Blessed Roses

[toknowservelove]

Hello
It’s been a long time since I’ve been on the forum, because I am now a Dominican cloistered nun in Farmington Hills, MI–The Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament.

Recently someone called our prayer line asking about blessed rose petals. Apparently a sister used to take blessed rose petals and make a little sacramental out of them. I’ve never heard of this, and the sisters are a little sketchy on how to go about making them. I’ve tried google, but I can’t find directions on making them, only that they are being given out. It seems like we were supposed to bless them on 10-7, feast of the Holy Rosary–is it too late to get them blessed? Does anyone know how to go about making these sacramentals–for instance, do the petals need treated with anything? Do we press them, and wait until they’re dried? Do we need to remove the petals from the roses right away when they are fresh, or can we wait?

Any help is greatly appreciated. God bless!

 

[Dorothy]

I have never heard of this either. It seems to me with all the wonderful sacramentals we have in the Church that a blessed rose petal would seem superfluous. We have such a wonderful history of sacramentals that have been a source of blessings to so many, such as the Brown Scapular, Miraculous Medal, Rosary, Medal of St. Benedict, and the list goes on and on.

 

[castellomagno]

Blessed roses are indeed a powerful sacramental! The tradition of their blessing is ancient.

The petals of the blessed roses once wilted (no matter whether in honor of Our Lady of the Rosary, St. Therese, St. Rita or Our Lady of Guadalupe) are then saved and placed in a little envelope or satchel. They are used primarily by the sick.

I know the more traditional monasteries of cloistered Dominican Nuns, Carmelite Nuns, and Augustinian Nuns respectively are known for continuing this custom. The Dominicans in Summit, Buffalo and other monasteries are always happy when people request them.

The blessings are always most special and frequently performed on the feast days of the saint, but can be done on any day of the year. They were formerly reserved to priests of the respective Orders, and today are generally done mostly by them, or by Nuns’ chaplains. However after Pope Paul VI did away with the vast majority of reserved blessings, any priest can do it. They are found in Fr. Weller’s good old ritual!

1. The Dominicans bless roses in honor of Our Lady, Queen of the Most Holy Rosary.

Here is the text of that blessing:

Let us pray.

O God, who are the Creator and Upholder of the human race,
the Author of grace and the generous Giver of salvation,
with your holy benediction +
bless these roses which we beg you to bless,
and which we offer this day in thanksgiving to you,
and in devotion and veneration towards
the Ever–Blessed Virgin Mary of the Rosary.
By the power of the Holy Cross
pour out a heavenly blessing +
on these roses which you have given to man
to enjoy their pleasing fragrance and to alleviate sickness.
By the sign of the Holy Cross +
let them be endowed with such blessing
that the sick to whom they are brought,
or who bring them to their homes,
may be healed of their infirmities.
May the devils depart,
may they flee panic–stricken with their followers
from these dwellings,
nor may they any more dare to trouble
those who serve you.
Through Christ our Lord.
R. Amen.

The roses are sprinkled with Holy Water.

1. The Discalced Carmelites bless roses in honor of St. Therese of Lisieux, the Little Flower.
2. The Augustinians bless roses in honor of St. Rita of Cascia:
3. Roses are also blessed in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe because she told St. Juan Diego to gather the miraculous roses which were then placed in the tilma…

Each of these blessings has a unique text linking the life of the saint and why the roses are blessed in their honor. After the prayer is said, the priest sprinkles them with holy water.

Hello
It’s been a long time since I’ve been on the forum, because I am now a Dominican cloistered nun in Farmington Hills, MI–The Monastery of the Blessed Sacrament.

Recently someone called our prayer line asking about blessed rose petals. Apparently a sister used to take blessed rose petals and make a little sacramental out of them. I’ve never heard of this, and the sisters are a little sketchy on how to go about making them. I’ve tried google, but I can’t find directions on making them, only that they are being given out. It seems like we were supposed to bless them on 10-7, feast of the Holy Rosary–is it too late to get them blessed? Does anyone know how to go about making these sacramentals–for instance, do the petals need treated with anything? Do we press them, and wait until they’re dried? Do we need to remove the petals from the roses right away when they are fresh, or can we wait?

Any help is greatly appreciated. God bless!

 

[Highwayman]

The John Paul II Rose is a stuningly beautyful Rose, pure white. God Bless

 

[Dorothy]

“castellomagno”

Thank you for all that information! Very interesting.

 

[R_C]

Hello Sister, and congratulations!!! Please do keep us in your prayers.

So your question relates to rose petals already blessed, and how to turn them into nice little sacramentals? That sounds so nice, I want one for my mom…

I am no expert, but I found online some examples of methods to preserve petals: (1), ((2), (3).

Hopefully some of these will be of some assistance. I wouldn’t know what to do with the “ready” petals, though…I guess it would take some creativity Maybe in little envelopes, as suggested above, or incorporated into some sort of “prayer card” like these examples? (1) (2)

Kind regards!