Feast of Saint Rita

Today is the Feast day of Saint Rita of Cascia. She is the patron of impossible cases. I find the stories associated with this saint so compelling and beautiful. Most people know the story about her asking for figs and rose during the winter and when her relative went to see about her requests found a rose in bloom and two ripe figs. Another story not commonly spoke about are "Saint Rita's Bees".

My son is a self proclaimed "buggie-ologist" since an insect month in his K4 class, so I decided to do a craft with the miraculous white bees of Saint Rita. I used this Bumblebee 3D Craft and modified it.

The children made a bee two bees each. Remember in legend that Saint Rita's bees are white but I allowed the boys to color their bees however they wanted and sprinkle glitter on their finished bee to make them look more special.

Bees are done starting from left: Squishy, Little Man and me

After they completed decorating their pictures we attached the bees with ribbon and placed them among the roses in our vase to create a beautiful centerpiece. It looks like the bees are flying around the flowers just like the Saint Rita bees fly around her former convent. Here is the finished result:

In addition to our Saint Rita craft I purchased some red roses for a Blessing of the Roses that is held in honor of Saint Rita. I am hoping that they will stay beautiful for our Pentecost: Birthday for the Church Celebration on Sunday.

Blessing of the Roses in Honor of Saint Rita

V. Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R. Who made heaven and earth.

O God, whose word sanctifies all things,
pour forth your blessing + upon these roses
that we present to you in memory of Saint Rita,
and grant that whosoever makes use of them with devotion,
may by the merits of the passion and resurrection of your Son,
receive from your goodness
comfort and health in sickness,
and constancy in following your Son
with gratitude along the way of the Cross.
Through Christ our Lord.

The roses are sprinkled with Holy Water.

After our Blessing of the Roses we had a nice snack of fig newtons and ICE: pomegranate berry. I then started making our special dinner of enchiladas with beans and rice. I love that for each feast day you can incorporate special meals. It really helps me make a variety of food for my family and it makes it so much easier to make my dinner menus for the week.

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 (Damien Padilla). To God all things are possible; may this healing give glory to the Lord. Amen.

There are many beautiful prayers and Novenas to Saint Rita. You can find some here . I added my father's name in this prayer, I hope Saint Rita can intercede for him and relieve his suffering.  

To conclude the evening I will hopefully be watching Rita with a nice cup of tea after the kids are asleep in bed.

Saint Rita, pray for us!