Rosa Mystica.

Apparitions of the Mother of God which occurred in 1947 in Montichiari, Italy, have a special relevance to what the Church is undergoing today. In the spring of 1947, Our Lady appeared to a nurse in the chapel of the local hospital in Montichiari. Our Lady appeared in a wonderful vision to this nurse, Pierina Gilli, in which her heart was pierced by three swords.

The first sword signifies the unworthy celebration of Holy Mass and reception of Holy Communion; the second sword indicates the loss of vocations by those who are unfaithful to their vows made at Ordination or in their profession as religious. The meaning of the third sword is the betrayal of the faith. Our Lady asked for prayer, sacrifice and penance. It is good to recall these apparitions in the light of recent events of our Church, for they deal primarily with priests, religious communities, and people dedicated to God.

Our Lady appeared again on July 13, 1947, and in this second apparition she was adorned with three roses, white, red, and yellow. The white rose represents the spirit of prayer, the red one the spirit of sacrifice, and the yellow one the spirit of penance and conversion. Pierina had not yet recognized the Mother of God and when she asked "Please tell me, who are you?" Our Lady smiled and said "I am the Mother of Jesus and the Mother of all of you. I promise to protect those religious orders and institutes which will venerate me in this special way, increase their vocations, and achieve a greater striving for saintliness among the servants of God."

Our Lady further said, "I wish that the 13th of each month be celebrated as a Marian Day. Special prayers are to be said during the preceding twelve days. I wish that the 13th of July be celebrated each year in honour of the 'Rosa Mystica' (Mystical Rose)". In the Sacred Canticles it is said of Our Lady that she was the enclosed garden of God (4:12). History shows that the rose is the favourite flower of Our Lady herself and she made use of roses at Guadaloupe, Lourdes, La Salette, Beauraing, etc.

It is important that we value mysticism, particularly in relation to theology. Our Blessed Mother is the teacher of mysticism; it is not beyond our reach and we should desire it. In proclaiming the Year of the Rosary, our Holy Father, Pope John Paul II said: "We must rediscover the profound mysticism contained in the simplicity of this prayer." The Pope is a great example of a true mystic, along with being a profound theologian and scholar.

On the 13th of February 1976, as Pierina Gilli was praying in the chapel, she said that Our Lady appeared unexpectedly and asked that her message become more widely known. She appeared again on the 20th of April with a message for the sick and all who had to endure worry and sorrow, that this becomes their altar of sacrifice upon which, however, superabundant graces are drawn from heaven. This becomes a glorious crown for all eternity and Our Lady promised them her special protection.

The Church's final recognition of the apparitions at Montichiari is still awaited. However, it should be noted that six bishops, including the former bishop of the diocese of Montichiari, Msgr. Giacinto Tredici have expressed their belief in their genuineness. Pope Pius XII extended his special good will towards them. If people pray, make sacrifices and atonement at such places this is already a good sign, as at Lourdes, Fatima, and other shrines.

The essence of Our Lady's appearances as the "Rosa Mystica" is that she desires the renewal in faith of priests, religious houses, and those dedicated to God. What is most important, however, is that we fulfil her wishes by ardent prayer, sacrifices and atonement, offered for all her intentions. +

Father Jim Doyle is a parish priest in the Archdiocese of Toronto and presently resides at of St Andrew's Church, Brechin, ON.