ADORATION - SILVER ROSE
The Silver Rose Program was started almost 54 years ago by Brother Knights in Council 2312 in Monterrey, Mexico. They asked Squires in Laredo, Texas and London, Ontario, Canada to start the first relay of running the Rose beginning in London, Ontario, Canada. The First Rose was blessed by Bishop John C. Cody in London then flown to New York and received by a local council. From there it was transported to Supreme Knight Luke E. Hart who then delivered the Rose to the district officers in Dallas, Texas. A Brother Knight who received the Rose sent it to Laredo, Texas where the Squires from Monterrey, Mexico received it at the International Bridge. The Squires then ran the Rose to Monterrey where it ended at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe.
The first rose used for the Silver Rose Run was a natural rose. The Squires wanted to make a Silver Rose Run the following year but the natural rose no longer useable. Knights from council 1134, Reverend Edward Garfield, and Bishop John C. Cody decided to have bronze rose made because it would be sturdier and last longer than a natural rose. This rose was sent to Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Monterrey, Mexico.
Upon hearing of the bronze rose Council 1134 and Squires Circle 660 in Monterrey had a Brother Knight make a silver rose because silver is one of the precious metals in Mexico. Brother Miguel Montoya (a jeweler) made the first Silver Rose in 1961 and all subsequent Silver Roses until 1997.
In the 1990s Supreme Knight Virgil Dechant initiated the Silver Rose as a Supreme Council program. As a result three Silver Routes were established. One similar to the original route; the second in Manitoba moving to British Columbia, down the Pacific Coast before heading east to Arizona then onto Texas; the third route began in New York, then traveled down the eastern seaboard through several southern states before arriving in Texas. After the three Silver Roses arrived in Laredo, Texas they were transferred to the Basilica in Monterrey for the closing prayer service being held on December 12th, the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe celebration.
In 2001 at the 119th Annual Meeting of the Supreme Council in Toronto, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson designated the Silver Rose Program as part of the Culture of Life Program.
A few changes were added to the 2014 West Coast Silver Rose run. Two more western states, Idaho and Colorado, have been added to the West Coast Silver Rose route. We welcome Idaho and Colorado to the Silver Rose Program. Therefore, in California the Silver Run will start two months earlier in July instead of late August as in previous years. In addition, the scheduled has been compressed by two weeks from previous years. Materials provided for the Silver Rose Program includes Prayer Booklets in English and Spanish, flyers, news media releases, and parish bulletin announcements.
Step One
- Appoint a committee to help you arrange the various details of the program. As soon as possible after your appointment, meet with the pastor of your home parish or the parish where you think the service should be held and ask for permission to hold the Silver Rose Service in the church.
- Take a copy of the Silver Rose Prayer Service booklet with you so the pastor can see what the program is all about. Let him know that the Order will greatly appreciate his presence to play an important role at the service, specifically that of the Liturgy of the Word, and if he wishes, offer a brief homily – another priest or deacon can handle this if the pastor cannot be present and has no objections. (If there is no member of the clergy available the Gospel and homily are eliminated from the service.) Assure him that the Knights will do all the “heavy lifting” of the organizational work.
- Set the date, time, and site of the Silver Rose Service, then informs your state chairman immediately.
Step Two
- Promoting the Silver Rose Service requires more than a simple bulletin announcement. People need to know what the program is and why it is being offered. Well in advance of the event prepare an information packet on the Our Lady of Guadalupe Silver Rose – One Life, One Rose program. This might include the story of Our Lady of Guadalupe and the “Miracle of the Roses,” the background and history of the Silver Rose program. This material can be obtained from your State Chairman or the Silver Rose website: www.runningoftherose.org.
- Distribute this information as widely as possible to neighboring parishes, other Catholic groups, religious education (CCD) coordinators, Catholic schools or area Pro-Life organizations for example. Ask each group to urge their members to attend the Silver Rose Service.
- Contact local newspapers and radio stations well in advance of the date and be prepared to answer questions they may have. Request bulletin announcements in area parishes and ask the pastors if you might speak briefly to their congregations following Masses on the weekend preceding the Silver Rose Service. Now it is time to firm up arrangements for the Silver Rose Prayer Service itself. If you have not already been informed, ask the State Chairman for the name and contact information of the Local Chairman from whom you are to receive the Silver Rose. Get in touch with him early to confirm the details of the transfer. At the same time it is advantageous to confirm the details of the transfer from your area to the next community. Again, if you do not have the contact information already, the State Chairman will provide it.
- At one time, runners actually carried the Silver Rose from site to site. As the program has expanded and given time constraints and the distances the Silver Rose must travel, this is not always practical or safe in many areas. (Actually running the rose is optional.) Some local communities receive the Silver Rose at the edge of town or a location a few blocks from the site of the service and carry it in procession to the church or service site. For the procession choose someone to carry the Rose with a 4th Degree Honor Guard, clergy, Knights and their families and anyone else wishing to join in. (Make sure local police and authorities are aware of and have approved these plans.) At the site of the service, the Silver Rose is carried to the front of the church and placed on a table easily seen by the congregation.
Step Three
- The Silver Rose Prayer Service – Part One – The Holy Rosary: The service begins with the Rosary. In advance select the five leaders of the decades (i.e. the Grand Knight, Faithful Navigator, Chief Squire, the presidents or chair people of other Catholic groups, representatives of other participating parishes, Catholic school or CCD students, etc.)
- The Silver Rose Prayer Service – Part Two – The Liturgy of the Word: This begins with a reading from the New Testament and Responsorial Psalm, Again select individuals for these readings. By prearrangement as mentioned earlier, the pastor or another member of the clergy such as a deacon, then reads the Gospel and offers a homily, if he wishes. (All the readings are found in the Silver Rose Prayer Service booklet.) If no member of the clergy is present Liturgy of the Word ends with the New Testament reading and the Responsorial Psalm.
- The Silver Rose Prayer Service – Part Three – The Act of Consecration: Select one or two people to lead the consecration of the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary. If no member of the clergy is present, the service ends here with the recessional.
- The Silver Rose Prayer Service – Part Four – Final Blessing: Offered by a member of the clergy if available. The Silver Rose Prayer Service concludes with the recessional. Arrange for pictures with the Rose if desired. The Silver Rose is handcrafted end delicate. It should be handled by as few people as possible and they should wear white gloves (similar to the gloves worn by member of the 4th Degree Honor Guard).
Details and Suggestions
- Be sure to invite the Columbian Squires if there are circles in your area. The Silver Rose program originated with the Squires.
- Distribute the Silver Rose Prayer Service booklets before Mass. Gather them up afterwards. The booklets are to travel with the Silver Rose from location to location. The Prayer Service should not be part of Mass, although it may be held immediately after Mass. Provide the State Chairman with any articles or pictures of the Silver Rose Program in your community as quickly as possible.
- After the transfer of the Rose to the next location, the last responsibility of the Local Chairman is to provide the State Chairman with the statistics informing him of the number of services held and the number of people attending them as soon as possible.
Program Chairman
- Name:Armando Mena
- Email:americanaztec@sbcglobal.net
- Phone 1:760-213-1535