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The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC 2559) defines prayer
as 'the raising of one's mind and heart to God or the requesting
of good things from God'.
There is no set time to pray or not to pray. Many people find
prayer a constant part of their daily thoughts; others are more
comfortable in various forms of formal prayer. Still others take
prayer as source of meditation to begin or end their day.
A format of prayer is not necessary; nor is there a proper position
or place to pray. Prayer can be given as praise to God or can
be a request. It can be said out loud, read from a book or some
other form of written word. It can be given as a song or it can
be conducted in the silence of one's inner mind. It can be offered
in small groups or multitudes or by a single person.
One must remember when invoking the saints in prayer we are not
praying 'to' them. We praise them because they have already accomplished
that we wish to achieve-the ultimate favor of God. We ask them
to speak to God in our behalf, much as one would go to an older
brother or sister to ask them to speak to our earthly father for
us.
Short Prayer to Saint Rita
"God, through the prayer of St. Rita, may we learn to bear
our crosses in life in the same spirit in which she bore hers.
Amen."
Chaplet
A chaplet is a series of beads strung together on which prayers
are counted as they are recited. The best known of these is the
five decade Rosary. The Rosary is a series of five decades (One
Our Father, the Title of the Decade, One Gloria and Ten Hail Marys
in succession) under a single Title (There are three Title Combinations;
The Joyous Mysteries, The Sorrowful Mysteries and the Glorious
Mysteries. All of which depict certain episodes in the life of
the Blessed Mother Mary.
The combinations of fewer beads for aspirations honoring certain
saints are also called chaplets. The nine beads of the Chaplet
of St. Rita are blue.
Chaplet of St. Rita
O Holy St. Rita, exemplary Augustinian Sister, we honor you for
your devotion to the Passion of Christ. Although your early life
was filled with disappointment, frustration, and unceasing tragedy,
you never lost faith and trust in God. For this you are the patroness
of the impossible, and our inspiration and advocate in desperate
circumstances.
Say 3 Our Fathers, 3 Hail Marys, and 3 Glorias.
St. Rita Prayer of the Roses
O Blessed Saint Rita, my powerful advocate, behold me prostrate
before thy Divine Spouse, Jesus, thy Lord, thy God, and thy All.
Behold me recalling His favors to thee, that thou mayst plead
for me. May this blessed Rose, sweet with the memories of thy
daily acts of love before the image of the Crucified Savior, and
of the wonders wrought for thee in thy dying moments, give me
confidence that thou in Heaven wilt plead that I, too, may share
in the good things God has in store for thy clients. Saint Rita,
mystical Rose of every virtue, pray for us.
prayer to st rita of cascia
Dear Rita, model wife and widow, you yourself suffered in a long
illness showing patience out of love for God. Teach us to pray
as you did. Many invoke you for help, full of confidence in your
intercession. Deign to come now to our aid for the relief and
cure of (name). To God all things are possible; may this healing
give glory to the Lord. Amen.
St. Rita Prayer
Holy Patroness of those in need, Saint Rita, you were humble,
pure and patient. Your pleadings with your divine Spouse are irresistible,
so please obtain for me from our risen Jesus the request I make
of you: (mention your petition). Be kind ot me for the greater
glory of God, and I shall honor you and sing your praises forever.
Glorious Saint Rita, you miraculously participated in the sorrowful
passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. Obtain for me now the grace
to suffer with resignation the troubles of this life, and protect
me in all my needs. Amen.
Prayer to St Rita of Casica
Prayer of Petition:
All: 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 . . .
(here mention your request in silence)
By the singular merits of your childhood, ALL: obtain our request
for us
By your perfect union with the Divine Will, …
By your acceptance of troubles in your married life, …
By the anguish felt at the murder of your husband, …
By the surrender of your children, rather than have them offend
God, …
By your miraculous entrance into the convent,
By your daily penance and fasting, …
By your courage and joy in bearing the mark of the Crucified Savior,
…
By the Divine Love which consumed your life,
By your devotion in receiving the Blessed Sacrament, …
By the happiness you felt in leaving this life for union with
Christ, …
By the example you have given to people of every state of life,
…
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.
A Litany is a form of prayer consisting of a series of petitions
or requests sung, chanted or spoken by a priest, deacon or leader
to which people offer fixed responses.
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, ….
God, the Holy Spirit, …
Holy Trinity, One God, …
Immaculate Mary, Mother of God, pray for us.
Holy Mary, Mother of pure love, …
Holy Mary, Comforter of the afflicted, …
Holy Mary, Queen of all the saints, …
Holy Mary, Model of life for Saint Rita, …
St. Rita, our advocate and protectress, …
St. Rita, beloved by the Lord, …
St. Rita given special grace from heaven, …
St. Rita, remarkable in childhood, …
St. Rita, model of obedience to God's Will, …
St. Rita, of untiring patience, …
St. Rita, model of Christian mothers, …
St. Rita, mirror for Christian spouses, …
St. Rita, heroic in sacrifice, …
St. Rita, generous in forgiving, …
St. Rita, martyr in penitence, …
St. Rita, embracing humility and poverty, …
St. Rita, exemplary as a widow, …
St. Rita, prompt to answer the divine call, …
St. Rita, patient in suffering, …
St. Rita, mirror of religious observance, …
St. Rita, mystical rose of every virtue, …
St. Rita, enamored of the Passion of Christ, …
St. Rita, pierced with a thorn, …
St. Rita, in ecstasy before the Blessed Sacrament, …
St. Rita, consumed with Divine Love, …
St. Rita, received into heaven with joy, …
St. Rita, incorrupt in your chaste body, …
St. Rita, advocate of impossible cases, …
St. Rita, persevering in prayer, …
St. Rita, help of those in need, …
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 sufferings and Passion, may we merit the
reward promised to the meek and the suffering. You live and reign
forever. Amen
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