Roses in December

“God gave us memory so that we might have roses in December." James M. Barrie

On December 2, 1980, four Catholic missionaries from the United States working in El Salvador were raped and murdered by five members of the El Salvador National Guard. They were Maryknoll Sisters Maura Clarke and Ita Ford, Ursuline Dorothy Kazel, and lay missionary Jean Donovan.  Dorothy and Jean had gone to the airport to pick up Maura and Ita and their van was ambushed by the Salvadoran military.  They were murdered for teaching the Catechism and for trying to help others achieve their human rights.  Their murders sparked an investigation which led to justice but their senseless murder remains unexplainable.  The women live on in the memories of others and their good works will always be treasured. 

Each year there is a rose bush at our school that was planted in memory of a student who died in a car accident that blooms at this time.  The rose that blooms reminds us of her but also reminds me of the four Catholic missionaries.  As we pray this day let us remember all of those “roses in December” that we hold close in our hearts.

Pat Schifini, OSU