hope is never discouraged
She was forced to marry a violent atheist, but her kindness made this man convert. She had two children with him for whom she interceded a lot so that the Lord would take them before seeing them take revenge on the criminals who murdered her father. Miraculously, her powerful prayer was quickly answered as the plague took them the same day! … When she was left totally alone, her only wish was to enter the convent, however she was rejected several times, but this did not discourage her and finally a miracle managed to convince her sisters to open the doors for her . After having suffered in her marriage, Rita received a stigma: a thorn from the crown of Christ on her forehead, which is associated with the pain of Jesus. She obediently carried this love wound that she offered for desperate cases until her death.
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Biography of Saint Rita
Saint Rita was born in 1381 in Roccaporenanear Cassia. His parents, quite old, were pious peasants who patiently begged the Lord for a son, and He granted them. From her birth the girl received a Lord’s special protectionor: a testimony of this is the bee miracle
The mother of the young Rita transmitted to her a great love for Christ and a special devotion for her Passion. Therefore, she was always very pious: she spent her time serving her elderly parents and devoting herself to the prayer. He performed his housework and farm work with great kindness. In addition, she had two favorite places: a small room that she turned into an oratory and the Mount Scoglio, where he was going to practice spiritual recollection. On the other hand, her parents, worried about the future of her only daughter, decided to marry her against her will. Although Rita wanted in her heart to enter the convent for some time, she preferred to accept the will of her parents so as not to make them suffer. Thus, she married Paolo Mancini at the age of 14. Unfortunately, this violent and angry man was not the ideal husband for Rita, who suffered greatly from her outbursts.
Nevertheless, Rita, full of courage and good will, dedicated herself to her new task as wife and mother. She had two children and took pains to give them a good Christian education, especially taking them with her to do charity work. In addition to suffering everything in silence, the young wife offered fasts and sacrifices for the conversion of her husband. Grace finally came to Paolo’s life who, throwing himself at the feet of his wife, asked for forgiveness. From that moment on, family life was transformed and it seemed that happiness had taken over that home.
Unfortunately, shortly after his conversion, Paolo Mancini was savagely murdered by former colleagues, with whom he had been on bad terms before. His two sons, turned young, took the path of revenge and entered that life of violence. However, Rita acted heroically and with her mother’s love, she preferred to see her children dead rather than guilty of a mortal sin. In fact, the young people died quietly, one after another, from illness. After those unfortunate events, Rita, who was immersed in her cruel pain, turned to her crucifix, asking: “Lord, here I am alone in the world, what do you want from me now?”. The answer was clear: she remembered again that she wanted to enter the Augustinian monastery of Cassia.
Rita applied three times for admission to the convent, but was rejected because of her situation and age. However, she was finally accepted, after being miraculously transported by three saints inside the convent. Sister Rita immediately showed herself to be a peculiarly saintly person. Since then, she devoted herself to all services, especially helping the poor, whom she always helped with love. Rita, deeply inhabited by the Passion of Christimmersed himself in it during his meditations and one day, one of the thorns from the crown of the crucifix broke off and was inserted into his forehead. Instead of removing it, Sister Rita kept this painful wound for the rest of her life. In fact, this foul-smelling, festering wound caused her to be locked up in an isolated room.
Sister Rita received many visits and they took many prayer intentions. For this reason he multiplied his penances and the miracles became more and more frequent. The news spread quickly and Sister Rita began to be known. She soon after fell ill and remained in bed for four years before her death. In fact, Rita received a visit from Jesus and the virgin mary who announced her death three days later, by then she felt increasingly weak. Subsequently, the May 22, 1457 Rita flew to heaven leaving behind her a multitude of graces.
Although her sanctity was immediately recognized by all, the Catholic Church waited almost five centuries to proclaim her Saint in 1900. Today, her body still rests intact in the Basilica of Cascia.
Rita, saint of lost causes
Saint Rita of Cassia is known as the saint of desperate causes, because his intercession has always been very effective. The cult of him has gradually spread in Italy and throughout the world.
Christians from all walks of life turn to her after exhausting human resources and failing to find a solution to their suffering or anguish.
In reality, Rita was not distinguished by extraordinary actions but by her holinesshumble and obedient. All her holy life, Rita strove to please the Lord in every way, accepting trials and doing the will of the Father in every situation. From her youth she made many sacrifices and penances that brought her closer to God, and it was along this path that she raised her prayers more and more to Heaven, to receive in return a multitude of graces.
She, who knew all the states of life, intercedes for all kinds of difficulties. For example, she prays for those who they want to have a childby wivesfor couples in crisis, for mothers whose children are going in the wrong direction, for the nuns, for the sick, whom he served all his life, for lost causes. In all these situations his intercession is so powerful and effective that he has become “the patron saint of impossible cases“.
Saint Rita, patron saint of the gypsies
Rita, in the company of other nuns, made a great pilgrimage to Rome on the occasion of the Great Jubilee of 1450. After having crossed Italy on foot, in difficult conditions, Rita became the patron saint of travelers and gypsies.
The miracles in the life of Santa Rita
The miracle of the bees
While working in the fields, her parents placed little Rita in a basket at the foot of a leafy tree, where she was soon surrounded by of bees. One of the peasants, who had injured his hand while working, returned near the place where the baby was and found her covered in bees, some of which had even gotten into her little mouth. However, to everyone’s surprise, the bees did not harm her, and what is even more amazing, the peasant looked at her hand again and realized that her wound was completely damaged. fury. In fact, when Rita became a nun, similar bees settled in the monastery.
the miracle of the vine
Sister Rita obeyed the Mother Superior in every way, and to test her, she asked her to water a dried vine stock every day. Despite her ridicule, Rita took this job to heart. After a year it happened miracle: the dead branch turned green, grew and gave excellent fruit. This branch is still alive in the Casia convent and has been producing grapes of exceptional quality for more than five hundred years.
The miracle of the roses
While still a nun and bedridden, Sister Rita asked a visitor to bring her a rose from her garden. She left thinking that the sister was delirious, since it was the middle of winter. However, when she had already forgotten the request of the sick woman, she passed by the front of Rita’s old garden, and to her surprise, she saw a rose splendid that had blossomed. This happened again with two figs that matured in winter.
The miracles of the death of Santa Rita
Just after the death of Santa Rita, wonders began to happen: many people saw her ascend to glorythe monastery bell began to ring without anyone touching it, the wound on his forehead healed leaving only a beautiful trace, his body spread a delicious perfume and her face was much more beautiful than usual. In addition, a sister who leaned in to kiss her immediately cried out, as her paralyzed arm miraculously regained its mobility.
Due to the above, a crowd from all over the region wanted to venerate the body of that woman who was already known as “the saint of Roccaporena”; For this, a special, open coffin was prepared, and his remains were placed there. It should be noted that Rita’s body remained beautiful, soft and perfumed. On the other hand, many miracles happened through this servant of the Lord, whose intercession was quite powerful on earth.
Pray with Saint Rita
discover the many prayers to Saint Rita to ask for his intercession:
There are many devotions to Santa Rita: the rosary beadsthe litanies, the medals. can also be ordered the intercession of Saint Rita for a very difficult or desperate cause, through this novena. Also, many shrines have been dedicated to Santa Rita.