Our Friends in High Places
Saint Rita the Peacemaker
Feast Day: May 22When I was in college in the 1980's, I wrote a term paper about 'the troubles' in Northern Ireland. I predicted that peace would not happen until at least 2005. I wasn't far off. On May 8, the Catholics and Protestants of Northern Ireland ratified an agreement that will enable them to govern together while forswearing former divisions and further violence. Finally Catholics and Ulstermen are moving forward together, shoulder to shoulder. At last they are focusing on peace while healing decades of fractious partisanship. Perhaps the Irish Catholics asked for some help from the saint known as 'The Peacemaker', St Rita of Cascia. She was adept in her time at healing the many revenge vendettas that were commonplace in the name of family honor in 15th century Italy. One of these family vendettas even resulted in the murder of Rita's husband. Yet Rita forgave his killers and became known as a skillful agent of reconciliation amongst all her neighbors. |  |
May 22 is the Solemn Feast Day of St. Rita. This Feast Day is celebrated reverently in many parts of the world. Go to Nice and you'll see St. Rita venerated in a dedicated chapel; visit a cathedral in Rio de Janeiro and you'll discover her statue there; tour a church in Budapest and you'll see a bas relief of our precious friend; travel to Lebanon and you'll find great devotion to her. St. Rita is called upon to bring peace to many types of relationships, whether in families, neighborhoods or communities of all sizes.
Few U.S. Catholics know that the National Shrine of St Rita in Philadelphia, PA now gives out an annual Peace Award. (The 2007 Recipient is the Amish Community of Nickel Mines, PA). What if each archdiocese encouraged the same cause by also awarding a regional award in her name? What if each parish honored a volunteer that brought some point of harmony to their local community? What if each school asked students to share on this Feast Day their ideas of a peaceful future? The result may be a positive, building momentum that St Rita could only smile upon and bless.
This is the 550th anniversary of St. Rita's death, and in many ways the world doesn't seem to have changed much since she walked the earth. Maybe that's why we need to each remember to entreat her to walk with us today as we heal own divisive behaviors and become agents of reconciliation on her behalf.