Homily Sixth Friday of Easter (Feast of St. Rita) 2020
6th Friday of Easter (Feast of St. Rita)
One time I was visiting another city and I was attending a stewardship convention. As part of the schedule we would attend daily Mass. One day we went to an inner-city church across the street from the convention hall.
As I sat at Mass, I noticed many parishioners coming into the church while the liturgy was going on. As I watched they would slip pieces of paper under a statue the was on a pedestal not far from where I was sitting. The people who left the pieces of paper were obviously poor and many of them seemed like they were struggling greatly. Some were crying.
I surmised that they were asking the saint who was depicted to pray for them. I looked at the statue after the Mass was over and found that it was a statue of St. Rita. I remembered that we had a statue of St. Rita in my home parish in Kewanee, Illinois when I was growing up. I was not sure of her story.
Who is St. Rita? She is the patron saint of impossible causes. I never knew that she shared that designation with St. Jude. The people who left the prayer requests certainly believed that she was a powerful intercessor.
St. Rita was born in the thirteenth century in Italy. Her family was wealthy, and her parents wanted her to marry. She wanted to be a religious sister, but she was betrothed to a man older than her when she was only twelve. Her husband was abusive, a drunkard and a womanizer. Rita struggled through 18 years of marriage. She bore two sons. In the end, her husband was stabbed to death because of an old feud. Her sons promised revenge, but Rita prayed that they would not be murderers. Both sons died of natural causes before they could carry out their vendetta. This all this sounds like something that would make a good mafia movie. But there is a happy ending.
Rita then became an Augustinian nun and lived as a vowed religious the rest of her life. Miracles were attributed to her by many.
St. Rita is a patron for all those who are in troubled marriages and for all mothers who want their children to live ethical lives. She suffered much in life, but she drew close to Christ in all her trials. We ask St. Rita to pray for us as we face a plague and economic distress.
Questions for Reflection:
1. St. Rita was obedient to her parents and faithful in her marriage. Was she courageous or was she a coward to stay with her husband? Is there clear answer?
2. Have I had to make hard choices about staying in abusive relationships? Perhaps asking St. Rita to pray for me might be something I might want to do if I am struggling with woundedness.
Dear Parishioners,
I hope that you are doing well. I would like to remind you of several things that will be happening the next few days. Sorry that we still cannot gather in the church because of the ongoing health crisis.
Tomorrow we will have reconciliation here at the parish. I would ask you to park by the East door of the parish by the Statue of our Lady. We will let people in the church to wait for confession ten at a time. Fr. Matthew or I will tell you when you may go in. We ask you to keep social distance. The first few pews will be marked off at six-foot intervals. Please do not sit next to anyone unless you live in the same household. Ten people can go into church at a time. We will begin at 1 p.m. and we will continue until 2:30 or until no one is waiting.
We will be reading the names of graduates at the weekend Masses. Please watch our livestream Mass to hear your students name. Thank you to all who sent in names.
Finally, remember that we will be distributing communion in our parking lot after our Masses this weekend. Enter the parking lot from 17th avenue and pull around behind the church and park. Someone will tell give you instructions when you arrive. Please wear a mask and keep physical distance while you are here. Please leave by the 13th street exit. Thank you to all who have come for communion so far. Everyone has been very reverent and prayerful as they have received.
May Our Lady and all the saints and angels watch over you today.
Fr. Mark