“Most Holy Sacred Heart of Jesus, help my heart to preserve in all that is holy.” - St. Rita

Margherita Lotti, who would become Saint Rita, was born in Roccaporena, Italy, in 1381. The day following her baptism, Rita was swarmed by white bees that passed through and out of her baby mouth without harming her. Instead of being concerned, her family thought she was marked as being virtuous and loyal to God.

She petitioned her parents at a young age to be allowed to join a convent, but she was instead set up to marry a vile man named Paolo Mancini. At the age of twelve, Rita married a violently tempered person and later gave birth to her first child. He frequently verbally and physically abused Rita when he was enraged. Additionally, he had a lot of adversaries and was rumored to chase other women.

Paolo had a lot of adversaries in Cascia, but Rita's influence made him a better man in the end. He even disavowed a dispute between the Mancini and Chiqui families. Unfortunately, the conflict between the Mancini and Cascia families intensified, leading to the betrayal and murder of Paolo by one of his trusted companions.

Rita publicly pardoned the murderers of her husband after he passed away, but Paolo's brother Bernardo remained enraged and urged Rita's two sons, Giovanni Antonio and Paulo Maria, to join the fight. Each of the boys, under the direction of their uncle, started to resemble their father more and more, as he had been before Rita married him, and they desired to avenge their father's murder.

Rita made an effort to dissuade them, but her two sons were intent on taking vengeance on their murdered father. Rita begged God, pleading with Him to take her children before they committed the terrible sin of murder and lost their souls. Her prayers were granted a year later when both of her sons succumbed to dysentery and passed away.

Rita tried to join the Saint Mary Magdalene monastery in Cascia after the passing of her sons, but she was turned away. Even though Rita's moral character and piety were acknowledged, her husband's involvement in the inter-family conflict was highly feared.

Rita persisted, and the nuns finally agreed to let her enter provided she could help the Chiquis and Mancinis patch things up. She tried to settle the dispute by enlisting the aid of John the Baptist, Augustine of Hippo, and Nicholas of Tolentino. Infected by the bubonic plague, which was then ravaging Italy, Bernardo Mancini eventually put an end to the conflict with the Chiqui family.

At age 36, Rita was permitted to join the monastery once the dispute was addressed. It is said that the three patron saints she prayed to lifted her into the convent of Saint Magdalene during the night.

Rita sincerely carried out her responsibilities while at the monastery and frequently participated in the sacraments. At the age of sixty, Rita, who had a deep devotion to the Passion of Christ, pleaded with the Divine Savior to permit her to endure suffering in a similar manner.

As soon as she made the plea, a wound on her forehead emerged, as though a thorn from Christ's crown had penetrated it. She suffered till the day she passed away due to the terrible wound it left behind that did not heal.

Rita reportedly had tuberculosis and was bedridden as her life came to an end. At that point, she requested a rose from her former home's garden from a visiting cousin. Given that it was January, her cousin didn't anticipate finding any roses, but one was discovered and delivered back to Rita at the convent.

On May 22, 1457, which was four months later, she passed away. She was interred at the Basilica of Cascia after her death and was later discovered to be incorrupt. Today, her body can be seen in the Cascia shrine dedicated to Saint Rita.

Rita was beatified by Pope Urban VIII in 1627 and canonized by Pope Leo XII on May 24, 1900. Saint Rita is often portrayed in a black habit, which is historically inaccurate as the sisters at the Saint Magdalene monastery wore beige or brown. As a representation of her husband and her two children, she is frequently depicted with a thorn, a big Crucifix, or a palm leaf with three thorns. Saint Rita is sometimes depicted holding a rose, with a wound on her forehead, or encircled by bees.

She is the patron saint of impossible causes, sterility, abuse victims, loneliness, marriage difficulties, parenthood, widows, the sick, bodily ills and wounds. Her feast is celebrated on May 22.

St. Rita was described by Saint Pope John Paul II as "a disciple of the Crucified One" and an "expert in suffering." St. Rita has gained a lot of popularity throughout the years. She is referred to in Spain as "La Santa De Los Imposibles" (the saint of the impossible). Since she accepted suffering with charity and wrongs with forgiveness in the various tribulations she endured in her life, she is invoked by people in all circumstances and stages of life.

Other Saints of the Day
Saint John Baptist Machado
Saint Helen
Saint Castus & Emilius
Saint Marcian of Ravenna
Saint Aigulf