May 22 is the feast of St. Rita of Cascia, a saint with whom I became acquainted because she was my mother’s patron. My mother’s devotion to her, however, had more depth than that they shared a name. Through her, I came to discover what an incredible woman St. Rita was: she was heroic in her faith, and in the circumstances of her life she endured much suffering with graciousness and humility. Though she is often referred to as a patron saint of the impossible, I like to think that she is more of a patron saint of patience and trust in God. Like all saints, Rita should never be reduced to a caricature in our minds and hearts. That is, our remembrance of her should not be limited to only one virtue that she possessed or one facet of life which is then overly emphasized and exaggerated. Indeed saints should be recognized because of how they respond to the events of their entire lives, for their love of God, and for their imitation of Christ. St. Rita’s life was complex, as are ours, and for this reason she is someone to whom we can relate, and from whom we can learn much. She contended with the events of her time, but she understood the value of trust in God and had faith in His timing, setting the entire course of her life upon her love for Him.

St. Rita was born near Cascia, Italy, in 1381. Referred to as Rita, her birth name was actually Margharita, which in the local dialect meant ‘pearl.’ As a young girl she was attracted to the Augustinian nuns who lived nearby, but her parents arranged a marriage for her to a local man named Paolo Mancini. Thus, at the age of 18 she got married, something she did not want, but to which she agreed out of obedience to her parents. Paolo was a cruel man and therefore her marriage was not an easy one by any means. They had twin sons who apparently took after their father in temperament. Paolo was involved in the complex political situation of the day and was murdered by a rival faction. The sons vowed revenge, which seems to have been a perceived expectation at that time. Although Rita tried hard to convince them that they should forgive the killers as she had, and that this was not the way of Jesus, they persisted in their intention. Ironically, both sons died of an illness shortly after they came of age to carry out the aforementioned vengeance, a source of even greater grief for her. 

​Soon Rita experienced anew the call to enter the Augustinians but had trouble being accepted due to the complex political situation which had resulted in the death of her husband. She also had the added stigma of not being a virgin, something which was usually required for nuns at that time. It took great courage and humility to deal with these things, but with patient trust in God’s call she persisted until they finally agreed that she could enter their convent. Rita’s holiness continued to grow as she devoted her life to prayer and contemplation. However, she was holy not because she endured the drama of an arranged marriage, an abusive husband, or vengeance-seeking sons. Rather, it was her response to these events which made her holy. Actually, she had been unsuccessful in acting as a peacemaker between the political factions, between her extended family members, and with her own sons. But it was her prayer, filled with incredible love, patience, and acceptance of the role God had placed upon her during that time, which bore the most fruit.

​​An important lesson St. Rita teaches us is that she accepted her situation even if it was not her preference. She trusted in God so greatly that she worked through the suffering, regarding it as something which she could offer Jesus, as to join in His suffering rather than to spend her life angry at what seemed to be her fate. She recognized the suffering as an opportunity for growth. While the suffering was acute, she knew that Jesus was with her and that there was purpose to it even if she did not understand what that purpose was. She had no intimate knowledge or confirmation from God that she would ever enter the Augustinians, but by trusting that God had her best interests in mind, she accepted the circumstances of her life as she lived them. She teaches us that God is with us in everything we experience and that with humility, patience, and faith, every moment of our lives is an opportunity for greater intimacy and growth; whether we are on the road to Calvary or the road to Emmaus, all roads are filled with the presence of Christ and can lead us to Heaven if we let Him guide us on the journey.

At the age of 60, Rita had a mystical experience in which she entered willingly into the suffering of Christ. This may seem odd to us, but moved with love and profound gratitude for all Jesus had done in order to obtain our salvation, she offered her life as one of redemptive suffering; that is, her suffering was offered as prayer for others. During the experience, she received a type of stigmata which manifested as a wound on her forehead such as one Jesus received from the crown of thorns. It caused great pain until her death in 1457. (An excellent explanation of this is found below.*) As for being designated as the saint of impossible causes, this ‘title’ originated with a request she made upon her deathbed: she asked a visiting relative to bring a rose from her family garden even though it was January and hardly the time for roses. Evidently, the relative found one rose in bloom in the snowy garden and brought it to her as requested. Hence, she was dubbed the patroness of the impossible. 

In learning that the name Rita means ‘pearl,’ it seemed to me that a connection can be made between St. Rita and the passage about the pearl of great price taught by Jesus. (Matthew 13:44-46) In this short parable, Jesus taught that sometimes we have to be willing to give all that we have, to give our all, in order to attain the holiness we seek through growth in knowing, serving, and loving the Lord. The pearl has incalculable value because it is the treasure of faith which God gives us: it is the gift of our salvation and of the foundation of our relationship with God. We were given this pearl at Baptism and therefore we have to work at preserving it. This work consists of prayer, reading and reflecting upon Scripture, and growing in virtue as we serve God in our brothers and sisters. We must ‘bury’ that pearl of faith deep within the soil of our souls, because in doing so we will safeguard and nurture that which is beyond measure. This is how saints attain holiness; it is definitely how St. Rita grew to fall more deeply in love with Jesus, and it is also how we will, too. We do not have to endure the same things as Rita, but to grow in holiness we have to respond with similar grace and humility, as well as similar patience and trust in God. Those virtues come from the fruit of our prayer, which is to say, they come from God.

St. Rita was heroically patient because she allowed her life to unfold even when the future seemed murky at best. Her faith and trust in God teaches us that it is not about what we want, but about humbly working within that which does transpire. She teaches us, once again, that life is not about ‘me,’ but that it is about ‘us.’ That is to say, it is about living within the community of our family, our church, our neighborhood, our workplace or school, and our world: Christian life is about living the gospel in whatever way we can so that we might treasure the pearl of great price and by doing so, share it with others. 

May we value the pearl of great price we have been given, taking St. Rita as our inspiration and role model for patience, humility, and trust in God! May we pray for the intercession of St. Rita that we might be patient with the events of our lives, especially when we feel frustrated and confused! May we take the time for prayer, Scripture reading, and reflection, that we might grow in the way of the gospel as taught by Jesus! And may we be courageous in living the Christian life in a world that is often hostile to the way of peace and justice, turning to Jesus often and always! Let us continue to meet in the heart of the Risen Jesus! Alleluia! Peace!

                                          ©Michele L. Catanese

* Here is a link to an excellent article that briefly tells of the life of St. Rita, but also has a good explanation of her suffering 'with' Jesus. http://www.saintritashrine.org/life-of-saint-rita/

Note: Next post will be June 5.

Images:
1. This icon is called St. Rita of Cascia Patroness of the Impossible, by Fr. William Hart McNichols. I love this icon for its simplicity, but especially because the crown of thorns forms her halo. The entire gold circle around her is the glow of her holiness and it is not contained only within the context of the crown. Though she has the wound, there is a joy about St. Rita in this icon. Perhaps she is content in knowing that her love for Jesus is enough for her. If you are interested in purchasing a copy of this icon, it can be found at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/st-rita-of-cascia-patroness-of-the-impossible-206-william-hart-mcnichols.html.

2. This painting is called Bouquet of Sunflowers, (1881) a still life by Claude Monet. I chose it because it reminded me of the fields of sunflowers found in Umbria in the summer. A number of years ago I was on a pilgrimage that went through Umbria. The sight of acres upon acres of sunflowers was absolutely stunning. Unfortunately the bus never stopped while we were in the area, so I have no photos. I thought that it was likely that St. Rita would have seen such beauty in her little town of Roccaporena, (near Cascia), where she grew up, or in Cascia where she lived most of her adult life. http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/437112

3. This is a painting by Vincent van Gogh called Wheat Field with Cypresses, (1889). I am a big van Gogh 'fan,' I admit, so this painting came to mind readily because parts of Umbria look like this. However, I chose it because I felt it would not be a stretch to think that as St. Rita contemplated the life of Jesus she might have envisioned times in the gospels when Jesus was teaching His disciples using parables that involved wheat fields, particularly the pearl of great price in which a man bought the field to ensure that he would have the pearl secured. You can find this painting at http://metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/436535 and also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wheat_Field_with_Cypresses#

4. I took this photo in a rose garden in Ireland. At the time I was captivated by the color of the flower. I chose to use it here because it reminded me of St. Rita’s miraculous rose, though this one was in bloom in the proper season.

5. I chose this icon, called The Pearl of Great Price, (20th century) after stumbling upon it quite 'by accident.’ As soon as I saw it, I was taken in by its beauty. Jesus is pointing to the open Scriptures, revealing the text of the parable of the pearl of great price. One can also see the pearls that are fixed to the icon, comprising the halo of Jesus. But what I love is that the iconographer connected Jesus to the lesson of the parable: He is the pearl of great price to which we give all just as He gave all for us. You can find this icon at http://www.uncutmountainsupply.com/icons/of-christ/pearl-of-great-price-20th-c-st-anthonys-monastery-11r08/.  Another page I found while researching this icon contains a wonderful hymn of St. Ephraim the Syrian (4th century) called The Pearl in which he describes Jesus as the pearl of great price. It can be found at http://full-of-grace-and-truth.blogspot.com/2011/01/pearl-by-st-ephraim-syrian.html.

6. This is a photo I took in Big Bend National Park, TX, which captures the remarkable sight of a bird's nest securely ensconced upon a prickly cactus plant. The spines on the cactus are pronounced and certainly nothing I would want to brush up against, and yet perched between two ‘branches’ is the nesting place of a bird! I chose this photo because it contains a paradox: the dangerous thorns are actually upholding life, since nests are homes for birds and are often the place where baby birds are hatched. It reminded me of how the thorns that pierced the head of Jesus were part of what it took for us to have eternal life since they were part of the process of His death and resurrection. Out of suffering and death comes new life. 

7. This is also one of my own photos. This sunset was over the Pacific Ocean as seen from Gold Beach, Oregon. I chose this photo because it speaks to me of being one with the world since everyone will see the same sunset, even if at different times, at the end of any given day. We are one people and one Body of Christ.

​On May 13, 1917 Mary appeared to three young children at the Cova da Iria just outside Fatima, Portugal. One hundred years later we are still filled with awe not only because Mary appeared with messages at that time, but because they remain relevant today as well as for our future. Whether one puts credence into apparitions or not, the messages deserve attention because while they seem dire, we must not forget that the ultimate origin and intent borne by Our Lady of Fatima is that of love and mercy. The events at Fatima reveal a work of love that originated with the desire of God not to lose even one of His children to the effects of sin, the very reason Jesus died and rose. The Easter season is about the triumph of Jesus over the powers of sin and death and so it seems appropriate to revisit the messages of Fatima at this time. It is also important because we must continue to impart the message to our children and to those unaware of what Mary came to tell us. The appearance of Our Lady of Fatima serves as a reminder that we have a responsibility to pray for our world and to share what we have learned by becoming witnesses to mercy, forgiveness, and love. In short, we must become what we pray.

The story of what took place in Fatima is complex, but it began with the preparation of three children who were chosen to receive the warnings of Mary on behalf of her Son, Jesus. In the spring of 1916 nine year old Lucia Abóbora, her cousin Francisco Marto and his sister Jacinta, aged 8 and 6 respectively, were taking care of a small flock of sheep on their family property. An angel appeared to them quite suddenly and said, “Fear not. I am the Angel of Peace. Pray with me.” He then recited a prayer, which he told them to repeat: “O my God, I believe, I adore, I trust and I love You. I ask pardon for those who do not believe, do not adore, do not trust and do not love You.” He instructed them to pray this prayer often, and then he disappeared. He appeared to them three times in the course of that year, teaching other prayers as well. (1) 

​Then on May 13, 1917, Mary appeared for the first time near the spot where they had previously seen the angel. Being that they were from a tiny town totally removed from news of the world, it was unknown to them that World War I was raging, communism had overtaken Russia, and the events that would cause World War II were forming. Therefore the children could not have been influenced by any outside news, a fact that helped the Church in ascertaining the authenticity of what they recounted. Mary said she would appear on the 13th of every month for a short time and that she would give them many messages of great importance, some of which were to be shared, some that were for them alone, and three that were to remain secret. Though the messages were urgent, Mary’s warnings were meant to help avert war and disaster, and not to wreak despair. (2)

​Mary did indeed return as promised, always on the 13th day of the month. She especially asked the children to pray the Rosary and to encourage the faithful to pray it daily so as to diminish the growing effects of sin on the world; she warned that people needed to beg for pardon and mercy because God had become terribly offended by the evil done by so many. Finally, in her last appearance on October 13, 1917, Mary announced herself as Our Lady of the Rosary and gave a promised sign so that the world would know that the children were telling the truth about seeing her and also to give credence to the message that she had asked them to deliver. The miracle that took place that day was the famous miracle of the sun in which thousands of people saw the sun seem to pulsate and then move all over the sky as if in a sort of dance. 

​Psalm 78 says that “The things we have heard and understood, the things our fathers [and mothers] have told us, these we will not hide from their children but will tell them to the next generation: the glories of the Lord and His might and the marvelous deeds He has done, the witness He gave to Jacob, the law He established in Israel.” (Psalm 78:3-5) The appearances of Our Lady of Fatima underscore this important truth: we have a responsibility to pass down our faith to the next generation. All of the glorious things God has done, all the works of mercy, compassion, forgiveness, and love must be taught by our words and especially by our deeds. If Easter is to be more than just a one day celebration and if its mysteries are to truly become the core of our faith, then we must share the message of God’s immense love for us. God has done marvelous deeds, but the reality is that like our ancestors in the Old Testament we are prone to forget and we are prone to sin. But God never forgets, nor does His love ever diminish. Therefore He continues to reach out to us, most notably in modern times through the appearances of Our Lady. It falls to us, then, to impart these messages to others, and particularly to the next generation. The biggest sign of the preponderance of evil in our world today is indifference to God and to that which He has taught us. If as a people we are ignorant of and indifferent to God, then we fall prey to sin with greater frequency, act as if we do not need Him, or worse still, begin to believe that He does not exist, therefore turning a blind eye to the ravages of evil, which in turn helps it to continue to grow. The more that happens in the world, the greater danger we are in.

Conversely, if we live our faith and are witnesses to the goodness of God, there are also consequences, albeit good ones. Our prayer, for ourselves and for the good of the world, does have effect. And if we become what we pray, that is, if we grow in holiness through the effect of our prayer, we naturally share its effects with others, too. It means we live our discipleship by sharing the love of God we have experienced. Truly, if we claim to be a Christian, we need to live it visibly. As Jesus said, “What good is it to put a lit candle under a bushel basket?” If we do so, the light will go out. (Paraphrase of Matthew 5:15-16) The light of our faith must be obvious so that we might teach others of the great love and mercy of God. 

The message of Our Lady of Fatima is consistent with the entire message of Jesus summed up in this passage: “God so loved the world that He sent His only Son so that everyone who believes in Him might not perish but might have eternal life.” (John 3:16) We need to realize anew that God does not want any of us to be lost, which is to say, He does not want us to fall so deeply into sin through our indifference that we would end up rejecting Him and subsequently choosing Hell. Mary was sent to warn us as a sign of God’s mercy so that we might accept the gift given to us by Jesus, and through our prayer, save the world. Our call is to teach by word and deed so that the message of Jesus will continue to go out to the entire world. If we pray as both the Angel of Peace and Our Lady instructed, we can become what we pray: a sign of peace, mercy, and justice for all. 

Therefore, let us rejoice that God has sent Mary with a message that continues to be one of mercy and of His infinite care for the welfare of His people. God wants to forgive the sinner, (see Luke 15 as one of many examples); He wants to lavish us with His love, and He especially desires that we would reside with Him in Heaven forever. As we continue to celebrate the season of Easter it would be good to read about the appearances of Mary as Our Lady of the Rosary in Fatima. It would be even better if, in addition to our personal prayer, we were to add the prayers taught by the Angel of Peace and to pray the Rosary frequently as requested by Mary. Through these prayers we remember those most in need, and by doing so, the words will take root in our hearts, helping us to become what we pray. Let us rejoice that God never ceases trying to communicate His love for us and that He has provided us with a loving mother who cares very deeply about all her children. Our Lady of Fatima, pray for us! 

​May we become what we pray: signs of God’s love and mercy in the world! May we heed the messages of Our Lady of Fatima so that the world might be converted to the way of the gospel! May we believe that God is indeed in control, trusting that He is with us even in the midst of suffering! May we continue to trust in God’s goodness, and to adore and worship God alone! And may we continue to grow in Easter joy with gratitude that God loved the world so much that He sent His only Son Jesus so that we might not perish, but have eternal life! Let us meet in the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary! Alleluia! Peace!

                                       ©Michele L. Catanese

Note: The next entry will be on May 22.

Footnotes:

(1) In addition to the prayer for reparation, the angel taught them to also pray: “Most Holy Trinity, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, I adore You profoundly. I offer You the most precious Body, Blood, Soul and Divinity of Jesus Christ, present in all the tabernacles in the world, in reparation for all the outrages, sacrileges and indifferences whereby He is offended. And through the infinite merits of His Most Sacred Heart and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, I beg of You the conversion of poor sinners.”

Also, Mary taught the children an added prayer for the end of every decade of the Rosary: “Oh my Jesus, forgive us our sins, save us from the fires of Hell; lead all souls to Heaven, especially those in most need of your mercy. Amen.”

(2) One of the best sources about the many apparitions of Mary, including Our Lady of Fatima, is from a book called A Woman Clothed with the Sun, edited by John J. Delaney. It is an oldie, but goodie. I re-read the chapter on Fatima for this entry. Another truly excellent book is called Fatima for Today, by Fr. Andrew Apostoli. Both books can be found on Amazon.com.

​This website also has some good information: http://www.fatima.org/essentials/facts/story1.asp

​Images:

1. The first photo is one I took in Fatima, Portugal at the shrine of Our Lady of Fatima. In the center background is the basilica which was built to honor Our Lady. The tombs of Blessed Jacinta, Blessed Francisco, and Lucia are inside this church. On the far right of the photo is the golden statue which stands in the actual center of the square and fittingly it is the Angel of Peace. And in the foreground is the enclosure which is now an outdoor chapel on the spot where the children knelt in prayer, awe, and rapt attention at the feet of Mary, who was seen to be hovering over a small tree.

2. The second photo is also mine. I took this at the spot where the Angel of Peace appeared to the children for the first time, during which he taught them the prayer for reparation, as above (1).

3. This is an icon by Fr. William Hart McNichols called Blessed Francisco Marto of Fatima. I chose this because it shows Francisco at prayer with the sun behind him symbolizing how it seemed to pulsate and dance in the sky on the day of the miracle in 1917. If you are interested in obtaining a copy of this icon for purchase in one of many forms, it can be found at https://fineartamerica.com/featured/blessed-francisco-marto-of-fatima-081-william-hart-mcnichols.html

4. This is another of my photos, taken at Port Aransas, TX. It was taken in the mid-morning on an obviously hazy day. When the sun broke through the fog momentarily, it turned everything gold as you can see in the photo; it was truly breath-taking. I chose it for this spot in the post because it reminded me of what the psalmist said of “the glories of the Lord” and “the marvels He has done.” These marvels happen all around us though they need to be pointed out to eyes that have either never learned to see or which have become dimmed to these glories for whatever reason.

5. I took this photo in Fatima: where the statue sits is the exact spot where Mary appeared to the children. The tree is long gone because evidently people literally tore it to shreds in an effort to get some sort of relic or keepsake of Mary appearing there. Ah, human nature! 

6. This last image is an unknown artist’s rendition of the apparition as it was described by the children. I chose it because it seemed to capture the simplicity of the children and also the bucolic setting. It seems to have begun as a typical day, consisting of the children tending the usual sheep in the usual spot. Yet the day became infused with the light of Heaven as Our Lady came to them with messages of warning for the world which emanated from her Immaculate Heart so filled with love and concern.