Tijekom petnaest četvrtaka svete Rite želimo potaknuti na razmišljanje o kršćanskoj nadi te ponuditi konkretne korake kako je ostvariti.

U tome će nas pratiti upravo sveta Rita, jaka i hrabra žena koja je unatoč poteškoćama koje je doživljavala u svojoj obitelji, na nasilje i duh osvete i mržnje odgovarala s ljubavlju samoga Raspetoga Isusa koji je u najvećim bolima molio Oca da oprosti onima koji su ga razapeli… Oče, oprosti im, jer ne znaju što čine…

Sveta Rita poznata je kao svetica nemogućeg i zagovornica u bespomoćnim i beznadnim slučajevima. Petnaest četvrtaka priprave za svetkovinu sv. Rite nastali su iz pučke pobožnosti u spomen na 15 godina svetičine stigmatiziranosti, tijekom kojih je svetica na čelu nosila stigmu Kristova trna. Ta se pobožnost osobito proširila Italijom i u inozemstvu nakon što je papa Lav XIII. 24. svibnja 1900. proglasio Ritu sveticom.

English Summary:

Rita of Cascia, born Margherita Lotti (1381 – 22 May 1457), was an Italian widow and Augustinian nun venerated as a saint in the Roman Catholic Church.

After Rita's husband died, she joined an Augustinian community of religious sisters, where she was known both for practicing mortification of the flesh^[1] and for the efficacy of her prayers. Various miracles are attributed to her intercession, and she is often portrayed with a bleeding wound on her forehead, which is understood to indicate a partial stigmata.

Pope Leo XIII canonized Rita on 24 May 1900. Her feast day is celebrated on 22 May. At her canonization ceremony, she was bestowed the title of Patroness of Impossible Causes, while in many Catholic countries, Rita came to be known as the patroness of abused wives and heartbroken women. Her incorrupt body remains in the Basilica of Santa Rita da Cascia.