Novena to St. Rita of Cascia
Impossible and desperate causes, widows, abuse victims, difficult marriages, the sick
Tradition: Augustinian; The Saint of the Impossible; invoked in hopeless situations
Associated feast: Feast of St. Rita of Cascia (May 22)
When to pray: Pray this novena in the nine days leading up to May 22, or at any time of urgent need. By tradition the novena is offered May 13 through May 21 each year, concluding on the eve of her feast day, and may be begun at any time by those facing desperate or seemingly impossible circumstances.
Begin Day 1 →About this devotion
Saint Rita of Cascia (1386–1456) lived every station of womanhood with heroic faith. Born to elderly, devout parents in Umbria, Italy, she desired the religious life from childhood, yet accepted her parents’ wish that she marry. Through patient prayer she converted her notoriously difficult husband, bore two sons, and endured twenty-two years of marriage before being widowed. When her sons threatened to pursue a vendetta against their father’s killers, she prayed they would die in God’s grace rather than commit murder — and both, having forgiven the slayers, died soon after. Three times rejected by the Augustinian convent at Cascia because she was a widow, she was at last admitted after Saints John the Baptist, Augustine, and Nicholas of Tolentino were said to have conducted her miraculously within its walls. She was canonized by Pope Leo XIII on May 24, 1900.
Her most celebrated mark of grace came while she meditated on Christ’s Passion before a crucifix: she asked to share in His sufferings, and a wound opened on her forehead, as if from one of the thorns of His crown, that remained for the rest of her life. This wound, together with her extraordinary intercessions on behalf of those who came to her in hopeless situations, earned her the title ‘Advocate of Impossible Causes’ — known in Spain as ‘La Santa de los imposibles.’ She died on May 20, 1456, and her incorrupt remains rest in Cascia, Italy, where pilgrims still seek her aid.
This nine-day novena draws on the traditional devotion to Saint Rita as patroness of the impossible. It is customarily prayed in the nine days before her feast (May 13–21), though it may be offered at any time by those who face desperate or seemingly impossible circumstances. Each day calls to mind a virtue or mystery of Rita’s life, uniting the petitioner’s own cross to hers and, through hers, to the Cross of Christ.
The Nine Days
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Day 1: Surrender to God's will in all things
Scripture: Luke 1:38
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Day 2: Patience and perseverance in suffering
Scripture: Romans 5:3-4
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Day 3: Courage to pray for what seems impossible
Scripture: Luke 18:27
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Day 4: Perseverance when doors seem permanently closed
Scripture: Matthew 7:7-8
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Day 5: Union with the suffering Christ
Scripture: Galatians 2:20
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Day 6: Trust in God's mercy for those we love
Scripture: John 11:35-40
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Day 7: Forgiveness and healing of wounds caused by others
Scripture: Matthew 18:21-22
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Day 8: Hope in God's providence during long illness or trial
Scripture: Isaiah 40:31
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Day 9: Confidence that God hears the prayer of the desperate
Scripture: Philippians 4:6-7
Daily Novena Prayer
Closing Prayer
O excellent St. Rita, worker of miracles, from thy sanctuary in Cascia, where in all thy beauty thou sleepest in peace, where thy relics exhale breaths of paradise, turn thy merciful eyes on me who suffer and weep! Thou seest my poor bleeding heart surrounded by thorns. Thou seest, O dear Saint, that my eyes have no more tears to shed, so much have I wept! Weary and discouraged as I am, I feel the very prayers dying on my lips. Must I thus despair in this crisis of my life? O come, St. Rita, come to my aid and help me. Art thou not called the Saint of the Impossible, Advocate to those in despair? Then honor thy name, procuring for me from God the favor that I ask. [Here ask the favor you wish to obtain.] Everyone praises thy glories, everyone tells of the most amazing miracles performed through thee, must I alone be disappointed because thou hast not heard me? Ah no! Pray then, pray for me to thy sweet Lord Jesus that He be moved to pity by my troubles and that, through thee, O good St. Rita, I may obtain what my heart so fervently desires. (Pray the Our Father, Hail Mary, and Glory be to the Father, three times.)
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a novena?
A novena is a nine-day cycle of prayer, modeled on the nine days the Apostles spent in prayer with Mary between the Ascension and Pentecost (Acts 1:14). Each day a specific prayer or set of prayers is offered, often for a particular intention or to a particular saint.
When is the best time to pray the Novena to St. Rita of Cascia?
Pray this novena in the nine days leading up to May 22, or at any time of urgent need. By tradition the novena is offered May 13 through May 21 each year, concluding on the eve of her feast day, and may be begun at any time by those facing desperate or seemingly impossible circumstances.
What if I miss a day of the novena?
Catholic devotional practice does not treat missing a day as invalidating the novena. The traditional pastoral counsel is to continue from where you left off, or to repeat the missed day. The intention behind the prayer matters more than rigid sequential observance.
Read about the life of St. Rita of Cascia →
Source
Primary sources