The Feast Of Saint Rita Of Cascia: Saint Of The Impossible, May 22

Today is the feast of St. Rita of Cascia. (1386 - 1457) [She died on May 22nd]

St. Rita, also known as Margarita of Cascia and Rita La Abogada de Imposible, is the patron saint of the impossible.

Many people are devoted to St. Rita. Here is a forum for those with a devotion to her: Forum of St. Rita

Here is St. Rita's story: Saint Rita

St. Rita was born in the year 1381 in the village of Roccaporena near Cascia, Italy. Her parents, Antonio and Amata Lotti, considered her from birth a very special gift from God, for Rita was born to them as they were already advancing in age. As a young girl Rita frequently visited the convent of the Augustinian nuns of Cascia and dreamed of one day joining their community. Her parents, however, promised her in marriage, according to the custom of the day to Paolo Mancini, a good man of strong and impetuous character. Rita accepted her parents' decision, resolved to see this as God's will for her. The young couple were joined in marriage and soon twin boys were born to them. Rita found herself occupied with the typical concerns of wife, mother, and homemaker of Roccaporena, while Paolo was employed as a watchman for the town. In Cascia, as elsewhere, a great rivalry existed between two popular political factions, the Guelphs and the Ghibellines. As a minor official of the town, Paolo often found himself drawn into the conflict and the strain which this caused probably accounts for the tension which he sometimes brought into the Mancini household. Her husband was a man with a violent temper which developed into brutality. He often kicked and struck his young wife for no other reason than he might be angry for losing at gambling. By her prayer, patience, and affection, however, Rita was able to ease the stress and worry her husband experienced, but she was not able to shield him altogether from the dangers to which society exposed him.

Her two sons, despite St. Rita's influence, turned to the evil ways their father taught them.

One day as Paolo was returning home from work he was ambushed and killed. The pain which this unexpected and violent death inflicted upon Rita was only compounded by the fear she felt that her two teenage sons, moved by the unwritten law of the "vendetta," would seek to avenge their father's death. Rita's only recourse was to prayer and persuasion. Her sons died at an early age (from natural causes) a short time later, but not before they repented and received the last sacraments and were thereby removed from physical and spiritual danger. Despite the great burden she could still thank God that they had died in peace, free of the poison of murder to which hatred and revenge might have otherwise drawn them.

Now alone in the world and without family responsibilities, St. Rita once more turned to thoughts to the desired vocation of her youth, that of joining the Augustinian Nuns of Saint Mary Magdalene Monastery. Some of the religious of the community, however, were relatives of the members of the political faction considered responsible for Paolo's death, and so as not to tempt the harmony of the convent. Rita's request for admission was denied. Fortunately, she was not to be easily dissuaded from following what she knew to be God's plan for her life. She implored her three patron saints, - John the Baptist, Augustine, and Nicholas of Tolentino - to assist her, and she set about the task of establishing peace between the hostile parties of Cascia with such success that her entry into the monastery was assured.

At the age of thirty-six Rita pledged to follow the ancient Rule of Saint Augustine. For the next forty years she gave herself wholeheartedly to prayer, works of charity, striving especially to preserve peace and harmony among the citizens of Cascia. With a pure love she wanted more and more to be intimately joined to the redemptive suffering of Jesus, and this desire of hers was satisfied in an extraordinary way. One day when she was about sixty years of age, she was meditating before the image of Christ crucified as she was long accustomed to doing. Suddenly, a small wound appeared on her forehead, as though a thorn from the crown that encircled Christ's head had loosed itself and penetrated her own flesh. For the next fifteen years she bore this external sign of stigmatization and union with the Lord. In spite of the pain she constantly experienced, she offered herself courageously for the physical and spiritual well being of others.

During the last four years of her life, Rita was confined to bed and was able to eat so little that she was practically sustained by the Eucharist alone. She was nevertheless, an inspiration to her sisters in religion and to all who came to visit her, by her patience and joyful disposition despite her great suffering.

One of those who visited her some few months before her death was privileged to witness first hand the extraordinary things wrought by Rita's requests. When asked whether she had any special desires, Rita asked only that a rose from the garden of her parents' home be brought to her. It was a small favor to ask, but quite an impossible one to grant in the month of January. Nevertheless, on returning home the woman discovered to her amazement, a single brightly colored blossom on the bush just as the nun had described. Picking it, she returned immediately and presented it to Rita who gave thanks to God for this sign of love. Thus the saint of the thorn became the saint of the rose, and she whose impossible requests were granted became the advocate of all whose own requests seem impossible as well. As she breathed her last, Rita's final words to the sisters around her were, "Remain in the holy love of Jesus. Remain in obedience to the holy Roman Church. Remain in peace and fraternal charity."

St. Rita's body is on display in a glass case in the Basilica of St. Rita in Cascia, Italy. Her body has been seen in different positions in the glass case in which her remains are displayed and her eyes have opened and closed unaided.

St. Rita is the patron saint of: abuse victims; against loneliness; against sterility; bodily ills; Dalayap, Philippines; desperate causes; difficult marriages; forgotten causes; impossible causes; infertility; lost causes; parenthood; sick people; sickness; sterility; victims of physical spousal abuse; widows; and wounds.

St. Rita's Shrine in the United States: National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia

St. Rita's Shrine in Italy: Basilica Di Santa Rita Da Cascia

You can learn more about St. Rita by reading this book, available online: Saint Rita of Cascia: Saint of the Impossible

St. Rita is a powerful intercessor. Because of the many miracles reported to have been wrought at her intercession she received in Spain the title of La Santa de los impossibiles.

I personally know people who have been greatly helped by her assistance. That is why I encourage you to ask her to pray for you.

Oration To The Saint Of The Impossible

O excellent St. Rita, worker of miracles, from thy sanctuary in Cascia, where in all thy beauty thou sleepest in peace, where thy relics exhale breaths of paradise, turn thy merciful eyes on me who suffer and weep! Thou seest my poor bleeding heart surrounded by thorns Thou seest, O dear Saint, that my eyes have no more tears to shed, so much have I wept! Weary and discouraged as I am, I feel the very prayers dying on my lips. Must I thus despair in this crisis of my life? O come, St. Rita, come to my aid and help me. Art thou not called the Saint of the Impossible, Advocate to those in despair? Then honor thy name, procuring for me from God the favor that I ask. (Here ask the favor you wish to obtain.) Everyone praises thy glories, everyone tells of the most amazing miracles performed through thee, must I alone be disappointed because thou hast not heard me? Ah no! Pray then pray for me to thy sweet Lord Jesus that He be moved to pity by my troubles and that, through thee, O good St. Rita, I may obtain what my heart so fervently desires.

(Pray the Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory be to the Father, three times.)

Those wishing to offer a novena should repeat this prayer for nine days.

Below is an image of the incorrupt body of St. Rita:

Comments

[CatholicCrusader]

Thanks for this post. A good friend introduced me to St. Rita. My family has always had a strong devotion to St. Jude, but I now pray for the intercession of St. Rita, too. Prayers are probably being answered even now, but sometimes with our feeble little human minds it's hard to know until after the fact. In God's time, when your prayer is answered, it is hoped that you have the grace to recognize it. The answer may not be exactly what you wanted -- it may be better -- and sometimes you don't recognize it immediately. Then you find yourself saying, "Oh, that was you."

[GMB]

I love that story. The company I am with is going out of business and I am on the verge of loosing my current job. We just finished a Novena to St. Rita and shortly thereafter, I was offered a new job. Sts. Joseph and Rita are superb intercessors in family matters.

[Ray]

No disrespect to St. Rita but today is Feast of Corpus Christi - a First Class feast day in the traditional calendar. It is celebrated on the first Thursday after Trinity Sunday.

In the Novus Ordo I have no idea where this feast day is celebrated.

[Sebastian Pringle]

Excellent post and beautiful image of St Rita.

[Atlanta Catholic]

Happy Feast Day St. Rita! I heard another beautiful story of your intercession. A business acquaintance of my son, shared how sad his wife had become. They had been married for several years and it seemed like they were unable to have children.

This couple was not Catholic but my son explained the Novena of St. Rita to the husband. The husband went home and asked his wife if she would like to pray this Novena. The wife agreed and the couple prayed the Novena together. A few days after they had finished the Novena, the wife called her husband to tell him that she was pregnant. The husband called my son to tell him the happy news. The husband thanked my son for introducing St. Rita, the saint of the impossible. The couple sent my son a photo of their new baby son. They know that St. Rita interceded and heard their heartfelt request. Thank you St. Rita!

[Jeffrey]

Is this posting in connection with the prayers being requested for Ted Kennedy, that he might renounce his former views and have a conversion? This might be the perfect saint for such a request.

[rina]

Happy Feast Day to St. Rita! I have a devotion to her and truly all my prayers with her intercessions were answered and it is really indeed that a rose will show up in any form once a prayer being answered... i experienced it and that's why i keep my faith alive. Thank you God and the Holy Trinity for all the blessings. May the Good Lord continue to bless all our loved ones and mostly all the people who's really in need. God bless :-)

[Shin]

A lovely image, and a saint that is very popular! :)

[Brian Fisher]

www.newarkarchbishop.com

[Erwin]

Saint Rita, strengthen the weak, protect us, the opressed..Amen.

[mina]

Dear St. Rita,
thank you for interceding my petition on behalf of Rj tha he passes the nclex exams. he passed the test and he himself couldn't believe it. he said only a miracle will help him. he had his miracle and i owe it to Mama Mary;s intercession and also to you and all the saints in heaven!
my other petition now is for Milos to get pregnant soon. thanks again for your help.

[shirley]

i need for st rita to intervene in my finances. can't work due to broken leg no insurance no money coming in rent and utililties due, don't know where to turn. brother was helping but he has his own bills to pay. also pray that my leg will heal so that i can return to work and not be a burden to my family

[kneeloswirl]

whatever happened to Thomistic?

tfggggggggggggggggggggg

ttyl

[palak]

ST. Rita,
i hv been praying "Oration To The Saint Of The Impossible" from past 6 days. I did 76 different novena prayers for 9 days which i completed yesterday & 3 days prayer too which never fails for the same wish . But my petition is not granted. plz help me. plz some1 help me. M nt a catholic but have faith in jesus. Waiting for the reply.

[Marianne]

Please enter me and my son to be included for a novena to St. Rita. Thank you.

[anonymous for H family]

Please pray for the H family whose daughter has been missing for four years. The suspect in her disappearance has been lying and taunting this family all this time and others have been lying and covering for him. Although the police know who is responsible for this innocent girl's disappearance, they are about to close the case for lack of enough evidence. Please pray that Our Lord will send them the miracle they desperately need to find the answers for their daughter as time is running out for them and please pray that Our Lord will quickly guide the police to the evidence they need to bring this person and those covering for him to justice according to God's Will.
Thank you and God Bless.