A Shower of Roses welcomes customers to new shop with chapel

By Christina Galeone

WEST BOYLSTON – Patricia Quintiliani has known for many years of Saint Therese of Lisieux’s reputation for fulfilling her promise to “send down a shower of roses from heaven” by “doing good upon earth.” But she didn’t know how quickly those “roses” would fall when she asked the saint to intercede for her in May of this year.
Needing a little more room and better parking space for A Shower of Roses Religious Books and Gifts, the shop which she and her husband, Donato, own, Mrs. Quintiliani asked the saint for help in finding a new location that was affordable and met their business needs.
Two days later, she serendipitously discovered that a nearby shop owner had decided to retire after 30 years. Not only did the space have everything they needed, it provided enough room to build the chapel she and her husband had hoped to include in their shop since they began the business in 2004. With a smile, Mrs. Quintiliani said, “When St. Therese works, she really works!”
On September 14, the couple welcomed customers to an open house to celebrate the move to the shop’s new location at 360 West Boylston Street, Suite 102.  With songs such as “Ave Maria” and “Santa Lucia” playing over the speaker system, refreshments, sales, discounts and giveaways of the “Litany of the Saints” and a card with “The Unity Prayer,” the shop was filled with excitement. Visitors were able to park in the spacious lot and browse items in the larger shop, which features better lighting than the previous location diagonally across the street. They were also able to visit the shop’s chapel, a tiny haven of holiness.   
Mrs. Quintiliani said she’s really pleased with the new location and the chapel. They’re everything she’s dreamed they could be. In addition to selling books in line with the teachings of the Church and offering a variety of inspirational gifts and local honey from The Glory Bee, the shop features the chapel, a beautiful reflection of faith.  
Although it can’t house the Holy Eucharist, the chapel is adorned with relics and portraits of saints. It also has special statues, including one of the Infant Jesus of Prague that’s more than 100 years old, and Our Lady of Fatima, crafted by famed Fatima sculptor Jose Ferreira Thedim, which has been a pilgrim statue. There’s a crucifix at the front of the chapel and a Sacred Heart of Jesus picture on the opposite wall. Canopying everything is a display of roses that honors St. Therese of Lisieux.
Grateful to Giorgio Frat’Antonio, the artist who designed and built the chapel, Mrs. Quintiliani is happy that it fits perfectly with their shop’s mission.
“I don’t consider it a business; it’s more of an apostolate,” she said. She later added, “It’s just a mission; I just want to be love in the Church.”
Mr. Quintiliani to o is overjoyed.
“It’s beautiful, and the artist is great!” he said. “The new store is better and bigger and beautiful.”
Creating the chapel was a labor of love for the artist as well. Mr. Frat’Antonio, who has also done work for Gerardo’s Italian Bakery and many other East Coast businesses and individuals, is an ardent admirer of Michelangelo and the belief that architecture should be an evolving creation. With a desire to give back to the Catholic community in which he was raised, he poured techniques he’s learned over the years, and inspiration from Michelangelo and trips to Italy, into the chapel’s creation.  
He said it evolved from a “prayer room” to a “portal between here and heaven.” He said he has seen people crying upon entering the chapel, a priest becoming emotional when he kissed the feet of Jesus on the crucifix and Mr. Quintiliani being touched by the connection between his Italian heritage and his Catholic faith after the “Chapel of the Saints” sign (outside the chapel) was written in Italian.
“This is what God wanted me to do,” Mr. Frat’Antonio said.  “God honors people who honor him.”
Customers at the open house also expressed appreciation for the new location. Barbara Penny was particularly grateful for the spacious parking lot. A devoted customer since the shop opened, frequenting its three locations over the years, she said, “I like it; I think this is the best out of all of them!”
Vincent J. Perrone, the president and CEO of Veterans Inc., is also a longtime customer. He remarked about how he appreciated the wide range of gifts available. He also found the new shop’s atmosphere to be comfortable.
“It’s so welcoming and warm,” he said. “It’s an inspirational place.”  
Mrs. Quintiliani hopes the shop will continue to bring inspiration and that people will receive “some graces and peace” in the chapel,  space that she and her husband regard as answered prayers or beautiful roses.
“I just say that if somebody’s depressed or sick, and they come in here and they feel better, then it’s worth everything,” she said.

Editor’s note: A Shower of Roses is open 9:30 a.m-6 p.m. Monday-Friday and 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday.