In this post: The Six Decade Rosary of Lourdes and St. Bridget, I mentioned that a couple of months ago I made a Chaplet of St. Rita. I had already posessed one commercially made from the National Shrine of St.Rita of Cascia, but it had contained no instructions on how to pray it. So, I spent some time online looking for them. I found some instructions, but they didn’t match the arrangement of the beads I had.
This is the Chaplet I ordered from the Shrine:
Just ten beads, arranged in a circlet. But I kept finding instructions all over the web for a chaplet of three groups of three beads, like this one: (SPOILER ALERT!! this is “My Homemade St. Rita Chaplet”)
After a while, I managed to find a site which had the correct prayer instructions, (courtesy of the Shrine, no less!) and here are those instructions:
The Chaplet of St. Rita of Cascia
(from the National Shrine of St.Rita of Cascia; Philadelphia, PA, USA)This chaplet consists of 10 beads on which are recited, alternately the Our Father and the Hail Mary while reflecting on the following meditations:
a) beginning at the centre piece of St. Rita, compose yourself for prayer and begin with a spiritual communion, or Apostles Creed. Then move on to the first set of two beads and announce the meditation.
1) I rejoice with you, O blessed Saint Rita, who were showered by God with blessings of sweetness whereby you remained always faithful to your baptismal consecration. Pray for me that I may avoid every sin.
Our Father, then a Hail Mary.
2) I rejoice with you, O glorious Saint Rita, who from childhood were blessed with the gift of prayer and the contemplation of Jesus crucified. Obtain for me fervour in my prayer and compassionate love for Jesus in his sufferings.
Our Father, then a Hail Mary.
3) I rejoice with you, O fortunate Saint Rita, who learned how to draw from your Crucified Saviour the strength and the courage to bear the trials of life out of love for him. Pray for me that I may imitate your virtues and experience the favour of Jesus crucified.
Our Father, then a Hail Mary.
4) I rejoice with you, O most blessed Saint Rita, who were so loving as to suffer for Jesus, and so came to receive on your forehead a thorn from his crown. Obtain for me a sign of heartfelt contrition and the grace of sorrow for my sins.
Our Father, then a Hail Mary
5) I rejoice with you, O Saint Rita, who walked always the path of faith, hope, and love, as wife and mother, widow and religious, and who now enjoy the rewards of heavenly glory. Look upon me in my needs and obtain for me the grace to follow your example, fulfilling all the duties of my state of life so as to share with you some day the Father’s presence.
Our Father, then a Hail Mary
b) (optional) The chaplet may be completed with the following prayer:
O Holy Saint Rita, exemplary Augustinian Sister, we honour 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.
Amen.Novena Prayer (optional):
O holy patroness of those in need, St. Rita, whose pleadings before thy Divine Lord are almost irresistible, who for thy lavishness in granting favours hast been called the Advocate of the Hopeless and even of the Impossible; St. Rita, so humble, so pure, so mortified, so patient and of such compassionate love for thy Crucified Jesus that thou couldst obtain from Him whatsoever thou askest, on account of which all confidently have recouse to thee, expecting, if not always relief, at least comfort; be propitious to our petition, showing thy power with God on behalf of thy suppliant; be lavish to us, as thou hast been in so many wonderful cases, for the greater glory of God, for the spreading of thine own devotion, and for the consolation of those who trust in thee. We promise, if our petition is granted, to glorify thee by making known thy favour, to bless and sing thy praises forever. Relying then upon thy merits and power before the Sacred Heart of Jesus, we pray thee grant that (here mention your request)
(These instructions generously given by The National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia, 1166 South Broad Street, Philadelphia, PA 19146-(215)546-8333)
But what about the other kind? The three groups of three beads? I hadn’t felt like finding a source online and ordering one; I figured the one from the National Shrine is THE CHAPLET. But still, I really love St. Rita and not having “the other kind” bothered me.
As I mentioned in that post on the Lourdes and Brigittine Rosaries, I have a lot of rosary parts lying about, many are reddish and I attribute that color to St. Rita. So I set about to salvage parts of this or that rosary and came up with “the other chaplet,” pictured here, again:
I did have to order the medal of St. Rita; that is courtesy of the National Shrine (a little blurry, but good enough):
How to pray the “Other version”
This chaplet in honor of St. Rita, patroness of the impossible, consists of nine beads. The chaplet is comprised of three sets of three prayers each as shown below, completed with the recitation of the prayer to St. Rita.
Intentions may be made at the beginning or end of the chaplet.
Make the Sign of the Cross on the Crucifix.
Recite the Our Father
on each of the first three beads.Recite the Hail Mary
on each on each of the second three beads..Recite the Glory Be to the Father
on each of the last three beads:.On the medal of Saint Rita, recite:
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.
NOTE: This concluding prayer, “O Holy St. Rita, exemplary Augustinian Sister…” is a common prayer for St. Rita (I think it’s even in the Mass in her honor, but I’m not sure and don’t feel like looking it up. 😝)
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