Happy Early Feast Day St. Rita! (It's tomorrow, but I'm sure she won't mind us celebrating a bit early).Lived From 1381 to 1457
Hometown: Cascia, Italy
Feast Day: May 22nd
Rita was born as an only child to an older couple in Cascia. As a girl she desired to enter the Augustinian nuns in her city, but her parents pressured her into marriage. She married a man named Paulo who was cruel to her, and they had 2 sons. 18 years into their marriage, Paulo was murdered in a brawl with enemies of his. Afterwards, Rita preached peace to her sons so that they would not avenge their father, but they would not listen. She entrusted the matter to God. Both sons soon caught fatal illnesses and died within a year of each other. Alone, Rita asked to be permitted into the Augustinian nuns at the age of 36. She was refused at first but would not give up and did whatever it took to enter. She did, and spent the next 40 years praying, fasting and working. She was well known for her charity, determination, prayerfulness, and loving care for the sick. Near the end of her life she was meditating before the image of Jesus and on her forehead appeared the wounds from the crown of thorns. The wound remained open until her death.
For more information:
http://www.saintritashrine.org/life-of-saint-rita/
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