Saint Rita of Cascia as My Patron Saint

I am a devotee of Saint Rita of Cascia, I say my intentions to her, and ask for her intercession to the Lord in my behalf.

And I continiously say the novena as a promise to Saint Rita of Cascia.

But then, I am not exclusive to her. I mean I also pray (and prayed) to other Saints like Saint Jude (another favorite one) and Saint Pilomena - albeit I pray to them occasionally. Unlike with Saint Rita of Cascia, to whom I could say I am a 100% devotee.

Would anyone say it is okay for me to have other Saints to pray to even if I spend less time on them compared to my devotion to Saint Rita? I mean - will my prayers and words of intentions to the other saints be appreciated by them even if I am really much more of a devotee to Saint Rita of Cascia?

Or is it appropriate that anyone should devote totally to one patron saint, which in my case is Saint Rita of Cascia?

I always hear the saying that "whenever one is an a precarious, desparate or any unwanted situation - he could call for help from all the saints in heaven."

Could anyone comment on this?

Veneration of Saint Rita of Cascia and Other Saints

As Roman Catholic, I was taught not to worship and idolize saints (Saint Rita of Cascia included), but only venerate them.

By veneration, I mean show respect or reverence. Saints are special intercessors to the Lord, and while I firmly believe the Jesus Christ is the Only Way, the Truth and the Life - I also believe that saints function like His "assistants" should we wish to convey messages to God, or if we wish to relay prayers of intentions.

I am a devotee to Saint Rita of Cascia, and I continiously say her novena as part of my promise to her should my intentions get fullfilled.

I also create this blog, "Saint Rita of Cascia", because only because I promised it too, but more because I truly believe that she is a powerful intercessor, and that more should know about her.

Still, I do not worship or idolize Saint Rita of Cascia because it is not proper as a Catholic, but instead venerate her holiness and try to understand her life as a model of a great Christian.

And indeed, Saint Rita of Cascia and all other saints are there as examples and guides for us, helping us live with the Lord in our midst.

Saint Rita of Cascia National Shrine

Saint Rita of Cascia, the Patroness of Hopeless Cases - and the Patron Saint of the Impossible has many churches and shrines in the United States and other parts of the world.

In the United States of America, if you wish to visit the Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia, it is located in the State of Pensylvania.

Its Complete Address is:

1166 South Broad Street,
Philadelphia, Pensylvania 19146

The Shrine started out as a parish for Italian immigrants and settlers in Philadelphia. The Augustinian friars set up a foundation that would fill up their needs. A patron saint was needed, and they chose Saint Rita of Cascia, which is a beloved Italian saint.

The National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia has a strong and steadily growing followers and devotees, both from the local parish and from other places and states. The shrine is open from sun up to sun down every day of the week.

Services offered by the National Shrine of Saint Rita includes daily masses and the Novena to Saint Rita.

The Shrine also has a souvenir corner which sells Saint Rita of Cascia items like novenas, medals, and statues.

Saint Rita of Cascia: Some Facts and Trivia

Here are some interesting facts, information and trivia about Saint Rita of Cascia, the Patron Saint of the Lost Causes.

1. Saint Rita of Cascia’s real Italian name is Rita Lotti.

2. The place of birth of Saint Rita of Cascia is not actually in Cascia by in a place called Roccaporena. She was accepted as a nun in an Augustinian monastery in Cascia, hence the name.

3. Her desire to enter the Monastery of Saint Mary Magdelene as an Augustinian Nun as a story of inspiration which showed her virtue of perseverance.

She was denied acceptance several times in the monastery, because the nuns were afraid they would get involved in the conflict between two families – the same conflict which involved her deceased husband.

Despite the repeated rejection, Saint Rita did not give up. Instead, she worked hard and was successful in reconciling the two conflicting families.

Finally, because of Saint Rita’s perseverance, hard work, and prayers, she was finally accepted to the Monastery.

4. Saint Rita of Cascia is a stigmatist – she suffers the wounds of Jesus Christ, specifically the wound in the middle of her forehead caused by Christ’s crown of thorns.

5. Saint Rita of Cascia was beatified in the year 1627. Canonization followed long after, on May 24, 1900.

6. The feast day of Saint Rita of Cascia is May 22.

On the Miracles of Saint Rita of Cascia

I have heard about a story of the image of Saint Rita of Cascia that is growing in size and height. The Italian saint's image is supposedly owned by a Filipino, who also claims to have received healing graces from the Lord. He is positive that his prayers to Saint Rita of Casia help him receive God's blessing.

He attributes the healing miracle to the powerful intercession of Saint Rita of Cascia, appropriately known as the Patron Saint of the Impossible. He is thankful that thru Saint Rita of Cascia's assistance and intercession, he was able to enjoy a new lease in life.

While most miracles associated with saints, including Saint Rita of Cascia, are usually blessings involving healing of illnesses and better health, other miracles vary in nature.

It can be financial provisions, emotional relief from the pain of personal tragedies, wishes for members of the families, loved ones and closes, realization of goals, successes in careers and so on. Indeed, the list of intentions is long.

And with all the prayers and intentions granted thru the intercessions of saints, Catholic and Christian devotees are only too thankful to their patron saints for their assistance. Gratitude usually is expressed through more fervent saying of their saint's novena, and the spreading of the information about their saint's miracles.

Saint Rita of Cascia, for me, has been a powerful intercessor to the Lord. And has help me attain my goals especially on the professional aspect of my life. I hope that thru this site, I can effectively spread Saint Rita of Cascia's wonderful miracles.

The Love and Patience of Saint Rita of Cascia

I admire and respect Saint Rita of Cascia's virtue of patience, as well as her great and unwavering faith and trust in the Lord.

As a young girl, Saint Rita of Cascia always wanted to enter the monastery and become a nun to be able to fully serve God. But the wishes of her parents prevailed and arrange the marriage between her and the man of their choice.

But her life of marriage and family was on the road of sorrow and pain - her husband was killed. Later on, her twin sons died of natural causes. These deaths in her family left her all alone.

Still, Saint Rita of Cascia offered up her sufferings to the Lord. Consequently she pursued her desire to be a nun and after many rejections was finally able to join the Augustinians.

Her trials and sufferings did not end. In the last years of her life, she bore head wounds caused by Christ's crown of thorns.

Throughout her life, Saint Rita of Cascia wholeheartedly accepted all the sufferings and painful experiences as fate assigned to her by the Lord. Indeed she was full of love and perseverance.

Does any one of us have the same amount of patience? Can we also fully accept whatever our fate is and submit ourselves wholeheartedly to the will of God?

If life seems an impossibity, and you feel like you are going nowhere - pray to God. Ask for Saint Rita of Cascia's powerful intercession for God's graces.

Another title of Saint Rita of Cascia, which she shares with Saint Jude, is the Patron of Hopeless Cases and Lost Causes.

On Saint Rita of Cascia's Novena and Medals

I have always been a strong devotee of Saint Rita of Cascia. I regularly say the novena of Saint Rita. I fully believe in her - and her commitment to devotees as a special intercessor to the Lord. Whenever an intention of mine is granted (and believe me – my intentions that were granted are many) by the Lord, I attribute the speedy result to Saint Rita of Cascia’s intercession.

Fortunate are those who can go the Italy and visit the major Churches and basilicas there, such as the Saint Peter’s Basilica. Or even Saint Rita’s Church at Cascia, also at Italy. If I am given the chance to visit these places, the first thing that I would try to look for and purchase are Saint Rita of Cascia novena booklet, souvenirs and medals. I wish to express my gratitude for Saint Rita’s intercession by letting known the favors that I received from her. And by distributing Saint Rita of Cascia medals and novena is a great way of doing this.

Saint medals are especially nice to send as gift, they have the embossed picture and name of the saint. It is just like a locket with a picture of your loved one which you would like to look at every so often. Wearing such medals is one way of honoring and respecting your patron saint. In return, wearing it gives you the assurance of the saint’s solid friendship, protection, and her assurance of powerful intercession to the Lord.

In Israel, I had the chance to go to Bethlehem for the 2005 Christmas Mass. Sadly, the bad weather (heavy rains) did not give me the chance to stop by the catholic souvenir store. Maybe this year, I will be able to go again there for the Christmas Mass. And this time I will make sure that I would be able to get for myself some Saint Rita of Cascia medals and novena booklets – for myself and everyone dear to me.

Novena to Saint Rita of Cascia

Saint Rita of Cascia is the Patron Saint of the Impossible. Through her powerful intercession, numerous prayers were heard. And many wishes, from the simple to the noble, were granted.

I have composed a short and unique prayer, to be said as a novena for Saint Rita of Cascia. I made it short to be intended for people busy in their every day ways, but would still like to pray and communicate to Saint Rita of Cascia, and honor her as an important saint of the Lord.


Short novena to Saint Rita of Cascia

My dear Saint of the Impossible, Saint Rita of Cascia,
The patroness of the people in most need,
Whose words and intercessions before the Lord
are always heard.

I pray to you my petition
And hope that you intercede to the Lord
That it may be granted..

(Here say your petition.)

Hoping fervently that God finds it worthy.

Upon the granting of my request,
I promise to tell everyone of the fulfillment of my wish
Through your powerful intercession.

Amen.

Pray this for 9 consecutive days, and try your best to publish the Saint Rita of Cascia novena if your request through her intercession is granted.

Would you like to spread information about Saint Rita of Cascia? Please buy Saint Rita medal whenever you can and give it to loved ones and friends. It will be a wonderful gift.

Saint Rita of Cascia - Her Life Story

Saint Rita of Cascia (1381) was born in the Italian town of Roccaporena. Her parents, Antonio Lotti and Amata Lotti, are already old when she was conceived and because of this, her parents were very grateful to the Lord – and considered Rita as His gift to them.

In her younger years, Saint Rita of Cascia was inclined to enter and join the community of the Augustinian nuns. Unfortunately, Saint Rita’s parents promise to Paolo Mancini their daughter’s hand in marriage. St. Rita dutifully obeyed the wishes of her parents and fully accepted her fate to marry Paolo.

Their marriage was gifted with twin sons, and St Rita content herself in doing the daily matters as wife and mother. Unfortunately, Paolo, who works as a watchman, considered a job exposed to danger, was ambushed and killed on his way home.

Because of Paolo’s death, Rita became concerned about the safety of her sons. She was worried that her sons would seek revenge for their father’s death, and ultimately suffer the same fate. St Rita prayed hard for her sons. Eventually, her twin sons died early of natural death. St Rita’s prayers spared them of the feeling of hatred and revenge and the possible commission of murder. Instead, they died in peace and for this St Rita was thankful to the Lord.

With her husband and sons all gone, Rita again expressed and worked on her wishes to join the Augustinian Nuns. Initially, she was not accepted to the community but with her persistence and fervent prayers – as well as requests for assistance from her favorite saints Augustine, Nicholas, and John the Baptist – she was finally able to secure entry to the Augustinian community.

The next 40 years of her life saw St Rita devoting herself to a life, prayer, and works and deeds of charity as dictated by the rules of St Augustine.

At age 60, while meditating before the cross, a wound seeming afflicted by a thorn appeared on her forehead. St Rita began boring the sign of stigmatization which is considered being one with Jesus. Because of the stigmata, she suffered in pain for the next 15 years which she courageously accepted.

In her last years, one meaningful miracle attached to her was when she requested for a rose from her parent’s garden. The person whom St Rita told about this request went and indeed saw the rose blossoming in the garden of St Rita’s parents. Immediately, she picked up the flower and brought it to St Rita. Hence, Saint Rita of Cascia is also known as the Saint of the Rose.

Saint Rita died on the 22nd of May, 1457. Her intact body is kept and honored in the shrine at her hometown on Cascia.

Saint Rita Medal and novena booklets are available in most Catholic Churches in your area - feel free to visit your church and secure for yourself a Saint Rita Medal.