Feast Day: May 22
Patron Saint of: Impossible causes, widows, parenthood and difficult or abusive marriages
Some saints seem to have lived lives of extraordinary joy and ease. Others remind us that holiness can grow in the middle of suffering, disappointment and circumstances we never would have chosen for ourselves. St. Rita of Cascia is one of those saints.
Known as the patron saint of impossible causes, St. Rita experienced an incredible amount of suffering during her lifetime. She endured a difficult marriage, the violent death of her husband, the loss of both of her sons and rejection when she first tried to enter religious life. Yet through all of this, she continued to turn towards God.
Her life is a beautiful example of forgiveness, perseverance and trusting God even when we cannot understand why He has allowed certain things to happen.
From Childhood, Rita Longed for God
St. Rita was born Margherita Lotti in Roccaporena, a small village near Cascia in Italy, around 1381–1386. Her parents were older when she was born, and her birth was regarded by her family as a great blessing.
From a young age, Rita had a deep love for God and wanted to dedicate her life to Him. She reportedly wished to become a religious sister, but instead, following the customs of the time, she was married while still very young.
Her husband, Paolo Mancini, came from a family involved in a long-standing local feud. Rita's marriage was extremely difficult, and accounts of her life describe Paolo as violent and aggressive.
Yet Rita continued to pray.
Rather than responding to anger with more anger, she tried to live peacefully and faithfully. According to the tradition surrounding her life, her patience and prayers eventually helped bring about a change in her husband, who began turning away from his violent ways and towards God.
Rita and Paolo had two sons, whom she raised in the Catholic faith.
A Family Torn Apart by Revenge
The peace Rita had prayed for was tragically short-lived. Paolo was eventually murdered as a result of the family feud. At his funeral, Rita chose forgiveness rather than revenge. She publicly forgave those responsible and sought peace between the families, but the cycle of hatred did not end there.
Rita's two sons were influenced by members of the family and began considering revenge for their father's death. Rita desperately wanted to prevent them from becoming trapped in the same cycle of violence. She prayed that her sons would not commit the sin of murder.
Within a year, both boys died after becoming ill. Rita was now a widow and had lost both of her children.
It is difficult to imagine the grief she must have experienced. She had lost almost everything she had built her life around.
And yet, rather than turning away from God, Rita returned to the desire she had carried since childhood.
She wanted to become a nun.
The Door to Religious Life Wasn't Open
Rita tried to enter the convent of Saint Mary Magdalene in Cascia, but she was initially refused. She had been married, and the circumstances surrounding her husband's death created difficulties.
Instead of giving up, Rita continued praying.
She worked towards reconciliation between the families involved in the feud and eventually peace was restored. After this reconciliation, Rita was able to enter the convent and begin the religious life she had desired since she was a child.
She became an Augustinian religious sister and spent approximately forty years living a life dedicated to prayer, penance and service to God.
Her life in the convent was largely hidden from the world.
There were no great public achievements or positions of power. Instead, Rita devoted herself to prayer and to growing closer to Christ.
And perhaps that is one of the most beautiful things about her story.
Sometimes holiness happens quietly.
Sharing in Christ's Suffering
St. Rita developed a profound devotion to the Passion of Christ.
According to tradition, when she was around sixty years old, Rita was praying before a crucifix after hearing a sermon about the Passion of Jesus. She received a wound on her forehead, traditionally understood as a manifestation of the stigmata, representing one of the thorns from Christ's Crown of Thorns.
The wound was reportedly extremely painful and remained with her for many years.
Whether we focus on the extraordinary nature of this event or simply on Rita's deep devotion to Christ's Passion, what stands out is her desire to unite her own suffering with that of Jesus.
She knew what it meant to suffer.
But she also knew that suffering did not have to be meaningless.
Rita continually brought her pain, grief and difficulties to Christ.
Why Is St. Rita the Patron Saint of Impossible Causes?
St. Rita became particularly associated with impossible and desperate situations because of the seemingly impossible circumstances she encountered throughout her own life.
She had wanted to become a religious sister but was married instead. She endured a painful marriage. She lost her husband. She lost both of her children. She was initially refused entry into the convent she longed to join.
And yet, none of those disappointments were the end of her story.
Eventually, reconciliation took place. Rita entered religious life. She spent decades devoted to God and became known for her prayer and holiness.
Her life reminds us that something which seems impossible to us is never beyond God's reach.
That doesn't mean that God will always give us exactly what we ask for. Instead, St. Rita teaches us to bring even our most difficult situations to Him and to trust Him with the outcome.
A Saint of Forgiveness and Peace
Perhaps one of the most powerful parts of St. Rita's story is her attitude towards forgiveness.
After her husband's murder, she could easily have allowed hatred to take root in her heart. Instead, she sought peace.
She also desperately tried to prevent her sons from continuing the cycle of revenge.
This doesn't mean that forgiveness makes terrible things acceptable, or that people should remain in situations where they are being harmed. Rita's story should never be used to tell someone experiencing abuse that they simply need to endure it.
Rather, her life can remind us that hatred and revenge do not have to have the final word.
Forgiveness is not the same as pretending that something didn't happen. It can be a decision to place justice and the person who has hurt us into God's hands rather than allowing anger to consume our hearts.
For Rita, peace became a central part of her journey towards God.
What Can We Learn from St. Rita of Cascia?
St. Rita's life gives us so much to reflect on.
Pray when something feels impossible.
There may be situations in our lives that seem completely beyond our control. St. Rita reminds us that we can always bring them before God.
Choose forgiveness over revenge.
Forgiveness can be incredibly difficult, especially when we have been deeply hurt. Rita's example reminds us of the freedom that can come from refusing to let hatred take control of our hearts.
Trust God when life doesn't go according to plan.
Rita had a very different life planned for herself. She wanted to become a nun from a young age, yet her path took her somewhere completely unexpected before eventually leading her to religious life.
Keep praying.
Rita's story is one of perseverance. When one door closed, she continued to pray and trust God.
Bring your suffering to Christ.
Rita didn't pretend that suffering wasn't painful. Instead, she united her suffering to Christ and allowed it to deepen her relationship with Him.
We may never understand why certain things happen in our lives. But we can always choose where we turn when they do.
St. Rita turned to Christ.
Prayer to St. Rita of Cascia
St. Rita of Cascia,
You knew suffering, loss, disappointment and heartbreak, yet you continued to place your trust in God.
Pray for me when the situations in my life feel impossible. Help me to bring my worries and intentions to Christ with faith and perseverance.
Teach me to forgive those who have hurt me, to seek peace rather than revenge, and to trust God's plan even when I cannot understand it.
Help me to unite my sufferings to the sufferings of Jesus and to remember that I am never alone.
St. Rita, patron of impossible causes, pray for me and for all those who come to you with difficult and desperate situations.
Amen.
God Bless,
Beatriz.
Founder of By Bea Rosaries
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