May 22 Saints du jour include Rita ( patron of desperate cases, invoked against bleeding, infertility, loneliness, tumors and unhappy marriages), Saint Julia of Corsica (patron of Corsica and Portugal), Aemilius, Castus, Quiteria, Romanus, Aigulf, Humility, Fulk, Atto, and Lupus. Saint Rita
Free now to become a nun, Rita appealed to the local Augustinians who twice rejected her on the grounds that she was not a virgin. They finally relented and Rita was admitted. As a wife and mother, Rita had been beaten, abused, deceived, and finally had all those she loved taken from her by death. As a nun, Rita was afflicted with a thorn-induced fetid sore on her forehead, was subject to visions, and was treated as a leper. She was a martyr among martyrs. *** Born today were Lord Laurence Olivier (1907) and Sir Arthur Conan Doyle (1859).
Answer to Julia Moore Quiz of yesterday...the first one was the fake. Back
to May 21
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Saint
Rita has the best story we have run into lately. She was married at
the age of 12 to a wretched man who treated her very poorly for 18
years, at which time someone else he had abused, who was bigger and
stronger, murdered him. Rita and he had two sons, both of whom swore
vengeance for their father's death. Not wanting them to become murderers,
Rita prayed that they would die in a state of grace. Her prayers were
answered.
