St. Rose of Lima biography (1586-1617)
The first canonized saint of the New World has one characteristic of all saints—the suffering of opposition—and another characteristic, which is more for admiration than for imitation—excessive practice of mortification.
She was born to parents of Spanish descent in Lima, Peru, at a time when South America was in its first century of evangelization. She took Catherine of Siena as a model, in spite of objections and ridicule of parents and friends.
Saints have so great a love of God that what seems bizarre to us, and is indeed sometimes imprudent, is simply a logical carrying out of a conviction that anything that might endanger a loving relationship with God must be rooted out. So, because her beauty was so often admired, Rose used to rub her face with pepper to produce disfiguring blotches. Later, she wore a thick circlet of silver on her head, studded on the inside, like a crown of thorns and engaged in other radical forms of mortification.
When her parents fell into financial trouble, she worked in the garden all day and sewed at night. Ten years of struggle against her parents began when they tried to make Rose marry. They refused to let her enter a convent and out of obedience she continued her life of penance and solitude at home as a member of the Third Order of St. Dominic. So deep was her desire to live the life of Christ that she spent most of her time at home in solitude.
During the last few years of her life, Rose set up a room in the house where she cared for homeless children, the elderly and the sick. This was a beginning of social services in Peru. Though secluded in life and activity, she was brought to the attention of Inquisition interrogators, who could only say that she was influenced by grace.
What might have been a merely eccentric life was transfigured from the inside. If we remember some unusual penances, we should also remember that Rose loved God so ardently that she withstood ridicule from without, violent temptation and lengthy periods of sickness always trusting in the Lord. When she died at 31, the city turned out for her funeral. Prominent men took turns carrying her coffin.
local history of catholic church
Before 1883, Mass was celebrated occasionally in the home of Mrs. Martin Brace in Bagdad when a traveling priest came through or one from Pensacola could come.
1883 St. Ann's Church, a mission church, was built in Bagdad from contributions made by Mr. William Ollinger, Mrs. Martin Brace and Mrs. John Casey.
Mass was celebrated by priests from St. Michael's in Pensacola and St. Mary's in Fort Walton Beach.***
1948 Rev. James Gilligan, Assistant Pastor at St. Mary's in Fort Walton Beach,
was charged with responsibility for Crestview and Bagdad.
1950 Gas and electricity are installed in the church.
1955 Archbishop Toolen (then Bishop) purchased land on Park Ave. in Milton for
future church, from E. N. James and J. D. Hembree, church members.
1957 October 20 - Ground breaking for new church. New church was helped by a
$5000 grant from the Extension Society and $2000 from the Diocese of
Mobile. The total cost of the church was $23,000, exclusive of furnishings.
1958 First Mass in new church. Church still a mission church out of Crestview.
1960 Father Gilligan made Pastor. House across the street, 5391 Saratoga Street,
purchased for office, rectory. Father was still serving Crestview.
1962 Kindergarten started. Ground is broken for Educational building.
1964 Father Gilligan has only St. Rose as his responsibility.
1968 300 students enrolled in CCD. Parish celebrates 10th anniversary.
1970 June- Fr. Lorrigan replaces Fr. Gilligan as pastor.
1976 Ladies Club reorganized and resurrected.
1978 Knights of Columbus chapter formed.
1981-82 Begining of Annual Fall Festival
1982 January - Father Todd Hevia becomes administrator.
1982 New rectory/office building completed.
1984 "Hometown boy" Michael Reed is ordained.
1987 Deacons Tom Kennell and Dave Davey ordained permanent
deacons.
1988 Church is bursting at seams even after renovation; new church committee
formed.
1990 Plans approved for new church
1992 Mass of Dedication in new church
1998 Father Thorn Crandall replaces Father Todd Hevia as Pastor.
.
2002 January - Father Tom Collins appointed temporary administrator.
New rectory purchased for priests; former rectory is made into all offices for
parish.
2002 June - Father Steven J. O'Connor appointed Pastor of parish.
2003 Father Kurian Manikuttiyil joins Father O'Connor as Parochial Vicar.
2004 September - Deacon Chris Christopher joins us.
2004 November - Father Dennis J. O'Brien comes to St. Rose as Pastor
2006 Father Peter Hung Nguyen, SOLT becomes new Parochial Vicar.
2006 September - Father Peter goes on temporary assignment;
2006 Father Mathew Chandrankunnel comes to St. Rose in residence.
2006 October - Pastoral Plan for next 3-5 years presented to parish.
2007 July - Father Mathew Chandrankunnel goes to temporary assignment prior
to his retirement in March 2008
2007 July - Father Bernard Jakubco, MCS becomes new Parochial Vicar
2008 July - Father Bernard Jakubco, MCS becomes Pastor of
Immaculate Conception in Perry, Florida
2008 July - Father Nicholas Schumm becomes new Parochial Vicar
2010 Old rectory House across the street, 5391 Saratoga Street, was sold.
2010 October - Ground breaking for new classrooms at opening of Fall Festival
2011 June - Father Nicholas Schumm leaves St. Rose becomes
Pastor of St. Thomas the Apostle Parish in Quincy, Florida
2011 June - Father Dennis J. O'Brien leaves to serve in Ecuador with
Saint James Society
2011 July - Reverend Monsignor Stephen C. Bosso comes to St. Rose as Pastor
2011 July - Father Richard Schamber comes to St. Rose as Parochial Vicar
** Between 1930 and 1932 French-speaking persons from across America and Canada came to north Santa Rosa County in search of good agricultural land. The community of Belandville, just south of Munson, in 1932 had 500 residents. A French Franciscan priest, Rev. August Beyne ministered to them. In 1932, a church was built with Extension Society Funds. By 1937, the small community failed despite having raising fine crops. The people left; the houses were moved. The church was dismantled and reassembled at the Catholic Boys' Home summer camp on Mobile Bay. Old maps identify the area as "Santa Maria," which is what Father Beyne called it.
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