Saint Rita of Cascia
Feast Day: May 22nd
Saint Rita of Cascia
Profile
Rita was born in 1381 in a little Italian village. Her parents were older. They had begged God to send them a child. They brought Rita up well. Rita wanted to enter the convent when she was fifteen, but her parents decided that she should marry instead. The man they chose for Rita turned out to be a mean and unfaithful husband. He had such a violent temper that everyone in the neighborhood was afraid of him. Yet, for eighteen years, his wife patiently took all his insults. Her prayers, gentleness and goodness finally won his heart. He apologized to Rita for the way he had treated her and he returned to God.
Rita's happiness over her husband's conversion did not last long. One day, shortly after, he was murdered. Rita was shocked and heart-broken. But she forgave the murderers, and tried to make her two sons forgive them, too. She saw that the boys, instead, were determined to avenge their father's death. Rita prayed that they would die rather than commit murder. Within several months, both boys became seriously ill. Rita nursed them lovingly. During their illness, she persuaded them to forgive, and to ask God's forgiveness for themselves. They did and both died peacefully.
Now her husband and her children were dead. Left alone in the world, Rita tried three times to enter the convent in Cascia. The rules of the convent did not permit a woman who had been married to join even if her husband had died. Rita did not give up, however. At last, the nuns made an exception for her. In the convent, Rita was outstanding for her obedience and charity. She had great devotion to the crucified Jesus. Once, while praying, she asked him to let her share some of his pain. One thorn from his crown of thorns pierced her forehead and made a sore that never healed. In fact, it grew so bad and gave off such an odor that St. Rita had to stay away from the others. She was happy to suffer to show her love for Jesus.
St. Rita died on May 22, 1457, when she was seventy-six. Like St. Jude, St. Rita is often called "Saint of the Impossible."
Prayers in Honor of Saint Rita
Hymn to Saint Rita of Cascia
I.
Come, virgins chaste; pure brides, draw near: Let Earth exult and Heaven hear
The Hymn that grateful accents raise, Our song of joy in Rita's praise.
II.
By fast her sinless frame is weak; Her livid flesh the scourges streak. In pity
for her Savior's woes, Her days and even nights are closed.
III.
The thorn-wound on her brow is shown, The crimson rose in winter blown, And
full-ripe figs on frozen tree At Rita's wish the wonders see.
IV.
The widowed spouse and wedded wife The way to heaven see in her life; The way
secure our Rita trod, In life's dim day, through paint o God.
V.
Praise to the Father and the Son, Praise to the Spirit, Three in One; O grant us
grace in heaven to reign Through Rita's prayer and life-long pain.
V. Thou hast signed thy servant Rita
A. With the sign of thy Love and Passion.
Let us Pray.
O God! who didst deign to confer on St. Rita for imitating Thee in love of her
enemies, the favor of bearing her heart and brow the marks of Thy Love and
Passion, grant we beseech Thee, that through her intercession and merit, we may,
pierced by the thorns of compunction, ever contemplate the sufferings of Thy
Passion, who livest and reignest forever and ever. Amen.
This hymn is the translation of the hymn of Lauds, office of St. Rita, approved
by Decree of S.C.R. Nov. 24, 1900.
The Litany of Saint Rita of Cascia, Saint of the Impossible
For private recital only.
Lord have mercy on us.
Christ have mercy on us.
Lord have mercy on us. Christ, hear us.
Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of Heaven,
have mercy on us.
God the Son, Redeemer of the world,
have mercy on us.
God the Holy Ghost,
have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God,
have mercy on us.
Holy Patroness of those in need, St. Rita,
pray for us.
St. Rita, whose pleadings before the Divine Lord
are almost irresistible,
pray for us.
St. Rita, who for thy lavishness in granting favors
hast been called the Advocate of the Hopeless,
pray for us.
St. Rita, Advocate of the Impossible,
pray for us.
St. Rita, so humble,
pray for us.
St. Rita, so pure,
pray for us.
St. Rita, so mortified
pray for us.
St. Rita, so patient
pray for us.
St. Rita, of such compassionate love for
thy Crucified Jesus,
pray for us.
St. Rita, obtainer from Christ whatsoever thou askest,
pray for us.
St. Rita, on account of whom all confidently
have recourse to thee,
pray for us.
St. Rita, comforter of thy petitioners,
pray for us.
St. Rita, lavish to thy suppliants in so many cases,
pray for us.
St. Rita, aspiring only for the greater glory of God
pray for us.
By the singular merits of thy childhood,
Obtain for us our request [think of it].
By the perfect union with the Divine Will,
Obtain for us our request [think of it].
By thy heroic sufferings during thy married life,
Obtain for us our request [think of it].
By the consolation thou didst experience at the conversion of thy husband,
Obtain for us our request [think of it].
By the sacrifice of thy children rather than see them grievously offend God,
Obtain for us our request [think of it].
By thy miraculous entrance into the convent,
Obtain for us our request [think of it].
By thy severe penances and thrice daily bloody scourgings,
Obtain for us our request [think of it].
By the suffering caused by the wound thou didst receive from the thorn of of thy
Crucified Savior,
Obtain for us our request [think of it].
By that Divine Love which consumed thy heart,
Obtain for us our request [think of it].
By that remarkable devotion to the Blessed Sacrament,
on which alone thou didst exist for four years,
Obtain for us our request [think of it].
By the happiness with which thou didst part from thy trials to join thy Divine
Spouse,
Obtain for us our request [think of it].
By the perfect example thou didst give to people of every state of life,
Obtain for us our request [think of it].
V. Pray for us, O St. Rita,
R. That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of
the world,
Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takest away the sins of the world,
Have mercy on us.
Let us pray.
O God, Who in Thine infinite tenderness
hast vouchsafed to regard the prayer of Thy servant, blessed Rita, and dost
grant to her supplication that which is impossible to human foresight, skill and
efforts, in reward for her compassionate love and firm reliance on Thy promise:
have pity upon our adversity and succor us in our calamities, that the
unbeliever may know Thou art the recompense of the humble, the defense of the
helpless, and the strength of those who trust in Thee: Through Jesus Christ, Our
Lord. Amen.