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FRANCISCAN TERTIARY

St. Roch is one of the most popular saints in Europe. He is held in great veneration, not only in countries that witnessed his virtues, but in every country of the world. Living among those who were stricken with the plague, he raised his heart to Jesus and Mary and thought about Heaven and life after death, when there shall be no grief, nor sorrow, nor hunger, nor thirst, nor pain, and when death shall be no more. A faithful follower of St. Francis of Assisi, St. Roch truly loved the plague-stricken; like the Seraphic Saint, he saw in them an image of the Saviour stricken for the sins of man.

This great saint was born at Montpellier about 1295. He was of a very rich and noble family. His father, named John, was governor of the city; his mother’s name was Libera. The husband and wife faithfully observed the law of God. They looked upon their subjects as children and brothers, and they gave much alms for pious reasons. Though they were much loved, by many people, and were quite wealthy, still they were not completely happy. They were old, and they had no children.

They prayed without ceasing to Heaven, to obtain from God a child who would be a fervent disciple of Jesus Christ. One day when Libera was at the church of Notre Dame des Tables, making her usual petition before the statue of the Mother of God, Jesus and Mary in their great mercy granted her prayer. She returned home, announced the good news to her husband, and they both thanked God with tears of joy.

Before long the promise of Heaven was fulfilled, and Libera brought forth a child, whom they named Roch. On his chest there was a red cross, which was deeply marked, a sign of his future work and sanctity. Libera understood her duties as a mother, and was determined to train this wonderful child in the glorious ways of virtue. St. Roch grew both in age and grace before God and man. When a mere child of five years, he at times chastised his body, and he always deprived himself of all that made his life soft and easy. Thus he prepared himself to become very obedient to the Holy Ghost. His boyhood was spent in the practice of piety, penance and charity.

St. Roch was barely twenty when God deprived him of his father. His father’s last advice is worthy of being compared to that which Tobias gave to his son. “Here I am,” said the dying man, “on the point of leaving this life of trial and misery, to appear before my God. As I have nothing in the world dearer than you, and as I have constantly taken care to form your character I think that I ought now to give you some advice, which will help you to spend the remainder of your life in piety and innocence. Before all things, devote yourself to the service of God, and always meditate on the sufferings of our Divine Lord. Always be helpful to widows, orphans, and all those who are poor and in need of help.

Above all, keep yourself from avarice, especially the love of money, which is the source of very many sins. Be eyes to the blind, and feet to the lame, be a father to the poor, and know by using the property which I leave you, in works of mercy, you will be blessed by God and man.”

The pious youth shed tears, promised to follow this advice faithfully, and to cherish it in his heart until his death. When he had closed the eyes of his father, he buried the venerable old man with all the pomp due to his rank and fortune. This wound to his affection has hardly healed before God took from him his pious mother. St. Roch bore this trial with the same resignation and the same noble sentiments as the first.

Left all alone by himself, with a great fortune at his disposal, the world was before him with all its evils, but our Saint was firm in his resolutions. His heart was set on the things of Heaven. He joined the Third Order of St. Francis, resigned his worldly position in favour of his uncle, sold his possessions, and gave the money to the poor. He then put on a pilgrim’s habit, and started off for Rome on foot, to visit the Tomb of the Holy Apostles.

The plague was spreading wildly at that time, throughout the various provinces of Italy. When St. Roch arrived at Aquapendente, he went to the hospital of St. John, which was full of the plague-stricken people, and offered himself to the superintendent, named Vincent, to help him in his office of mercy. “I see,” said Vincent, “that your charity and faith are not of a common kind, but your youth and delicate health will never endure the hard work and deadly sickness of this house.”

“Why,” said St. Roch, “is it not mentioned in Holy Scriptures that with God nothing is impossible? Is it not written that we must practice charity if we wish to stand on the day of the last judgment?”

Overcome by these good reasons, and fearing to offend God if he did not let this charitable man help the sick, Vincent lead the holy Tertiary to the plague-stricken. St. Roch traced on the forehead of each of them the sign of the Cross, and immediately they were cured.

He then went through the entire city, and in the same manner delivered those whom he visited from this terrible sickness. At first the people were afraid, but soon it was clear to everybody that this wonderful power was the result of divine virtue. Everyone blessed God, and the young disciple of St. Francis was venerated as an angel sent from Heaven.

To escape the honours that surrounded him, the Saint left Aquapendente secretly. He visited Cesena and other cities of Italy, curing the plague-stricken as he went, and causing many to bless the name of our Lord.

At last he arrived in Rome. The people were dying like flies, and the citizens of Rome were terribly upset! The servant of God showed himself to be an angel of mercy in Rome, and by being devout and charitable the terrible scourge soon disappeared as he worked many, many miracles.

After having stayed at Rome a certain time, and satisfied his devotion at the tomb of the Apostles, St. Roch felt that he must continue his journey. He turned his steps towards the north of Italy, and visited Mantua, Modena, Parma, and several other cities. Wherever he passed, the sick were cured. Then God guided him to Piacenza. As soon as our Saint arrived there, he went to the hospitals again, devoted himself to the plague-stricken, and with the sign of the Cross, restored them all to health.

One night, when he was quite worn out with fatigue and want of sleep, he threw himself on a pallet to take a little rest, and he heard the voice of Jesus say to him: “Roch, My son, you have borne many fatigues for My sake, journeys, cold, hunger, work of all kinds, now for love of Me, you must also suffer great pains in your body.”

At the sound of this voice the Saint awoke, and felt as if a ploughshare had passed over his side. After having assisted so many sick people himself, he was at last laid low with a sickness that continued to cause him fearful sufferings. God also struck him with the plague. Then, raising his eyes to Heaven, St. Roch cried out: “Oh, sweetest Jesus! I thank Thee for having vouchsafed to remember Thy servant. I offer Thee this pain and I am thankful for it as a gift from Thy hand. It is thus that Thou dost visit a wretched and sinful creature. This visit is sweet and dear to my soul. Coming from Thee, death is a gain to me.”

However his pains were so terrible that he could not keep back his moans and groans, and day and night his sharp pains forced him to cry out. More sick people arrived every day at the hospital, taking the place of those he had cured, and being disturbed by the groans and cries of the servant of God, they grumbled, and complained, and begged him to stop his shrieking and to bear his sufferings with patience as others did. We must here remark that the cries of the Saint were surely no sign of want of patience, but only a result of his great pain and sufferings.

The outward signs of pain do not displease God, if the soul is totally resigned to His Holy Will. Our Lord Himself, the Divine model of those who suffer, showed many signs of sorrow and suffering during His Sacred Passion.

Not wishing to be a burden to the other sick in the hospital, St. Roch decided to go away. He gathered his strength, arose from his bed, and dragging himself painfully along with the help of his stick, he went out. When he arrived in the street he was bewildered, he could not take another step, and sank to the ground in an agony of pain.

The passers-by, seeing him in this state, complained to the superintendent of the hospital saying, “Why did you put this poor sick man out of the hospital. Can’t you see he is not well? Please, please, take him back to the hospital and take care of him until he is in good health.” The superintendent stared in surprise, “But I did not put this good man out on the street. He left on his own out of charity, because he was crying out so often from his pains!”

The Saint then appeared to act crazy and God permitted that, even though he had done so much good in the city, he should be sent out of it as a crazy man, who might become dangerous.

With great difficulty St. Roch reached the neighbouring forest. There he fell down, worn out with fatigue, at the foot of a Cornelian tree. He rested for some time; then noticing a small ruined hut, he entered it and said to our Lord: “Oh, God! I know how dear I am to Thy majesty, as Thou hast willed to make me have these terrible pains, which I so much deserve. I have not treated the sick with all the charity, which Thy love deserved from me. Have pity on my weakness, and do not forsake me. Oh, most good Lord, do not leave me to perish alone among wild beasts.”

God did not forget about his good servant. St. Roch received a wonderful answer to his prayer.

To be continued

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