St. Rita of Cascia

Today is the feast day of St. Rita of Cascia. She’s one of my favorites, one of my special adopted saints, because she is the patroness of impossible cases.

St. Rita, from an early age, desired to enter a convent, but instead her parents arranged a marriage for her. Sadly, her husband was not a good man, but one filled with anger and violence. He abused Rita and passed on his evil ways to their children. Rita, for her part, was a good wife and mother, despite her circumstances.

After 20 years of marriage, the man’s unholy ways caught up with him; he was stabbed and killed. He did repent before his death, though, as Rita had been praying for him all along.  Rita’s two sons wanted to seek revenge on the murderer who had taken their father’s life, but Rita attempted to dissuade them. They were intent on their purpose, though, and so she prayed to God to prevent them from committing their own act of murder. Shortly thereafter, the two sons both died, before they could fall into mortal sin.

Rita still desired to enter a convent, but was denied. Miraculously, she found herself transported into the Augustinian convent at Cascia in Umbria – to the great surprise of the nuns there as well! She was allowed to remain there as a nun.

Here’s the prayer I pray to St. Rita:

O Glorious St. Rita, thou who didst so wonderfully participate in the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ, obtain for me the grace to suffer with patience the pains of this life, and protect me in all my needs.

Glorious St Rita, please obtain for me the grace faithfully to fulfill the duties of my state in life.

Glorious St Rita, please obtain for me the grace to be satisfied with the lot in life to which God has called me.

Glorious St Rita, please obtain for me thy spirit of patience and strength in adversity.

Glorious St Rita, obtain for me entire detachment from the things of this world and fix all my affections and desires on heavenly treasures.

Glorious St Rita, please obtain for me health of soul and body.

Glorious St Rita, advocate of the impossible and patroness of desperate cases, please obtain the favors I ask through thee.

Lord Jesus Christ, have mercy on me.