Born in Italy in 1655 she was the third of four children and her father was a noted physician. 

When Rose was twenty she accepted the proposal of a young man and became engaged. But, before they could marry, he passed away. 

A few months later, Rose made the decision to enter the Monastery of St. Catherine but not long after her father died suddenly and she returned to care for her mother. Soon, her mother and a brother passed away. 

In her grief, Rose called together her friends for a rosary group and then found that many did not know their faith very well, so she began to teach them. 

Her spiritual director, Father Ignatius Martelli, helped Rose see that she was called to help women in the formation of their faith. 

In 1685, Rose was given permission by the Bishop to open a school for girls. When she did, the effort was met with severe opposition, especially from those who felt that education should not be granted to the lower classes. 

But Rose persevered and by 1694 she had opened nine more schools. She eventually received great help from one of her young teachers who would become St. Lucia Filippini, who helped organize the teachers into a new religious order called The Religious Teachers of Fillipini. 

Starting her first school in Rome was the most difficult. It took Rose six years to overcome the opposition she faced there. 

But when the doors finally opened she was visited by Pope Clement XI and eight Cardinals who came to see their lessons. At the end of the morning, the Pope told Rose: 

“You are doing that which we cannot do. Thank you very much because, with this school, you sanctify Rome. 

Rose died on this day in 1728.

St. Rose Venerini, please pray for us.