through both oral histories and written accounts. Finally Rev. O’Donnell com-piled many examples from the writings of and about Mother Alphonsa establishing proofs of her life of heroic virtue. All com-bined, Rev. O’Donnell produced a large document which contains over 1300 pages and thus completes the diocesan informative process on the life, virtue and reputation for holiness of Rose Haw-thorne, Mother Mary Alphonsa.

The boxes containing the documents of the process were closed and sealed in wax with the Diocesan stamp in the pres-ence of His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan. Rev. Gabriel O’Donnell has accepted the assignment to hand deliv-er two of the parcels during the week of April 21st to Angelo Cardinal Amato, S.D.B., Congregation for the Causes of Saints, Vatican City State.

Deo gratias! Alleluia!

April 9, 2013 was a momentous day for all members of the Rose Hawthorne Guild. Rev. Gabriel O’Donnell O.P. , pos-tulator for the cause, Juliet Demeter, archivist and historian for the cause, and Mother Mary Francis, O.P., along with five of her Dominican Sisters met with His Eminence Timothy Cardinal Dolan. Also present to literally sign and seal the com-pletion of the Diocesan phase in the can-onization process for the Servant of God, Rose Hawthorne, Mother Mary Alphonsa, O.P., were Msgr. Douglas J. Mathers, who served as Episcopal Delegate, Rev. Rich-ard L. Welch, the Promoter of Justice and Mrs. Liza Rodriques, Notary for the Acts .

In February 2003 His Eminence Ed-ward Cardinal Egan permitted the open-

ing of the Dioce-san process in the Archdiocese of New York. Since that time

Mother Mary Alphonsa’s life has been reviewed extensively from several sources. The historical commission researched biographical accounts, correspondence and writings both published and not pub-lished completing an accurate record of

events in the life of the Servant of God. Testimonials were received and tran-scribed from credible persons with histori-cal knowledge of Mother Mary Alphonsa

When ques-tioned in her later life as to how she came to have such charity for those in

need as well as trust in Divine Providence, Mother Mary Alphon-sa related that her parents were her first great witness to the theo-

logical virtues.

Sophia Amelia Peabody, Rose’s mother grew up in a 19th Century household that fostered the education of women. Sophia along with her sisters Elizabeth and Mary were encouraged to use their minds to ponder poli-tics, social concerns of the day and theology.

As a young woman, Sophia, with her mother and her sisters sat many Sundays in Boston’s

federal Street Church where the tenets of the “new” liberal theolo-gy of Unitarianism were preached most expressively. Here William Ellery Channing (1780-1842) was shaking the very fabric of New England’s Puritan faith to a packed congregation. Challeng-ing the Calvinistic dogma of Di-vine election, this new theology allowed Ralph Waldo Emerson and his contemporaries to foster the philosophy of

Continue page 3

D i o c e s a n P h a s e o f C a u s e C o m p l e t e

N O V E N A O F M A S S E S F O R G U I L D

M E M B E R S

In thanksgiving for the completion of the Diocesan Phase of the Cause for Canonization of the Servant of God, Rose Hawthorne , Mother Mary Alphonsa, O.P. a Novena of Mass-es will be offered at the Dominican House of Studies, Washington, D.C.

If you would like to send your intentions see the back of this newsletter.

J o u r n e y o f F a i t h M i r a c l e o f G r a c e

S P R I N G / S U M M E R 2 0 1 3

g{x eÉáx [tãà{ÉÜÇx Zâ|Äw

V o l u m e 6 i s s u e 1

Sophia Amelia Peabody 1809-1871

P a g e 2 T h e R o s e H a w t h o r n e G u i l d

L e t t e r f r o m T h e d i o c e s a n P o s t u l a t o r o f t h e C a u s e

Dear Guild Member, 

  The Church of Christ has recently undergone a great transi on in the abdica-on of Pope Benedict XVI and the elec on of Pope Francis.  As even a brief perusal of 

the Gospel reveals, transi ons indicate interior transforma ons.  In the case at hand, the goodness and holiness of Blessed Pope John Paul II and the wisdom and virtue of Pope Benedict have prepared us for a transi on to a Holy Father who is calling the Peo-ple of God to look again at the fundamentals of our faith and to place the needs of the poor and the life of the ordinary Chris an at the center of our concern and our out-reach.  Clearly Pope Francis is a man of God who wishes to champion the cause of “everyman.”  He is calling us to an interior transforma on. 

  In the life of the Servant of God, Rose Hawthorne, transi ons were always signs of interior transforma ons.  Rose, first a loving spouse, became a servant of the cancerous poor.  From mother of her beloved Francie, she was led to become a religious founder.  Conversion to the Catholic Church was a transi on that offered her excitable nature an outlet for her strong religious aspira ons.  She became a woman of interior faith and confidence in God that brought strength and stability to her character.  Each of these transi ons was the outward expression of deep interior changes, transforma ons that were las ng and had far reaching consequences for all with whom she came in contact. 

  The recent formal closing of the diocesan process for the cause of canoniza on of Rose Hawthorne who be-came Mother Mary Alphonsa, is another transi on.  Having completed the ini al inves ga on into the life, work and virtue of the Servant of God under the guidance of the Archdiocese of New York it is now the Roman Congrega on for the Causes of Saints that will supervise the organiza on of the evidence gathered in the diocesan phase shaping it into a formal argument for Rose Hawthorne’s bea fica on and canoniza on. 

  The Roman phase of the cause for canoniza on requires the crea on of a coherent account of Rose’s life, work and heroic virtue.  This detailed account is called the “posi o.”  it is the work of the Roman postulator and de-pends on the materials gathered during the diocesan inves ga on which cons tutes the “acts” of the process that were carried to Rome in April of this year. 

  For members of the Guild, however, this transi on calls for a certain transforma on.  The making of saints is intended by the Church to encourage ordinary men and women in their a empts to develop a closer rela onship with God.  The example of the saints provides evidence that ordinary Chris ans can come to an in mate friendship with God.  They remind us as well that God has a mission for each of us, no ma er how hidden or mysterious, each life has a divine purpose and true happiness is to be found in following the signs of God’s will and purpose.  Even a brief look at the life of Rose Hawthorne is a clear example of how God calls the most unlikely to do his work and how each of us is called to lead others to the path of Chris an virtue and holiness. 

  The Church’s purpose in bea fying and canonizing men and women is for the good of the faithful, that we will have examples of Catholic spirituality and virtue that move us to interior transforma ons.  The saints call us to believe more firmly in God’s love and his desire for our happiness.  That road to happiness is found in living a life of virtue and reaching out to serve the needs of our neighbor.  Who is my neighbor?  The life of Rose Hawthorne offers a clear answer to that ques on .  First, those nearest and dearest to us, our family.  But God also calls us to move be-yond the confines of home and family to the needs of others.  We are called to open our eyes to the needs of our neighborhood and local community.  In an age of instant communica on we are able to have immediate knowledge of those further away, vic ms of natural disasters, war, violence and terrorism.  For Mother Mary Alphonsa, whoever was in need was her neighbor.  Her life suggests that we cannot expect anything less of ourselves. 

  As the Guild prepares to celebrate the coming Solemnity of the Sacred Heart, we do so in communion with the Servant of God, Rose Hawthorne that her spirit of charity will beget in each of us an inner transforma on into greater generosity in helping others and stronger faith in God’s love for us so that we will draw near to him as he has drawn near to us in his Sacred Heart. 

  May the intercession of Rose Hawthorne move each of us to greater dependence on Christ in his Sacred Heart and may we become his faithful servants. 

                Devotedly in Christ, 

                Fr. Gabriel B. O’Donnell, O.P. 

Rev. Gabriel B. O’Donnell, O.P.

to live in imitation of Christ she gave them experiential lessons in charity as well. Rose or Una were sent occasionally to deliver a basket of food including finer treats to a poor old woman. Sophia instructed her daughters that they were not to set the bas-ket down and excuse themselves, but they were to visit the elderly woman spending time conversing with her and reading the Bible to her. Rose in her later years related how the woman would offer her a piece of bread or cake,—a bit old looking—yet in char-ity she would eat the stale morsel knowing her mother and God expected her to honor the good intentions of the old woman with kindness.

Rose was nineteen years old when her mother died. Her father died the day before her thirteenth birthday. When compiling her parents’ letters to write her book, Memories of Hawthorne first published in 1897, Rose touched deeply once again into the beautiful married life of her parents.

…..If there is anything immortal in life it is the home relations, and heaven would be no heaven without them. God never has knit my soul with my husband’s soul for such a paltry mo-ment as this human life! I have not loved my mother for one short day! My children do not thrill my heart-strings with less than an eternal melo-dy. We know that God cannot trifle! This is all more real to me than what my human eye rests on. Letter excerpt: Sophia Peabody Hawthorne to Mrs. Peabody (Rose’s grandmother) circa 1852, Memories of Hawthorne p 199.

To be continued in the next issue.

J o u r n e y o f F a i t h M i r a c l e o f G r a c e

C o n t i n u e d f r o m p a g e o n e

P a g e 3 V o l u m e 6 N u m b e r 1

the self-reliant man. A self-made man in a bourgeoning new republic was now free not only from political oppression but also from old Puritan social norms. Although Nathaniel and Sophia initially intended as new-

lyweds to live in the Transcendental commune of Brook Farm, “a new to the age” existential experiment, the cou-ple instead settled in Concord, Massachusetts where Emerson, Henry David Thoreau and Bron-son Alcott were neighbors.

Unlike her sister Elizabeth, Sophia did not write extensively and clearly her views on the elusive dogmas of Unitarianism. Based on her decision in 1856 to have her three chil-dren baptized by Wil-liam Henry Channing who maintained a more conservative approach to Christian-ity within the Unitari-an pulpit than his uncle William Ellery, it is possible that So-phia maintained her belief in a one but triune God, whose son incarnate was Christ. ….Mr. Channing made a prayer over them [her children Una 12yrs, Julian 10yrs. and Rose 5yrs) of consecra-tion and then he performed the rite. This morn-ing Una told me that he said to them yesterday that there were two baptisms, one of water and one of fire or the Holy Spirit; that the baptism of water typified repentance of past sins as a purpose to become better and that if we really tried to do right, the Son of God would baptize us with the Holy Ghost or with fire as a sign that God would help us now we had tried to help ourselves. ….. Lettter excerpt Sophia Peabody Hawthorne to Mary Peabody Mann, December 30, 1856, Berg Collection NY Public Library.

Sophia taught her children along with some of the neighboring Con-cord children their primary educa-tion including Sunday school les-sons. In order for her own children

William Ellery Channing 

REPORTED FAVORS ATTRIBUTED TO

ROSE HAWHTORNE’S INTERCESSION

From the many favors recorded in the documents sent to Rome: 

My husband’s twelve year old nephew, Jamie,  was accidently shot in the head at Thanksgiving.  He al‐most died but was able to pull through.  He was le  without the ability to swallow and it was decided that he would need a tube in his stomach for food.  I appealed to Mother Alphonsa to intervene on this child’s behalf and sure enough out of the blue he regained his ability to swallow.  He s ll has to have some physical therapy but otherwise he is well...I know that Jamie would not be whole if it was not for Mother Al‐phonsa’s interven on. 

My sister‐in‐law was diagnosed with 4th stage lung cancer, a large tumor was wrapped around her ca‐ro d artery.  She submi ed to radia‐on so that the tumor could be pulled 

away from the artery and she would die a less painful death.  A er seven weeks of treatment she had an MRI.  The tumor had completely disap‐peared and the oncologist said that she could not account for the situa‐on.   She had never known this to 

happen.  I had been praying through the intercession of Mother Alphon‐sa—so she came through.  ( I had given a relic of Mother Alphonsa to my brother.) I hope this story encour‐ages you to pursue her bea fica on and I am asking you to thank her also. 

 William Henry Channing 

Guild Membership and Spiritual Benefits 

Many Catholics are still unaware of Rose Hawthorne and her influence as a spiritual intercessor, mentor and friend. Because she was a convert, wife, mother and religious founder, she serves as an example of Christian perfec-tion and holiness to a wide range of people. As members of the Guild we should make her life and spiritual help known among family and friends. Please use the contact information on the back of the newsletter to direct others to the Guild so that we can let more people know the good news of Mother Alphonsa’s virtue, vision and mission. Don’t forget, there are spiritu-al benefits attached to Guild membership. Not only is there a monthly Mass celebrated for Guild members and their families, but during the seasons of Christmas and Easter members are remembered at a novena of Masses offered for their intentions. 

  

THE ROSE HAWTHORNE GUILD 

600 Linda Avenue 

Hawthorne, NY 10532-1362 

PRAYER FOR THE

CANONIZATION OF ROSE

HAWTHORNE

MOTHER MARY ALPHONSA, O.P.

Lord God, in your special love for the sick, the poor and the lonely, you raised up Rose Hawthorne (Mother Mary Alphonsa) to be the servant of those afflicted with incurable cancer with no one to care for them.  In serving the outcast and the abandoned, she strove to see in them the face of your Son.  In her eyes, those in need were always “Christ’s Poor.” 

Grant that her example of selfless charity and her courage in the face of great obstacles will inspire us to be generous in our service of neighbor.  We humbly ask that you glorify your servant, Rose Hawthorne, on earth according to the designs of your holy will. Through her intercession, grant the favor that I now present (here make your request).   Through Jesus Christ our Lord.           Amen 

Most Sacred Heart of Jesus 

Have mercy on us!  (3  mes) 

Our Father              Hail Mary          Glory be to the Father 

THE GUILD NEEDS NEW MEMBERS Please contact us:

Phone: 914.769.0114 Fax: 914.769.0827

Email: www.hawthorne-dominicans.org 

       Postal Service: 

Rose Hawthorne Guild 600 Linda Ave. 

Hawthorne, NY 10532  

Please add the following name to receive  informa on and material on the Guild 

_______________________________________ Name

_______________________________________ Address

_______________________________ City ________________________________________________________

State Zip

Mass Inten ons 

Please remember these specific inten-

ons in the Novena of Masses offered 

for Guild members 

_________________

_________________

_________________

_________________

_________________

600 Linda Avenue, Hawthorne New York 10532-1362

914 769-0114

PLEASE PRINT ALL INFORMATION and

RETURN TO THE ADDRESS ABOVE.

_________________________________________________________________

Name

_________________________________________________________________

Address

_________________________________________________________________

City

__________________________________________________________________

State Zip

Please support the Guild:  For a donation of $10.00 a gift of your choice         A Rose Hawthorne Rosary  

                                                  Pink Acrylic Beads  

                    Brown Acrylic Beads                             Rosaries come in a case                               bearing the image of Rose Hawthorne 

    Rose Hawthorne Guild Note cards                      8 cards and envelopes to a pack  

For a dona on of $5.00    Post it Notes image of Rose Hawthorne on each 6 packs - 50 notes each pack