22/05/2025
Today is the feast day of St. Rita of Cascia, born in Italy and aspired to become a nun, but was married off to Paolo Mancini, a cruel man with a violent temper. He mistreated her verbally and physically, and had many enemies due to his pursuits of other women. Ritaโs influence eventually led him to renounce a family feud, but he was later betrayed and killed by one of his allies.
After Paoloโs death, Rita pardoned his murderers publicly. However, his brother Bernardo encouraged her sons to join the feud, and they became like their father before she married him.
Despite Ritaโs attempts to stop them, her sons were determined to seek revenge. Rita prayed for God to take her sons before they committed murder, and they died from dysentery a year later.
After the deaths of her husband and sons, she sought to join the convent, but was initially rejected due to her widowhood. Eventually, she was admitted and became known for her devoutness and benevolence.
During a prayer in front of the cross, she experienced a partial stigmata, marked by a wound on her forehead resembling a thorn from Jesusโ crown of thorns.
St. Rita is recognised as the Patron Saint of challenging marriages, hopeless circumstances - insurmountable predicaments, infertility, and parenthood.
St. Rita of Cascia, Pray for us. Amen ๐๐ฝ
