NOVENA DAY FOURTH St. Rita: Wife
Rita's husband, Paolo Ferdinando Mancini, had an abrasive nature. After their marriage, Rita moved into his home where her mother-in-law considered her an intruder. Paolo was employed as a watchman for the town. In Cascia, as elsewhere, a great rivalry existed between two popular and powerful political factions. As a minor official of the town, Paolo often found himself drawn into the conflict, and the strain which this caused accounted for the tension which he sometimes brought into the Mancini household. It is quite difficult to please a husband who is easily provoked, who insults and criticizes everything. Heroic demands were placed on Rita's patience and love.
By her prayer, patience, and affection, however, Rita was able to ease the stress and worry her husband experienced. More and more she grew to understand and deeply love this man. She came to see beneath and beyond the violence of her husband. Deep within she would even suffer more and be more concerned about his relationship with God than about his relationship with her. Gradually, Paolo grew somewhat calmer, less abrasive, closer to Rita, closer to God. None of this was able to shield him altogether from the dangers to which society exposed him.
Leader: Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, and enkindle in them the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and our hearts will be renewed.
All: And you will renew the face of the earth.
Leader: O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit, instructed the hearts of the faithful; grant us, by the same Holy Spirit, a love and desire for what is right and just, and the constant enjoyment of His consolation, we ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Litany of Saint Rita
Lord, have mercy on us. Christ, have mercy on us.
Lord, have mercy on us, Christ hear us. Christ, graciously hear us.
God, the Father of heaven, have mercy on us.
God, the Son, Redeemer of the world, have mercy on us.
God, the Holy Spirit, have mercy on us.
Holy Trinity, One God, have mercy on us.
Immaculate Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Mary, Mother of Good Counsel, pray for us.
Holy Mary, Mother of pure love, pray for us.
Holy Mary, Comforter of the afflicted, pray for us.
Holy Mary, Queen of all saints, pray for us.
Holy Mary, Model of life for Saint Rita, pray for us.
St. Rita, our advocate and protectress, pray for us.
St. Rita, beloved by the Lord, pray for us.
St. Rita, given special grace from heaven, pray for us.
St. Rita, remarkable in childhood, pray for us.
St. Rita, model of obedience to God's Will, pray for us.
St. Rita, the peacemaker, pray for us.
St. Rita, of untiring patience, pray for us.
St. Rita, model of Christian mothers, pray for us.
St. Rita, mirror for Christian spouses, pray for us.
St. Rita, heroic in sacrifice, pray for us.
St. Rita, generous in forgiving, pray for us.
St. Rita, martyr in penitence, pray for us.
St. Rita, embracing humility and poverty, pray for us.
St. Rita, exemplary as a widow, pray for us.
St. Rita, prompt to answer the divine call, pray for us.
St. Rita, patient in suffering, pray for us.
St. Rita, mirror of religious observance, pray for us.
St. Rita, mystical rose of every virtue, pray for us.
St. Rita, enamored of the Passion of Christ, pray for us.
St. Rita, pierced with a thorn, pray for us.
St. Rita, in ecstasy before the Blessed Sacrament, pray for us.
St. Rita, consumed with Divine Love, pray for us.
St. Rita, received into heaven with joy, pray for us.
St. Rita, incorrupt in your chaste body, pray for us.
St. Rita, advocate of impossible cases, pray for us.
St. Rita, persevering in prayer, pray for us.
St. Rita, help of those in need, pray for us.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Spare us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Graciously hear us, O Lord.
Lamb of God, Who takes away the sins of the world, Have mercy on us.
Leader: Lord, you have signed your servant, Rita.
All: With the marks of Your love and Passion.
Leader: Let us pray. O God, who bestowed on St. Rita such grace that she loved her enemies, and bore in her heart and on her forehead the mark of Your love and Passion, grant us, we beseech You, through her merits and intercession, a love for our enemies. Through our contemplation of Your Son's sufferings and Passion, may we merit the reward promised to the meek and the suffering. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Prayer of Petition
Glorious St. Rita, patroness of those in need, your intercession with our Lord is most powerful. Through the favors obtained by your prayers you have been called "Advocate of hopeless and even impossible cases." St. Rita, humble and pure; patient and compassionate Lover of Christ Crucified! We have confidence that everyone who has recourse to you, will find comfort and relief. Listen to our petitions and show your power with God in our behalf. Obtain our petitions for us if they are for the greater honor of God, and for our good. We promise, if our petitions are granted, to make known your favor, and to glorify God for His gift.
Relying on your power with the merciful Savior, we ask of you…
(Offer your requests in silence)
By the singular merits of your childhood, obtain our request for us.
By your perfect union with the Divine Will, obtain our request for us.
By your acceptance of troubles in your married life, obtain our request for us.
By the anguish felt at the murder of your husband, obtain our request for us.
By the example of forgiveness you gave to your sons, obtain our request for us.
By your miraculous entrance into the convent, obtain our request for us.
By your daily penance and fasting, obtain our request for us.
By your courage and joy in bearing the mark of the Crucified Savior, obtain our request for us.
By the Divine Love which consumed your life, obtain our request for us.
By your devotion in receiving the Blessed Sacrament, obtain our request for us.
By the happiness you felt in leaving this life for union with Christ, obtain our request for us.
By the example you have given to people of every state of life, obtain our request for us.
Leader: Pray for us, St. Rita,
All: That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.
Leader: Let us pray.
All: Heavenly Father! In Your infinite love and mercy you heed the prayer of Your beloved servant, Rita. You graciously grant favors through her intercession, which are considered impossible to human skill and effort. Relying on her compassionate love, we ask You to assist us in our trials and difficulties. Let unbelievers know that you are the helper of the humble, the defender of the weak, and the strength of those who trust in You. We ask this through Christ our Lord. Amen.