A rosary for Mary

With the acceptance of a second miracle by the Vatican in December 2009, the way was cleared for Mary MacKillop to be officially declared a saint. One way many people will commemorate the occasion will be to plant one of the Mary MacKillop roses in their garden.

The Mary MacKillop rose was developed after an approach from the Sisters of St Joseph to rose growers Swane’s Nursery in 1985, and was ready for release in 1989. It is a hybrid tea rose, with shell-pink blooms edged with rose pink on the outer petals, with a strong fragrance. Its beauty is a great symbol of Mary’s contribution to the church and society and its perfume a symbol of the spread of Mary’s work through the Sisters of St Joseph.

In the Middle Ages, the rose was an important part of everyday life. Rose petals were strewn on the floors and used to freshen clothes. In times of plague people carried posies for protection, and the rose was considered a remedy for many maladies.

In those times, the rose was seen as the queen of flowers and a symbol of the Virgin Mary. White roses in heaven were said to have blushed red when she kissed them. Mary MacKillop’s devotion to Mary sustained her through the whole of her life. The thorns of the rose remind us also of her devotion to the cross—’My name in religion’, she wrote to her mother, ‘is Mary of the Cross.’ She later wrote:

‘My title, the happy one given to me at my profession, implies a life of crosses and afflictions, but, indeed, I do not know what these crosses and sorrows are. The love of God and his wondrous mercy to me makes them so sweet.’

The red rose is a symbol of martyrdom. When St Francis of Assisi received the stigmata, his blood was said to become roses when it fell upon the ground.

A significant part of the early habit of Mary MacKillop’s sisters was a large rosary hung from the belt around the waist—featuring a large crucifix common to all rosaries. A rosarium was a crown of roses, a fitting symbol of a prayer to honour Mary and through her her Son. It also meant a rose garden, often circular. In medieval times, the rosary was called the Psalter of Mary, and consisted of a string or cord with 150 knots to represent the psalms. People recited Pater nosters or Aves, instead of the 150 psalms. It was considered the people’s prayer rather than that of the clergy.

In the parish of the Holy Rosary, in Fairfield, Sydney, a group is giving concrete expression to this connection of Mary MacKillop to the rosary. They have gathered since early 2004 to make rosary beads for distribution to people in East Timor. The Sisters of St Joseph have long been campaigners on behalf of the people of Timor-Leste. The rosaries are given to commemorate events such as First Communion and Confirmation and other special occasions, or are available to all who request them. Since 2004, over 21,000 rosaries have been made.