The Our Lady of Guadalupe Silver Rose Program began in 1960 as a project of the Columbian Squires of North America to honour the Blessed Virgin under her title of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas. The program has continued since then as a project of Squires circles, councils and Fourth Degree assemblies in several jurisdictions. In 2001, Supreme Knight Carl A. Anderson expanded the program by beginning the “Running of the Rose” from the 119th Annual Meeting of the Supreme Council in Ontario. Currently, the program is expanding with a rose making its way from Canada to Mexico through the United States each year. See History of the Silver Rose for more information.
The 2009-2010 Silver Rose Run has grown to incorporate more than double the number of jurisdictions participating. Starting in May, three roses will travel simultaneously through 31 jurisdictions and Mexico.
In recent years the rose has been run from London, Ontario, through 10 states in the United States, and then crossing at the International Bridge into Monterrey, Mexico. During this year, there will be three roses traveling simultaneously starting in London, Ontario, and then moving to the west coast, central United States and the east coast. All three roses will meet at the same time in Texas to travel over the International Bridge and be handed over to Knights from Monterrey.
“The ‘Running of the Rose’ is a perfect program for the Knights of Columbus,” said Supreme Knight Anderson. “Through it we honour not only Our Lady of Guadalupe and express the unity of the Order, but we also reaffirm the Order’s dedication to the sanctity of human life. It is to the Blessed Mother that we turn in prayer as we work to end the Culture of Death that grips our society. As we think in terms of ‘One Life, One Rose,’ it is most appropriate that we turn to Our Lady of Guadalupe who made know her will through Juan Diego and the miracle of the roses.”
http://www.runningoftherose.org/en/index.html
http://www.kofc.org/eb/en/about/activities/culture/programs.html
