 |
| Evviva Santa Rita! |
Friday evening I joined our friends from the Associazione Culturale Pugliese Figli Maria SS. Addolorata for their hebdomadal prayer service in honor of St. Rita of Cascia. Meeting in the basement of the Nazareth Center, on the corner of 62nd Street and Bay Parkway in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn, members convened for week two of their 15 week devotional to the patroness of desperate causes.
Gathered before the statues of the Sacro Cuore di Gesù, the Madonna Addolorata, and, of course, Santa Rita, we began the service by praying the Stations of the Cross in Italian. As part of our Lenten devotion, each Station was read aloud by a different member, with the rest of the group reciting the responsorial and prayers (Padre Nostro, Ave Maria, Gloria al Padre).
We then took a moment of silence for the victims of the Florida school shooting and their families.
Next, our group prayed the Rosary. As with the Stations, a different member took the lead for each decade and Sorrowful Mystery.
The service concluded with a final prayer, hymn, and the Litany of St. Rita of Cascia.
The service concluded with a final prayer, hymn, and the Litany of St. Rita of Cascia.
Afterward, participants retired to the refectory for some coffee, homemade cookies and a game of tombola. Though the sweets looked delicious and the game lots of fun, I had to decline because of my Lenten fast. I did, however, enjoy the fellowship and the hot cup of joe.
Save the Date:
The society will be organizing a pilgrimage to the National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia in Philadelphia, PA on Sunday, May 20th (Details TBA). There will be a Feast Day Mass and small procession on Tuesday, May 22nd, at 7:30pm at St. Athanasius Church (2154 61st St.) in Bensonhurst, Brooklyn. Anyone interested in participating with the Figli Maria SS. Addolorata should call Lucrezia at 917-509-2803 or find them on Facebook at Figli Maria S.S. Addolorata.
