Santa Rita of Cascia

St. Rita was born at Spoleto, Italy in 1381. At an early age, she begged her parents to allow her to enter a convent. Instead they arranged a marriage for her. Rita became a good wife and mother, but her husband was a man of violent temper. In anger he often mistreated his wife. He taught their children his own evil ways.
Rita tried to perform her duties faithfully and to pray and receive the sacraments frequently. After nearly twenty years of marriage, her husband was stabbed by an enemy but before he died, he repented because Rita prayed for him. Shortly afterwards, her two sons died, and Rita was alone in the world. Prayer, fasting, penances of many kinds, and good works filled her days. She was admitted to the convent of the Augustinian nuns at Cascia in Umbria, and began a life of perfect obedience and great charity.
Sister Rita had a great devotion to the Passion of Christ. "Please let me suffer like you, Divine Saviour," she said one day, and suddenly one of the thorns from the crucifix struck her on the forehead. It left a deep wound which did not heal and which caused her much suffering for the rest of her life. She died on May 22, 1457. She is the patroness of impossible cases. Her feast day is May 22.

(Taken from www.catholic.org)

Also known as:

Margarita of Cascia

Rita La Abogada de Imposibles

Saint of the Impossible

St. Rita is the patron saint for abuse victims, against lonliness, against sickness, against bodily wounds and illness, against spousal abuse, against infertility, lost causes, bad marriages, just to name a few.

LITANY OF SAINT RITA:

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,

….God, the Holy Spirit,

…Holy Trinity, One God,

…Immaculate Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.

Holy Mary, Mother of pure love,

…Holy Mary, Comforter of the afflicted,

…Holy Mary, Queen of all the saints,

…Holy Mary, Model of life for Saint Rita,

…St. Rita, our advocate and protectress,

…St. Rita, beloved by the Lord,

…St. Rita given special grace from heaven,

…St. Rita, remarkable in childhood,

…St. Rita, model of obedience to God’s Will,

…St. Rita, of untiring patience,

…St. Rita, model of Christian mothers,

…St. Rita, mirror for Christian spouses,

St. Rita, heroic in sacrifice, …

St. Rita, generous in forgiving, …

St. Rita, martyr in penitence, …

St. Rita, embracing humility and poverty, …

St. Rita, exemplary as a widow, …

St. Rita, prompt to answer the divine call, …

St. Rita, patient in suffering, …

St. Rita, mirror of religious observance, …

St. Rita, mystical rose of every virtue, …

St. Rita, enamored of the Passion of Christ, …

St. Rita, pierced with a thorn, …

St. Rita, in ecstasy before the Blessed Sacrament, …

St. Rita, consumed with Divine Love, …

St. Rita, received into heaven with joy, …

St. Rita, incorrupt in your chaste body, …

St. Rita, advocate of impossible cases, …

St. Rita, persevering in prayer, …

St. Rita, help of those in need, …

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.

Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.

Leader: Lord, you have signed your servant, Rita.

All: With the marks of Your love and Passion.

Leader: Let us pray. O God, Who bestowed on St. Rita such grace that she loved her enemies, and bore in her heart and on her forehead the mark of Your love and Passion, grant us, we beseech You, through her merits and intercession, a love for our enemies. Through our contemplation of Your sufferings and Passion, may we merit the reward promised to the meek and the suffering. You live and reign forever. Amen