Note: To observe the Jubilee Year of Mercy (which runs through November 20), for several weeks I am featuring women who exemplify one of the corporal or spiritual works of mercy. Today: Counsel the doubtful.
The Basics: Born March 5, 1848, in Portugal; died January 6, 1913, in Portugal; beatified May 28, 2006, by Benedict XVI; feast day, January 6. Woman religious and teacher.
The Story: Rita loved the Lord from an early age, but piety sometimes went unappreciated in her time, and occasionally was downright dangerous. It didn’t matter to her that Church properties had been taken over in Portugal, and becoming a woman religious was next to impossible. Rita went about teaching people the rosary and other forms of prayer, regardless of what the authorities and other doubters might think of her.
She eventually found her way into a religious community that was allowed to exist only because it was not Portuguese in origin, but chose to leave and go back to educating in her own way, including ministering to the children of single mothers. Rita was able to found the Institute of Jesus, Mary and Joseph when she was in her early thirties, but persecution returned after Portugal in 1910 after the fall of the monarchy. After the community spent some time in Rita’s parents’ home, in 1912 a group of sisters was sent to Brazil. Rita stayed behind in Portugal. Today, sisters continue her work in nine countries in Africa and the Americas.
Rita’s Wisdom: “Be faithful and observant to God our Lord and he will be with you.”
What We Can Learn from Rita: Doubt surrounds us. We counsel not only but listening and sympathizing and consoling, but also by living our lives in an exemplary way.
To Learn More About Rita: Take a look at the site for Rita’s community, the Institute of Jesus, Mary and Joseph.
To Learn More About Other Women Saints and Blesseds: Come back next week, or consider buying my books, Blessed Are You: Finding Inspiration from Our Sisters in Faith or Sisterhood of Saints: Daily Guidance and Inspiration.
