2017 Route

The 2017 Silver Rose Program Beginning in March 2017, six Silver Roses will start their journey across North America, from Canada to the United States to Mexico. The 2017 Our Lady of Guadalupe Silver Rose - One Life, One Rose Program will conclude on December 12, 2017 on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, Patroness of the Americas, at the Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Monterrey, Mexico. 2017 marks the 57th year of the program which began in 1960 to honor 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 Knights of Columbus councils and Fourth Degree assemblies in several jurisdictions. In 2001, Supreme Knight Carl Anderson expanded the program by beginning the "Running of the Rose" from the 119th Annual Meeting of the Supreme Council in Toronto. This is "a perfect program for the Knights of Columbus," said Supreme Knight Anderson. "Through it we honor 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 known her will through Juan Diego and the miracle of the roses." Today, six Silver Roses travel through North America exemplifying Knights of Columbus devotion to Our Lady and commitment to the Culture of Life. This year, (2017) one rose begins in British Columbia and then heads south along the Pacific coast and turning east on a winding path through the southwest and mountain states before reaching Texas. A second rose starts in Saskatchewan, goes to Alberta and then heads south entering the United States in Montana and traveling through the northern US Rockies and the Great Plains on its way toward Texas. A third rose starts its run in Manitoba, moving south through the central United States and along the Mississippi before turning to Texas. A fourth Rose begins its journey in Indiana moving through the Midwest and some of the Mid-Atlantic States before ending in Washington, D.C. A fifth Rose begins in Virginia and journeys throughout the south on its way to Texas. A sixth Rose starts in Ontario and travels throughout the northeast, completing its journey in Connecticut.

To organize the Silver Rose Run through your jurisdiction, the Silver Rose chairman and his committee must: Make arrangements to receive the Silver Rose from the preceding jurisdiction. This should include a prayer service and/or Mass in honor of Our Lady of Guadalupe. On hand to receive the rose should be the state deputy or his designated state officer and the district master or his designee. The vice supreme master of the jurisdiction receiving the rose should also be present together with the grand knight, faithful navigator, chief squire and civic officials of the jurisdiction receiving the Rose. Establish a route that will carry the Silver Rose through the jurisdiction within the specified time limit. (In many cases actually running the Rose may be impractical or impossible. It is acceptable to drive the Rose from point to point.) Arrange for an assembly, council or a Squires circle to serve as a stopping point each evening and to host an Our Lady of Guadalupe prayer service. Arrange for an appropriate number of runners. The word “runner” is used loosely. Participants may walk. Additionally, “runners” need not be Knights. They could be Squires, family members, friends or anyone interested in promoting the cause. Alert all appropriate law enforcement agencies along the route to get permission for the event if needed and to request a police escort car for the route. Arrange for “procession vehicles,” including a drop-off van, a pickup van and a safety car for the entire route. Make sure to provide for instant communication along entire route using cell phones. Keep the state PR Chairman fully apprised of all details as early as possible so that he can issue media alerts to the appropriate newspapers, radio stations and TV stations along the route. Ask him to arrange for photography and/or video coverage along the route.