(feast day May 22nd)

Wonderful Saint of the Impossible

Saint Rita was born in Rocca Porena, Italy in 1836 and even as a baby there was a sign that seemed to say, God had chosen her for something special. One day while she was sleeping in her crib, they found little white bees buzzing all around her face. They even went in and out of her mouth without harming her.

From a very young age she had a desire to become a nun and consecrate herself to God but it was not to be, as her parents urged her to marry. She could not persuade them otherwise and so a marriage was arranged for her. She consented out of obedience and became a model Christian wife and mother even though her husband proved to be a very harsh and cruel man, who even struck her on more then one occasion. She bore him two sons and eventually through her patience, good example and many prayers her husband was converted and became a good Christian man himself. Their happiness was short lived however as he was murdered and Rita was left to care for her two sons alone. Her two sons vowed to revenge their fathers death but Rita prayed to Our Lord to take their lives rather then let them commit murder. They later repented and eventually died of an illness at a young age, in God’s good grace.

Rita was left alone and was now a true and holy widow. But the desire and calling to become a nun was now even stronger. She applied several times at the Augustinian Convent in Cascia, but was refused acceptance time and time again. Though it was not strictly forbidden they had never allowed a widow to join the order and the Mother Superior could not be persuaded. However God wanted Rita to become a nun and He soon made this very clear. Rita prayed daily for a miracle, as she knew God was calling her. She also invoked her special patrons St. John the Baptist, St. Augustine, and St. Nicholas of Tolentine. One night these three Saints appeared to her in a holy vision and led her to the walls of the convent. All the doors were securely locked but with the assistance of her three companions she was able to walk right in. She spent the rest of the night in prayer thanking God for answering her prayer and when she was found the next morning she humbly relayed to the good sisters who she was and how she came to be there. With great joy they accepted her into the order.

St. Rita became a very humble and holy nun. She was full of charity, obedience, humility and love for God. She had a great gift of meditation and loved to meditate on the passion of Our Lord, especially His crowing with thorns. She longed to take part in His suffering and God once again rewarded her by giving her a small token of His love for her. She was praying one day and meditating heavily on Our Lords suffering when she was miraculously struck with the wound of a single thorn from Christ’s crown of thorns. The wound struck deep into her forehead for all to see. The pain was severe but she bore it with patience, offering it back to Our Lord.

St. Rita lived for several more years as a model of holiness. Many, miracles were wrought through her prayers and after her death her body was found to be incorruptible. She was canonized by the Church in 1900 and continues to be a very powerful intercessor. Like St. Jude she is known as the Saint of the impossible. Her body remains uncorrupt to this day. Saint Rita’s feast day is on May 22^nd.