At the 100th anniversary of her canonization in the year 2000, Pope St. John Paul II said of St. Rita that she was a woman who was “small in stature but great in holiness, who lived in humility and is now known throughout the world for her heroic Christian life as a wife, mother, widow and nun. Deeply rooted in the love of Christ, Rita found in her faith unshakeable strength to be a woman of peace in every situation. In her example of total abandonment to God, in her transparent simplicity and in her unflinching fidelity to the Gospel, we too can find sound direction for being authentic Christian witnesses at the dawn of the third millennium."
Born in central Italy in 1377, Rita desired at a young age to become a nun. However, her parents had promised her in marriage despite her strongly expressed desire to enter religious life. Sadly, her husband turned out to be abusive and unfaithful. During her 18-year marriage Rita struggled to keep the family together and focused on raising her sons to know God.
After 18 years of unhappy married life, her husband was killed in a brawl, and a short time later, both sons died as well of natural causes.
Though deeply pained from this series of losses, Rita was now free to enter the religious life, yet she was rejected three times by the local Augustinian nuns of Cascia who typically only permitted virgins to enter their order. Eventually, she succeeded.
Over the years, her prayerfulness and charity became legendary. In fact, she meditated often on the passion of Christ, and when she developed a thorn-like wound on her forehead, people quickly associated it with the wounds from Christ’s crown of thorns.
St. Rita suffered much, yet God brought great goodness and beauty and the sanctification of her soul through her sufferings. Like St. Jude, she is known as a patron saint of difficult or impossible cases and six hundred years after her death, people still visit her tomb, seeking her prayerful intercession. She is a also a patron of difficult marriages.
As we begin the final week of the easter season, we have this truly remarkable saint who shows us what life can look like when we allow Christ’s Paschal Mystery to manifest in our life. The grace of Christ’s Paschal Victory transformed her as she practiced christ-like patience and forgiveness, trust in divine providence, as she sought strength in prayer and contemplation of Christ’s passion..Easter grace enabled her who lost both husband and sons, drew her to become a bride of Christ and a spiritual mother to many, a woman of peace in every circumstance. May Christ's peace transform our lives as well, for the glory of God and salvation of souls.
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That Christians may grow in grace by uniting their sufferings to the Sufferings of Christ and know God’s presence with them in their sufferings.
For all those in difficult or abusive marriages, that the Lord will protect victims of abuse and bring healing and reconciliation where it is possible.
That all young people may come to value discipleship of Jesus Christ above all earthly pursuits, be preserved from sin, and grow in grace and holiness. For the newly ordained priests of the diocese of Cleveland, and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and consecrated religious life.
For the consolation of all of the afflicted and for all those impossible cases which only the grace of God can remedy.
For the deceased members of our families, friends, and parish, for all of the pour souls in purgatory…
O God, who know that our life in this present age is subject to suffering and need, hear the prayers of those who cry to you and receive the prayers of those who believe in you. Through Christ our Lord.
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