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"Saint Rita of Cascia, whose feast is celebrated on May 22, was born at Rocca Porena in the diocese of Spoleto and the province of Umbria, Italy, about the year 1386, and died at Cascia in the year 1456. Being the daughter of parents who were advanced in years, she met with much opposition when she made known her intention of becoming a nun. Yielding to their entreaties, she married a man who, in a short time, lost his reputation on account of his cruelty. After converting him from his wicked ways, he was murdered by an enemy. Rita's two sons resolved to take revenge, but through her prayers they repented of their sins and were taken away by death. Left alone in the world, she applied several times for admission into the Augustinian Convent at Cascia. Refusal to receive her followed every application, until God Himself cleared away all obstacles and she entered the convent, made her profession and lived the life of a holy and devout Religious for forty-two years, "a shining example of every Christian virtue, pure as a lily, simple as a dove, and obedient as an angel."

That "God is wonderful in His saints" is easily proved in the life of St. Rita. On one occasion Rita requested a rose to be brought to her from her garden at Porena in the midst of winter. The rose was found in full bloom. At another time she asked for a fig, and the same was found. The report of these wonders spread far and wide, and people flocked to the convent from all parts of Europe, only to receive in return for their faith in God through the prayers of Rita many spiritual and temporal favors.

Owing to the great number of miracles wrought by St. Rita, she is often styled "The Saint of the Impossible." The Church has placed her stamp of approval on these miracles of St. Rita and has raised her to the dignity of the altar by canonizing her a saint of God on the 24th of May, 1900.

Reflection: Let us learn from the life of St. Rita to pray frequently for the conversion of sinners. There is no prayer more pleasing to God than that which has for its object the conversion of those who lead lives of sin, particularly sins against faith, such as leaving the one true Church and practicing a false religion, wilful doubt, disbelief, denial, ignorance, and those who commit sin by exposing their faith to danger." Little Pictorial Lives of the Saints.

Our Own St. Rita, Fr. Matthew Corcoran

Prayer: Holy Patroness of those in need, St. Rita, whose pleadings before thy Divine Lord are almost irresistible, who for thy lavishness in granting favors hast been called the Advocate of the Hopeless and even of the Impossible; St. Rita, so humble, so pure, so mortified, so patient and of such compassionate love for thy Crucified Jesus that thou couldst obtain from Him whatsoever thou askest, on account of which all confidently have recourse to thee expecting, if not always relief, at least comfort; be propitious to our petition, showing thy power with God on behalf of thy suppliant; be lavish to us, as thou hast been in so many wonderful cases, for the greater glory of God, for the spreading of thine own devotion, and for the consolation of those who trust in thee.

 We promise, if our petition is granted, to glorify thee by making know thy favor, to bless and sing thy praises forever. Relying then upon thy merits and power before the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we pray thee grant that [here mention your request].

By the singular merits of thy childhood,  Obtain for us our request.
By thy perfect union with the Divine Will, Obtain for us our request.
By thy heroic sufferings during thy married life, Obtain for us our request.
By the consolation thou didst experience at the conversion of thy husband,Obtain for us our request.
By the sacrifice of thy children rather than see them grievously offend God,Obtain for us our request.
By the miraculous entrance into the convent,Obtain for us our request.
By thy severe penances and thrice daily bloody scourgings, Obtain for us our request.
By the suffering caused by the wound thou didst receive from the thorn of thy Crucified Savior, Obtain for us our request.
By the Divine love which consumed thy heart, Obtain for us our request.
By that remarkable devotion to the Blessed Sacrament,on which alone thou didst exist for four years, Obtain for us our request.
By the happiness with which thou didst part from thy trials to join thy Divine Spouse, Obtain for us our request.
By the perfect example thou gavest to people of every state of life, Obtain for us our request.
Pray for us, O holy St. Rita, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us Pray:  O God, Who in Thine infinite tenderness hast vouchsafed to regard the prayer of Thy servant, Blessed Rita, and dost grant to her supplication that which is impossible to human foresight, skill and efforts, in reward of her compassionate love and firm reliance on Thy promise, have pity on our adversity and succor us in our calamities, that the unbeliever may know Thou art the recompense of the humble, the defense of the helpless, and the strength of those who trust in Thee, through Jesus Christ, Our Lord. Amen.

"AFTER a pious education in a seminary at Gubio, a city in the ecclesiastical states, he was made by the bishop prior of his cathedral. After some time he was consecrated bishop of Gubio, by the pope himself. He made it his whole business to adorn his high station with all the virtues of a true successor of the apostles. But the mildness and patience, by which he appeared insensible to injuries and affronts, was one of the brightest parts of his character. The two last years of his life, he laboured under a complication of painful distempers, which he bore with the patience of a saint. On Easter day, his devotion to the glorious mystery of that festival, made him forget his infirm condition, so that he got up, said Mass, and gave the people a discourse on eternal life. He continued till the feast of the Ascension to prepare himself for death, and having received the rites of the Church, expired on the 16th of May, 1160.