St. Rita Fall 2015

The

PEACEMAKER NATIONAL SHRINE SAINT RITA

OF

CASCIA

Fall 2015

THE PEACEMAKER

Fall, 2015 Publication of the National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia Shrine Director: Fr. Joseph Genito, O.S.A.

Development Director, Editor: Deborah Binder, M.Ed. Photographer: Fr. Daniel McLaughlin, O.S.A.

Layout: accent communications, inc., Phila. PA Printer: Gerald O’Neill, Fast Forms

Contact us for a free subscription National Shrine of St. Rita 1166 So. Broad St., Phila. PA 19146 215-546-8333

WWW.SAINTRITASHRINE.ORG

ritashrine@aol.com

Shrine Hours of Operation: Weekdays: 7:30 AM - 5:25 PM Wednesday: 7:30 AM - 7:30 PM Saturday: 7:30 AM - 6:00 PM Sunday: 8:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Masses: Weekday: 8 AM, 12 PM Wednesday: 8 AM, 12 PM, 7 PM Novena after all Masses on Wed. Saturday: 8 AM, 12 Noon, 5 PM Sunday: 9 AM, 11 AM Masses

Confessions: Monday-Saturday Eucharistic Adoration: Daily

SHRINE BOARD MEMBERS: Fr. Joseph Genito, O.S.A. Executive Director Jay Agnes Edward Caruso Louis Cinquanto Anthony DeCarlo Fr. John Deegan, O.S.A. Dina DellaDucata Fr. Michael Di Gregorio, O.S.A. Ron Donatucci John Grogan Dominic Liberi 2

ISSUE THEME:

“MERCY”

Mercy is the quality of compassionate forbearance shown to those who are vulnerable, or to those who have harmed us. In each case, the compassion displayed is unexpected, because the way of the world is to exploit the powerless, and to punish the sinner. This is not the way of the Christian. The way of Christ is to do the unexpected, to be countercultural in order to teach the world that by acting in this manner, we are showing the better way, the way of Christ, the way of peace.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Letter from the Shrine Director

Pictorial of 2015 Feast Day

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Article, Fr. Michael Di Gregorio, O.S.A. 6

Article, Fr. William Recchuti O.S.A.

Article, Fr. Luis Vera O.S.A.

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Invitation to Make Pilgrimage

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Special Events at St. Rita

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Schedule during “World Meeting of Families” & Papal Visit Making Pilgrimage to St. Rita’s Evangelizing & Fundraising Letter from the Development Director

Cover: Exterior of the National Shrine of St. Rita, Broad Street Banner Promotional & Fundraising Project- see pg. 25, hopes that Pope Francis will ride up Broad St. when he makes his Papal visit to Philadelphia!

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WORDS from FATHER JOE DEAR FRIENDS OF THE SHRINE,

Pope Francis has called for a jubilee year of mercy to begin on December 8, based on the quotation of Jesus for us to “be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.” Mercy is inextricably connected to forgiveness, and forgiveness is tied to judgment, or more precisely, refraining from judgment. One of the Pope’s more memorable quips is “Who am I to judge?” He responded in this way to questions about divorced and remarried people, and other hot-button issues. His response reminds us that it is God’s place to judge, not ours. We humans can only see some of the reasons for the ways people act in given situations, seeing the whole picture, while we humans are very limited in our understanding. And if God is merciful, expansive and forgiving, so must we be, following the lead of Saint Rita who was renowned for forgiving her enemies and finding the common ground of peace.

In this spirit, we anticipate the arrival of Pope Francis during the World Meeting of Families week here in Philadelphia. Thousands will be visiting the city for the conference, culminating in the Pope’s Mass on the Parkway. We hope to welcome many of them to the Shrine so that they can learn about our outstanding patroness.

The Shrine has undergone a number of improvements in the past few months, from the installation of new flooring to a showcase for the replica of Saint Rita’s religious habit. We have also hosted a number of retreat days on various aspects of reconciliation, providing a day-long experience of prayer and discussion including a luncheon and time for private prayer in the chapel and celebration of the sacrament of reconciliation.

We continue to make progress towards providing the types of services needed for effecting peace in our neighborhood and city. Thank you for your continued support of the Shrine and its ministries.

Fr. Joseph A. Genito, O.S.A. Shrine Director

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VIEW FROM MY HEART BY FR. MICHAEL DI GREGORIO O.S.A .

MERCY MADE Throughout the few years of his public ministry, Jesus proclaimed repeatedly, in his parables and by his actions, the amazing mercy of God. We can think of his encounter with the woman caught in sin and about to be stoned, and the story of the prodigal son; we remember Jesus’ compassion toward the lame, the blind and the lepers, toward the widow of Naim, and the son of the government official struck with illness.

f lesh

reachable, tangible. Saint Augustine came to know this, first through personal experience, and later through his contemplation of the divine mystery. His conversion is intimately connected to his firsthand experience of the power of Jesus’ compassion and grace poured out on him. “Put on the Lord Jesus Christ” was the advice of Saint Paul that captured Augustine’s attention, and set his troubled life on a new and fertile course.

This past April, Pope Francis announced a Holy Year of Mercy to be celebrated by the entire Church, in which to consider the great

IN JESUS, mercy HAS BECOME visible, reachable, tangible.

Not without good reason did Saint Augustine say: “Your Christ, O God, is your mercy!” In similar fashion Pope Francis has recently written, “Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy!” He is, in fact, the most perfect and complete expression of the mercy of God. In Jesus, mercy has become visible,

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benevolence of God toward us, and to understand better how we are invited to share mercy with others.

The observance will begin with the opening of the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica in Rome, on December 8, 2015, the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, and will conclude on November 20, 2016, the Feast of Christ the King.

As we journey through the coming Holy Year, many points of reference will be provided us. I have already named four: Jesus, Paul, Augustine and Pope Francis. But there are many others, appealing to the sensitivities and experiences of individuals. For readers of The Peacemaker, Saint Rita certainly speaks a timely message.

RITA HAS BECOME, AS

WAS Jesus HIMSELF,

MERCY MADE VISIBLE.

If we understand mercy as compassion or forgiveness offered those whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm, then we understand immediately the example of Rita in this regard. She, who was severely wronged in the murder of her husband, was moved to offer forgiveness rather than revenge, mercy, and not retaliation.

Rita has become, as was Jesus himself, mercy made visible.

Forgiving, and generous, but above all, motivated by faith, and trusting in the wisdom of the Gospel, rather than in the sway of emotion, or the pressure of society, or the influence of public opinion. How critically we need this example today! How critically society needs us to offer that example, to make mercy visible.

Fr. Michael Di Gregorio O.S.A. was the founding Director of St. Rita Shrine in Phila. & the “Peacemaker” Magazine.

Fr. Michael served here from 1992 to 2007. In 2014 he was elected as the Prior Provincial of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova Augustinians.

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Rita

A WOMEN OF JUSTICE & mercy

BY FR. LUIS VERA, O.S.A .

Saint Rita was able to see with wonder how her life unfolded before her eyes in ways she had not expected. Sister Rita was a woman of great faith and trust in the power of the Lord; she was a woman of great resilience. Our Sister Rita was also a woman of peace, a woman who put aside the fears she might have had to bring about forgiveness and reconciliation and as a result, to bring about peace. These qualities made her also a woman of justice.

Justice is that quality of being fair in all dealings. Justice calls us to constantly ask ourselves: “What is the right thing to do?” For us Christians, we must also ask ourselves “What is the Christian thing to do?” As Rita journeyed through very difficult moments in her life, I am sure this question was always in her heart: “What is the right thing to do?” because Rita lived a life that confronted her with great pain and suffering brought by injustice.

She was not put down or crushed by these experiences of injustice, but she was able to present these experiences of injustice to the Lord.

She became more faithful and in doing so, she became more hopeful and just. She was determined to 8

seek justice and tolerance. She was determined to bring about peace and forgiveness and reconciliation not only to her family but also to the lives of the people who lived around.

After the arrangement of her marriage by her parents, after the murder of her husband, after the death of her sons and the rejection to enter the convent, Rita’s prayer became stronger, her sense of peace filled her heart. She didn’t fall into hatred or anger and revenge. She didn’t despair, but she became more hopeful and resilient. Our sister Rita must be an inspiration and an example for all people who feel hurt and wounded and unjustly treated by the powers of this world.

“To you who hear I say, love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you… Do to others as you would have them do to you.” These words from the Gospel of Luke are difficult to hear and to practice but Rita took them to heart. She lived these words with great love and received the wisdom, not only to understand them, but also to put them into practice; she made them a way of living.

We might need to ask ourselves: Who is my enemy right now? Do we love our enemies and those who hate us, and those who curse and mistreat us? “For if you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? Even sinners love those who love them!” (Luke 6:32). And so what do we need to do?, we might ask ourselves. “Be merciful as your Father is merciful. Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned.

Forgive and you will be forgiven.”

(Luke 6: 37). And if we do so, what will happen? “…Gifts will be given to you; a good measure, packed together, shaken down, and over-

life unfolded before her, chapter after chapter… all written in love.

She wanted to follow the right thing and she knew that to do the right thing, to be a woman of mercy and to fight injustice with love was her call. As she moved in her life from event to event trusting in a God of mercy and a God who consoled her, she became a pilgrim with pilgrims on the way to God. As we celebrate Saint Rita, we proclaim with a loud voice the love of God for all people and for all creation. We also learn from our sister Rita that we must always be people of faith and agents of forgiveness and reconciliation and

“ BE merciful AS YOUR FATHER IS MERCIFUL.

STOP JUDGING AND YOU WILL NOT BE judged.”

flowing, will be poured into your lap” (Luke 6: 38). It seems to me that all these gifts and more were given to Rita and as she received these gifts she rejoiced in the Lord always as we read in Philippians 4:4. Our Sister Rita was filled with great wisdom because “[God] has success in store for the upright, [and] is the shield of those who walk honestly, guarding the paths of justice, protecting the way of his faithful ones, then you will understand what is right and just, what is fair...”

(Proverbs 2: 7-9)

Rita understood what was right and just. She always did the right thing, even though, very often she did not understand why things were happening. She trusted God as her

mercy. We must learn from her to be open to the many possibilities God has for us as our lives unfold, like a book before us.

Fr. Luis Vera is the Prior of the Augustinian community at Villanova University, a native of Puerto Rico with experience in pastoral ministry and seminary formation.

He has a D. Min. in Theology from Catholic Theological Union in Chicago. Presently he is involved in spiritual enrichment for parish groups, directing retreats for parish ministers and deacons.

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THE

mercy OF God

BY FR. WILLIAM RECCHUTI O.S.A .

to turn back to Jesus and find his divine mercy and forgiveness.

Saint Augustine and the Mercy of God: Augustine, bishop of Hippo and a well-known and respected defender of the faith, did something entirely unprecedented. He wrote and published an autobiography in which he laid bare and analyzed the details of his inner life, including his immoral excesses which like iron chains held him fast. He also wrote of that day when he especially poured out his heart to God, and heard the words, ”take up and read, take up and read.” He picked up the book which was at hand and read the first passage his eyes fell upon: “Not in orgies and drunkenness, not in promiscuity and licentiousness, not in rivalry and jealousy, but put on the Lord Jesus Christ and make no provision for the desires of the flesh.”

Romans, 13:13

As he read the last word, a sense of peace came over Augustine and the chains of immorality which held him fast, fell away. The God of mercy and forgiveness had set him free. A few days later he stood before Ambrose, bishop of Milan and was baptized. The “Confessions” of Augustine has inspired countless others who were mired in sin of whatever kind, not to give up, but 10

The Prodigal Son: In his autobiographical “Confessions,” the Bishop, Augustine saw himself in his early years as a mirror image of the Prodigal Son, the younger son in the parable of the “Loving Father” and two very imperfect sons. Augustine distinguished the more profound spiritual meaning from the immediate, literal meaning. Accordingly, Augustine wrote, “the man who has two sons is God. The inheritance received from the Father is mind, intellect, memory, and the capability God has given us to understand and worship him.” Sermon 112A

The younger son in the parable took his inheritance, left his Father’s house and went off to a distant land, not distant geographically but distant spiritually, far from the values and teachings of his father.

After squandering his inheritance, he was reduced to abject poverty.

In his dire need, he came to his senses and resolved to return to his father, confess his guilt and request to be treated as no more than one of the hired workers. While he was still a long way off, his father saw him and knew his son’s thoughts before he confessed them. His father embraced him, and filled with compassion, restored him to his status of son. The lesson of the parable is that God, who knows us

better than we know ourselves, longingly looks for us to return in repentance for God is a God of mercy and forgiveness.

The Prodigal Daughter: On September 9, 2013, many Italian newspapers carried the following report: Anna Romano a 35 year old woman from central Italy, married and divorced at a young age, had received a phone call from Pope Francis. Anna thought she had found true love. She acknowledged, “In June I discovered I was pregnant through him and when I told him, instead of being happy, he told me he was already married, already had a child and to have an abortion.”

She replied, “I will not have an abortion, get out of my life.” Anna Romano felt betrayed and deceived for he told her that he was single.

Disheartened and disconsolate, she wrote a letter to Pope Francis and stated that she did so because she had “no one else to turn to.”

Anna said, “Out of the blue, I received a phone call. I knew the number was from Rome because of the city’s dial code, and I recognized the voice of Pope Francis as soon as he started speaking.” He said he called her to let her know someone was worried about her. He consoled her, saying that she would never be alone and that a child is a “gift from God and a sign of Divine Providence.”

He commended her for being both “brave and strong” for her unborn child. When she expressed her fears about baptizing her baby because she was divorced and a single mother, and her child was illegitimate, the Holy Father assured her that he would be her spiritual father

and even voiced his willingness to baptize the baby himself.

Anna Romano said that phone call changed her life. She said she hopes her letter “will be an example for other women who feel they may be distant from the Church simply because they have chosen the wrong man, or because they are divorced or they are with men who are not worthy of being fathers.”

Through the outreach of Pope Francis, a betrayed and devastated woman found the God of mercy and loving forgiveness.

Saint Rita and the Mercy of God: Remarkable news travels quickly and Rita had accomplished an utterly remarkable feat in bringing reconciliation to the apparently irreconcilable, namely, the family of her murdered husband and the family of his murderer. Through prayer and patient mediation between the two families, she broke the chain of retaliatory murder and ended a multi-generational feud. She was and continues to be an agent of God’s mercy and forgiveness.

Fr. Bill Rechutti O.S.A. is a friar of the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova currently assigned to our Shrine.

He recently celebrated his 50th anniversary of ordination. He has been in the fields of education & pastoral ministry in parishes in Pa. and upstate N.Y. 11

PERS & D SSE A BLE

ONAL

n o i t a invit Y O U TO

IAN USTIN E AUG H T AL M ATION A FRO THE N T. RIT F S O F S O E EER EVOTE OLUNT AS A D AND V CASCIA S E E Y ITA OF R MPLO T E HE IN , A S FOR T OF S FRIAR O US T SHRINE E G A ENCE” ILGRIM ONFER P C E S K IE A IL , TO M FAM G OF IA, PA EETIN DELPH M A D IL D L H TH AN OP “WOR ISIT T GH 27 V U L ’ O A R P ERCY, & PA 0 TH TH OF M 2 R R A E E B Y E SEPTEM ‘JUBILE , 2016 FROM G THE R 20 E IN B R U M SD NOVE WARD 015 TO AFTER 2 , 8 BER DECEM R W OU FOLLO , S U ND A JOIN ENTS CAN’T UR EV U O O Y F S O F I S RIM E CLIP E PILG YOUTUB STS ABOUT TH OF POPE PO WEEK DAILY S THE U G AL! VISITIN ’ ARRIV FRANCIS RG INE.O SHRINE ASHR IT R TRITA T IN A ILA S SAIN / M ITAPH BE.CO AINTR S / YOUTU M O OOK . C FACEB 12

The honor of your presence is requested...

G T HE ISITIN V E B ILL A , WE W ST. RIT E OF IN R H G OF AL S EETIN LD M NATION R O “W G T HE DURIN ENCE” ONFER C S FAMILIE

3YES

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Schedule at St. Rita

FOR THE

WORLD MEETING OF FAMILIES WEEK & PAPAL VISIT SEPTEMBER 20TH THROUGH 27TH SUN., SEPT. 20TH

MON., SEPT. 21ST TUES., SEPT. 22ND WED., SEPT. 23RD

MASSES: 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM, 5:30 PM 1ST IN OUR NOVENA OF HEALING MASSES: 2:00 PM “PHILHARMONIA” CONCERT, 7:00 PM MASSES AT 8:00 AM, 12:00 NOON, 5:30 PM GUIDED TOURS: 9, 10, 11 AM & 1, 2, 3, 4 PM “ST. RITA” LECTURE FR. MICHAEL DI GREGORIO, O.S.A., 7:00 PM MASSES AT 8:00 AM, 12:00 NOON, 5:30 PM GUIDED TOURS: 9, 10, 11 AM & 1,2,3,4 PM

MASSES AT 8:00 AM, 12:00 NOON 5:30 PM IN HONOR OF MARIA GORETTI GUIDED TOURS: 9, 10, 11 AM & 1, 2, 3, 4 PM SHUTTLE BUS FROM AND TO CONVENTION CENTER, 11:00 AM TO 6:00 PM “PILGRIMAGE OF MERCY” BODY OF ST. MARIA GORETTI, VENERATION BEGINS AFTER THE 12:00 NOON MASS

THURS., SEPT. 24TH MASSES AT 8:00 AM, 12:00 NOON, 5:30 PM GUIDED TOURS: 9, 10, 11 AM & 1, 2, 3, 4, 6:30, 7:30 PM, “ENTHRONEMENT OF THE SACRED HEART” LECTURE, 9 TO 11 AM, SHUTTLE BUS FROM AND TO CONVENTION CENTER, 11:00 AM TO 6:00 PM FRI., SEPT. 25TH

SAT., SEPT. 26TH SUN., SEPT. 27TH

MASSES AT 8:00 AM, 12:00 NOON, 5:30 PM GUIDED TOURS: 9, 10, 11 AM & 1, 2, 3, 4, 6:30, 7:30 PM

MASSES AT 8:00 AM, 12:00 NOON, 5:00 PM GUIDED TOURS: 9, 10, 11 AM & 1, 2, 3, 4 PM MASSES AT 9:00 AM, 11:00 AM SIMULCAST OF PAPAL MASS, PRIVATE TICKETED EVENT FOR PARISHIONERS

The

National Shrine

EXTENDED HOURS

SEPT. 20TH TO 27TH

SPECIAL EVENTS

7:00 AM TO 8:00 PM

ALL ARE FREE WILL OFFERING

ADDITIONAL MASSES SEPT. 20TH TO 25TH

5:30 PM NIGHTLY

ADDITIONAL HOURS FOR CONFESSION WITH VISITING AUGUSTINIANS

NOVENA & RELIC VENERATION

AFTER EVERY MASS

GUIDED TOURS OFFERED SCHEDULED TIMES

“GUIDE BY CELL”

TOUR USING YOUR CELL PHONE

GIFT SHOP

OPEN DAILY THROUGHOUT

Top: Fr. Joseph A. Genito O.S.A. Shrine Director/Pastor

Bottom: Fr. Michael Di Gregorio O.S.A. Provincial

St. Rita Shrine

SPECIAL EVENTS DURING WORLD MEETING OF FAMILY CONFERENCE AND

Papal

VISIT

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Monday, September 21st, 7:00 PM

Talk on St. Rita of Cascia by Fr. Michael Di Gregorio O.S.A.

Saint Rita: Witness to Contemporary Christian Life

Fr. Michael DiGregorio O.S.A will talk about St. Rita – her life of struggle, violence, prayer and her skills as a peacemaker.

Fr. Michael will be underscoring Christian values needed by family members today, as seen through a reflection on Rita's story: attentiveness to God's will; selfless concern for the other; forgiveness; patience. How do spouses practice these, and how do they promote them in their children.

Fr. Michael is a gifted homilist and speaker about many topics including St. Rita of Cascia and other Augustinian Saints. He wrote several books on Saints including “The Precious Pearl,” an account of St. Rita’s life from her birth in 1381 until her death in 1457.

Fr. Michael now serves as the Prior Provincial of the St. Thomas of Villanova Province. In 2007 he was elected as Vicar General of the Augustinians in Rome where he lived and worked for six years. He served as the Shrine Director at St. Rita’s in Philadelphia from 1992 until 2007.

DAILY VENERATION OF Habit relic

While at St. Rita's you will have the opportunity to venerate our new relic, a habit recently touched to the incorrupt body of St. Rita in Cascia. The habit is a replica of one she wore. The relic was given to us by Mother Superior and the Augustinian Sisters of the St. Rita's Monastery in Cascia, Italy and it is now enshrined and available for veneration every day in the lower shrine.

Wednesday, September 23rd

Relic Exhibition of St. Maria Goretti

Exhibition begins after 12 Noon Mass to 8 PM

Mass in Honor of St. Maria 5:30 PM Guest Celebrant: Fr Carlos Martin Priest of the Companions of the Cross, Canada

the Reliquary VIEW ST. MARIA’S REMAINS INSIDE A GLASS-SIDED CASKET. INSIDE THE CASKET IS A WAX STATUE WITHIN WHICH REPOSE HER REMAINS.

Pilgrimage

the

major relics of St. Maria Goretti will make a pilgrimage to the USA, the first time her body has traveled to this country. Fr. Carlos Martin, a priest of the Companions of the Cross now serving in Canada, is the organizer of the pilgrimage and has been entrusted with the body of St. Maria Goretti. Fr. Carlos is a friend of St. Rita Shrine and brought his personal relic exhibit of 165 relics called the “Treasures of the Church,” to us in May, 2011.

He is an expert on St. Maria Goretti with an exceptionally strong devotion to her. This free will offerings collected as Maria travels through the United States will be used to support the “Pilgrimage of Mercy” and to renovate aspects of her shrine in Italy.

of Mercy

While St. Maria is universally known as the Patroness of Purity, her greatest virtue was her unyielding forgiveness of her attacker even in the midst of horrendous physical suffering, a forgiveness that would completely convert him and set him on a path to personal holiness. In March His Holiness, Pope Francis, announced an Extraordinary Holy Year of Mercy beginning December 8, 2015. This visit of the major relics of St. Maria Goretti is an effort on the part of the Holy See to prepare and catechize the USA for this great celebration in the life of the Church.

Sunday, September 20th, 7:00 PM Concert by “Philharmonia”

PhilHarmonia

for

the occasion of the World Meeting of Families and in honor of Pope Francis’ visit Artistic Director to Philadelphia, Philly’s newest chamber choir, PhilHarmonia, has prepared “With the Ear of the Heart” - a special program of sacred poetry and music intertwined with Giovanni Pierluigi da Palestrina’s Missa Papae Marcelli.

Interspersed between the movements will be sacred poetry read by the members of PhilHarmonia, and motets and anthems by English Baroque composer, Henry Purcell, and contemporary American composers, Christopher Theofanidis, and Daniel Elder.

Daniel Elder, a young talented composer from Athens, Georgia, has won various national and international composition awards.

PhilHarmonia is pleased to perform “With the Ear to the Heart” - program of spiritual kinship and inspiring sacred works, both poetic and musical, old and new.

PhilHarmonia was founded in 2013. Conductor, Mitos Andaya Hart, became the ensemble's Artistic Director in 2014 for its second season.

For more information visit: www.philharmoniasings.com

Thursday, September 24th, 9 - 11:00 AM in Upper Church

ENTHRONEMENT of the SACRED HEART

join

Gloria Anson, President of the Sacred Heart Apostolate and Lay Redemptorist Missionary as she explains and shares 42 years of traveling the world sharing what the enthronement is, how it is carried out and most importantly the fruits of the Enthronement!

Mrs. Anson will be joined by Monsignor John Esseff, Father William Gaffney, Father Amedeo Guida and lay leaders of the Enthronement who have seen the transformation of families as they say “Yes” to God’s call.

The Sacred Heart Apostolate, Inc., a global Movement for “Creating a Civilization of Love,” was born out of the vision to carry the message of Father Mateo to Enthrone the Sacred Heart of Jesus in every home and thus transform society! Father Mateo SS.CC. was a Priest of the Congregation of the Sacred Heart of Jesus and Mary and was inspired to make more effective the promises of the Sacred Heart to St. Margaret Mary in order to draw families closer to Jesus. In 1907, Father Mateo was commanded by Saint Pope Pius X to go spread the message of “the sanctification of family life through the Enthronement.” The message of the Enthronement lives on as the promise “I will bless every home/ dwelling where the image of my Sacred Heart is exposed and honored”.

Hear testimonies of:  The power of this Love flowing from His Heart in the very midst of difficult family moments. 

 

How He keeps His Promise to bring peace into our families in the midst of turmoil.

How hearts are softened and reconciled with one another, marriages reconciled.

How in the midst of what seems to be a hopeless situation…

Hope appears and does not disappoint.

There will be instructions on how to carry out the Enthronement as well as materials available to assist and equip you to advance the Kingdom of Love. The presentation will conclude with a healing service.

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Making Pilgrimage

NATIONAL SHRINE OF ST. RITA

Self-Guided Tours through “Guide By Cell” now offered at our Shrine

we

are excited to announce that St. Rita Shrine joined the other three National Shrines located in Philadelphia, St. John Neumann, St. Katharine Drexel and the Miraculous Medal Shrine, by adding self-guided tours through “Guide By Cell” for our pilgrims.

Our visitors will be able to access our audio tour through their own mobile phone at 215665-2199.

Founded in 2004, “Guide by Cell” is an innovative provider of interactive mobile technology solutions to more than 2,000 cultural institutions and non-profit organizations.

MOBILE

App

The Catholic COMING SOON Shrines of the Archdiocese have worked together with the Sisters of St. Paul to create our own mobile app which will be live in August! Check our website and facebook accounts for more about this as it unfolds!

GIVE YOUR

Testimony

ABOUT ST. RITA

During your pilgrimage in September consider giving your testimony about St. Rita. We will have a stationary camera set up in the Shrine to capture on film anyone desiring to share their personal story about St. Rita. Over time, we hope to post our collection of testimonies on our youtube account!

FREE SHUTTLE BUS

from WMOF Convention Center to St. Rita Wednesday, September 23rd & Thursday, September 24th 11:00 AM to 6:00 PM

St. Rita Shrine will offer a free shuttle bus from the Convention Center to St. Rita Shrine and back, for those of you attending the “2015 World Meeting of Families Conference” who may want to take a break from the convention for prayer. Visit our Convention Booth #444 “Catholic Shrines of Philadelphia” to find out the location of our shuttle bus pick up point.

Philadelphia Trolley Works is offering a full day tour to St. Rita’s and the other three National Shrines of Philly this August & September.

Visit www.phillytour.com/catholic-shrine-tour-of-philadelphia/p57 or call Terese at 215-389-8687

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Italy

2015 Pilgrimage FROM St.

Rita Shrine

Fr. Frank Doyle O.S.A. Our Spiritual Leader

11 Day Pilgrimage October 4-14 2015 Prayer & Mass Daily $3,959

Rita & Beyond

Sun., Oct. 4th to Wed., Oct. 14th

5 nights at the Hotel Della Rosa, Cascia across street from Basilica and 4 nights at the Casa S. Alberto, Rome, a very short walk to the Vatican & St. Peter’s Square.

Cities on our Itinerary: 9 Cities Visited

Roccaporena: Rita’s birthplace, home of birth & marriage, Scoglia her special place of prayer Cascia: Rita’s monastery, her cell, her bascilica, her incorrupt body

Assisi: St. Francis & St. Clare of Assisi and history of Franciscan Spirituality, Giotto Frescoes Rome: The Vatican, Amazing Churches & Basilicas

Ostia Antica: Harbour City, ancient ruins, history with St. Augustine & St. Monica Call Shrine at 215-546-8333 ext. 12

Our 2013 Italy Pilgrimage was also through 206 Tours. We had an incredible experience through their planning and we chose to work with them again.

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Visit www.pilgrimages.com/shrineofstrita for our trip.

Broad Street Banner

Fundraiser

AND Promotional

Project

Helpevangelize us to about St. Rita and her National Shrine, and memorialize a loved one! Give testimony to how St. Rita has helped you with her prayers.

As of this issue we have 30 banners representing over 50 families that are hung on 4 city blocks, on both sides of the street at the shrine and beyond.

Each banner is 4’ X 9’ and has a 9” X 48” area for your memorial We have 13 questions to choose from for your banner that refer to St. Rita’s virtuous life, such as “Seeking Forgiveness?” and “Think It’s Impossible?”

The answer on each banner, emphatically, is “Try Rita.”

Call 215-546-8333 ext.12 for more details.

We thank you for your consideration to support this project!

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EVANGELIZING and

DEVELOPMENT

FOR THE NATIONAL SHRINE OF ST. RITA

DEAR FRIENDS OF THE SHRINE,

We hope many of you will make pilgrimage to our Shrine during the “World Meeting of Families Conference” and the Papal Visit to Philadelphia.

As you read in this issue, we have a spiritually packed week of unique events to offer you along with the peace of Rita found here every day at the Shrine!

The last year of Evangelizing and Development work related to the crowds of pilgrims we expect has been my most invigorating and creative time promoting our beloved St. Rita! The overwhelming excitement was due to the unprecedented interactions and connections made with the other three National Shrines of Philadelphia; St. John Neumann, St. Katharine Drexel, and the Miraculous Medal Shrine.

Representatives joined together to share talents, resources and funds to collectively create a marketing and evangelizing plan for the last year that has never been accomplished jointly in the past, in our Diocese. In sharing our individual strengths we moved mountains to undertake an enormous amount of evangelizing in a variety of media formats about our Saints and the Blessed Mother, and our “Holy Spaces, Sacred Grounds.” All involved have been blessed through the sharing!

In the last nine months we at St. Rita’s have focused energies on developing a Facebook page and a youtube account to further promote St. Rita; her story, her virtues, her 26

prayers & devotions, and her shrine.

It has taken us time to add the social media accounts to our evangelizing plan. We are confident that how we approached our social media exhibits appropriate attention to the aspects of evangelizing about our Saint, our Shrine, and the Augustinian spirituality that will be spiritually enlightening to those who ‘look to Rita’ this way! May God bless you for your continued interest & support!

Deborah Binder

Development Director

215-546-8333 ext. 12 ritashrine@aol.com www.SaintRitaShrine.org

CAN’T GET HERE TO US IN PHILADELPHIA?

Make Pilgrimage through Social Media Postings throughout WMOF week!

THE VIRTUAL

Rita Experience

facebook.com/SaintRitaPhila

St. Rita Prayers & Novena, Augustinian Feasts, Books & Gift Shop Items, Shrine Events

youtube.com/SaintRitaShrine

Homilies from Novena Healing Masses, Feast Day Homily, Peace Award Recipient, Future focus on Testimonies to St. Rita

SaintRitaShrine.org

History of St. Rita, Prayer of St. Rita, Contact Us, Leave a Prayer Request, On-line Gift Shop, Make a Donation, Purchase a Memorial, Read about Special Events

27

11-Day Italy Pilgrimage, October, 2015, seats available, see pg. 24

Novena of Healing Masses begins September 20th 3rd Sunday of the month through May, 2016

Special Hours & Events during World Meeting of Families Week & Papal Visit, see pgs. 14-15

youtube.com/SaintRitaShrine facebook.com/SaintRitaPhila

SaintRitaShrine.org

Visit Us

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1166 South Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19146

National Shrine Saint Rita of Cascia NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE PAID LANSDALE, PA PERMIT NO. 491