Saint Rita of Cascia: Saint of the Impossible

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.

Here is her 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."

Her 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 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; wounds

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

[Grateful]

Dearest Saint Rita, thank you so much for all your intercessions. The blackened skin next to my toe nail has finally gone away and the affected area is healthy again. Thank you so much! This is truly amazing.. Thank You Lord God and Lord Jesus Christ too, for answering my prayers through the intercessions of Saint Rita!!

[Hopeless trying to be hopeful]

St Rita, I have been praying for your intercession for a few weeks now. Please intercede for me today. Please bring me a miracle. My heart is so full of love and it is breaking today, please bring my love back. You know what I need and what I have been asking for, please intercede on my behalf. I will honor your intercession and sing your praises for the rest of my life. Thank you for your help.

[Christine]

Thank you St Rita for listening to me and praying that i would pass all of my subjects. I am grateful to you and will keep asking you to pray for me in my time of need.

[ARNOLD VILLALOBOS]

I AM CATHOLIC BY MY MOMS TEACHINGS, MAY SHE REST IN PEACE, I PRAYED TO SAINT RITA ON BEHALF OF A WOMAN ON FACEBOOK WHO IS ILL AND HAVING SURGERY AFTER SURGERY, I KNOW THER WAS A SAINT FOR THE IMPOSSIBLE, BUT I DID NOT KNOW HER NAME, SO I GOOGLED HER, AND I FOUND HER, SAINT RITA, WHAT A BEAUTIFUL STORY ON HER AND WHAT COURAGE AND FAITH THIS WOMAN HAS, STILL DEAD, BUT SO BEAUTIFUL, I AM INSPIRED BY HER, GOD BLESSED US WITH HER, WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[GRB]

Dear St. Rita de Casia please, save our family house it is about to be foreclosed.Sana maituro mo sa akin kung anong paraan na mabigyan ng sulosyon ang problema namin finacial. Maraming salamat po.

[Jayne Rita]

St Rita Please listen to my pleading and grant me the desires of my heart and my family members.

St Rita pray for us

[Mounir]

http://saint-rita.com

Please check out her life, pictures of her town and the monastery.

[lucie]

Thank you God, Thank you Mary, mother of God and Thanks to all the Saints especially St Rita, St Therese de l'Enfant Jesus, St Joseph, St Lucie,St Gerard Maella, St Padre Pio

[A]

Dear St Rita, thank you so much for your intercessions and the healing...:)

[ASH]

ST RITA PLEASE PRAY FOR ME THAT MY LOST LOVE COMES BACK TO ME AFTER REALISING HIS MISTAKE. IAM IN MAJOR TRAUMA. LET HIM GIVE ME A PHONE CALL AND BE NICE TO ME. IF THIS MIRACLE HAPPENS I WILL TRULY PUBLISH THIS THANKS GIVING ON THE WALL AND LET PEOPLE KNW ABT THE MIRACLE

[Carlos]

St. Rita, please give our governors the wisdom to make right decisions for our country and for all the governors from all over the world. Please help to people who are unemployed to keep their faith and to never give up. Pray for our nation and to reach peach all over the world. Pray for those poor people, pray for the sick people, because in these days we need you so much. Please help me to get that job that I am longing for and I promise you that I will do my best every single day. Thank you.

[Hoda]

St. Rita, I ask you please to cure my brother Ramez from cancer and allow him to walk again. Please St.Rita, make it possible. I know that you can with God's permission. Please pray for him. Also, I ask St. Jude, the saint of the impossible to intervene and perform the miracle and allow him to stand and 100% cure from cancer. Please St. Jude pray for him and for us.
Thank you for allowing me to talk to both of you

[crystal]

St Rita has been so good to me! Absolutely every request I have prayed for eventually was given. I adore u St Rita and will pray to you the rest of my life!

[Jenni]

Thank you so much for interceding on my behalf, St. Rita, and for listening to my prayers. You made the impossible possible and I thank you with all of my heart. I will always thank you and spread the word on your intercession.

[Tricia]

I pray to Saint Rita on behalf of my soulmate Anthony. He is a drug addict and alcoholic who works as a nurse in an emergency room endangering patients lives daily. I pray that the hospital who knows of his addictions for 6 months that they finally suspend him immediatly and make him seek the proper help he needs so not to bring harm to the community. Please Saint Rita intercede for Anthony's highest good and that of the safety and highest good of all the patients.

[belle]

Dear St. Rita,
Thank you for interceding for me for a prayer request which I thought was impossible. My husband has been womanizing for 10 years already in our 13 years of marriage. I felt so helpless until I chanced upon a novena in your honor again. Last December 20, 2011, my husband and I had a major fight and he said he was leaving. I started the novena and today, I got a text message from one of his "women" saying my husband chose us his family and decided to leave her. I cried and realized it must be the intercession of St. Rita, the saint of the impossible. Thank you very much for an answered prayers. I hope my husband will change for the better everyday, for the greater Glory of God. AMEN.

[belle]

Dear St. Rita,
Thank you for interceding for me. God granted my prayer request. My husband turned away from his other woman and chose us his family.

[Mia Lachine]

St Rita, I want to thank you for many things you help me with, you heard my prayers and answered them quickly. I had prayed not to lose my house and I didn't! Also was trying to get pregnant for my second child and you help me by praying to my sweet Jesus and he blessed me with twins! And now i always pray for a bigger matter that i still wait for, but event if it takes time i now in my heart that you will help me get it! I can't not thank you enough! M.L

[Adraine Ingram]

Thank you St. Rita Cascia for the wonderful blessings and help you provided for me Adraine and my daughter.

thank you, thank you, thank you.

Continue to keep us in your prayers.

[Adraine Ingram]

St. Rita,

I will spread you goodness to the public.

[Mary Massa]

Desr St.Rita, ssint of the impossibles, I have been praying for several months and i am still hoping for a miracle, I believe in them and I believe God can grant it with your help.I will continue my prayers and I will spread your praise for miracles granted,may your soul rest in peace, Thank you, Amen

[Barb W]

Please pray for my son Jeff who is alcoholic and came out of rehab and relapsed. His girlfriend plans to leave him and he has no job or anywhere to live. HE needs her in his life or he will just give up om life. Pray for his sobriety ,a job and his girlfriend to stay by his side.

[Michele]

I encountered an almost impossible situation in my life that caused me much worry and pain... I'm happy to say that I prayed the Novena to St. Rita... more than the 9 days... and the situation was almost miraculously resolved. I'm so thankful for her intersession and convinced it was her influence that brought me peace. I will continue to pray for her intercession for other 'impossible' causes in my life and have hope they, too, will be resolved.