Peacemaker Winter 2013 - National Shrine of Saint Rita of Cascia

Winter 2013
The
PEACEMAKER
NATIONAL SHRINE SAINT RITA OF CASCIA

The PeaCeMakeR
Winter, 2013 Publication of the
national shrine of saint Rita of Cascia
Shrine Director:
fr. Joseph Genito, o.s.a.
Development Director:
Deborah binder, M.ed.
Photography:
fr. Dan Mclaughlin, o.s.a.
Layout:
accent communications, inc.
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 • ritashrine@aol.com
WWW.saInTRITashRIne.oRG
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, 7:00 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
John Cannon
edward Caruso
anthony DeCarlo
fr. John Deegan, o.s.a.
Dina DellaDucata
bishop Michael fitzgerald
fr. Mickey Genovese, o.s.a.
Dominic liberi
louis Presenza
Judge Timothy Rice
2
IssUe TheMe:
sPIRITUalIT Y & TRaUMa
saint rita handled the trauma
she experienced from both her
husband’s murder and the death of
her sons by putting her trust in God,
with a sense of acceptance that
stands as a faithful model for all
who undergo personal tragedies.
rather than becoming embittered
and angry, or give in to fear, she
chose to believe in a loving and just
God who would accompany her
through her sorrows. in this issue
we will show some ways the shrine
and Cascia Center are involved in
carrying on saint rita’s legacy of
peacemaking and healing.
­–Fr.­Joseph­A.­Genito,­O.S.A.
Table of ConTenTs
letter, fr. Joseph Genito, o.s.a. 3
article , fr. M. DiGregorio, o.s.a. 4
2013 Peace award Recipients 7
article, “Dawn’s Place” 8
Testimonials, “Your Word To Us” 11
Pictorial, Prayer Vigil 12
article, bryan Miller 14
Prayers to st. Rita 17
article, fr. James Paradis, o.s.a. 18
Development, Deborah binder 22
Cover Photo: Prayer Vigil held near the site of a
murder of a teenager a few blocks away from the
shrine of st. Rita. fr. Joe Genito, our shrine
Director, is behind the two men shaking hands.
words from
FathEr JoE
thE EsCalatioN of violence and criminal activity in
our cities and nation is a chronic problem for humanity in
every age. Saint Rita was no stranger to violence, her
husband murdered in a vendetta. Controversy plagued
her as she tried unsuccessfully to convince her sons that
they should not contribute to violence by avenging their
father’s death. The prevailing attitude of her society
dictated that the sons avenge the father, his family
probably being the most vocal. Imagine the pressure to which Rita would
have been subjected when the family learned that she was trying to convince
her sons not to add fuel to the revengeful fire by forgiving the murderers of
their father as Jesus forgave his murderers from the Cross. Her perseverance
resulted in an eventual resolution of peace between warring families.
Nowadays, we can relate her situation
to the pressure of groups like
the NRA to squelch any attempt to
limit the sale of weapons which are
used in the many street killings in
Philadelphia and other cities. The
Cascia Center is partnering with
groups like Heeding God’s Call and
POWER (Philadelphians Organized
to Witness, Empower and Rebuild)
to confront illegal weapons sales
and other tools of violence.
In addition, the Center is involved in
working towards the reconciliation
of ex-offenders with the society into
which they are returning by helping
them to develop skills and involve
themselves in programs aimed at
gainful employment. On the horizon,
we hope to be involved in a similar
process which our last Peace Award
recipient, Judge Timothy Rice, has
advocated for many years, to rehabilitate
ex-offenders so they may
become productive members of
society, healed in spirit to respect
themselves and establish a healthy
relationship with supportive and
educative mentors.
Our work to address the trauma of
violence in spiritually healing ways is
further evidenced by our association
with Dawn’s Place, designated this
year as the recipient of our annual
Peace Award. This is a program
which helps women who have been
exploited by traffickers as prostitutes
to find their way to self-respect and
autonomy by means of education
and employment.
These and other ways on the horizon
are ways that the Shrine and Cascia
Center will continue to put the values
of the Gospel into practice. May God
bless you for your part in supporting
our work and our vision.
Fr.­Joseph­Genito,­O.S.A.
Shrine Director
3

VIeW fRoM MY WInDoW bY fR. MIChael DIGReGoRIo o.s.a
how thiNGs
might haVE BEEN
as i writE
these lines we
have only just
entered into the
season of Advent. Across the street,
in Saint Peter's Square, Vatican
workmen are now constructing,
behind large canvas curtains, the
nativity scene that will be unveiled
'to the city and to the world' in
several weeks on Christmas Eve.
Though it is obvious that much
activity is taking place behind those
covers, it's also clear that it is not
for us to see just yet.
These weeks of Advent preparation
hold other examples, too, of things
that must be kept hidden for a
while, only to be brought into the
light at a later moment. Many of
them, fortunately, once revealed,
will bring delight and joy to expectant
hearts. On a much deeper and,
dare I say, more crucial level, life
itself encompasses similar
moments of concealment and
disclosure, obscurity and light,
doubt and certainty. We all know
them, we've all experienced them.
Managing our way through life at
such moments is not always easy,
it's risky, sometimes daunting, often
unsettling.
On October 11, 2012, Pope
Benedict officially opened a Year of
Faith that will run through 12
months and conclude on November
24, 2013. Faith is what helps us, on
those deeper, more crucial levels, to
make our way along with greater
security and confidence, and in fact,
'to begin to see' what is otherwise
hidden from sight.
Faith can, and often does, make all
the difference. without it we can
only imagine how things might be,
what alternate choices we might
make in life, what other paths we
might follow.
I would often wonder out loud, as I
told the story of Saint Rita over and
over again to visitors to her Shrine,
what direction her life might have
taken had she not been the strong
woman of faith that she was.
Challenged repeatedly by disappointment
and loss, she found
strength and courage, nonetheless,
to continue to live with purpose and
hope. The murder of her husband
might have filled her with anger and
caused her to seek revenge, but it
did not. The death of her sons could
have turned her into a bitter woman,
closed in on herself, filled with selfpity,
but such was not the case. The
initial - and repeated - refusal of the
nuns to accept her into the convent
might have been the 'last straw' that
pushed her away, not only from
religious life, but from Church and
God as well. How things might have
been!
You and I have the benefit of looking
back upon the path Rita's life took
and, aware of the options that were
hers, can appreciate that it was a
matter of choices deliberately made,
not of fate or happenstance, that
brought her to the fullness of life for
which she is known and admired.
And what about us? Do we have that
same conviction about our own
lives, namely, that it is we ourselves
who decide the path we will follow?
Certainly, we do not have a say
about many of the circumstances
that will surround us on our journey,
nor do we choose the events that
will befall us. We do have the freedom
to choose, however, how we
will respond to what life apportions
us, even as Rita did.
And each response has its consequences,
some of which will certainly
influence greatly the course our
traveling will take. It is precisely
here that we need to seek out even
a glimpse of what is still somewhat
hidden now, but will become obvious
as time goes by.
This season in which I am writing
offers us another powerful example
of the implications of our choices,
the well-known and beloved film, It's
a Wonderful Life. There is little need
for me to say more than the title to
evoke for many of us a reminder of
what it means to say 'how things
might have been'! The fortunate
thing for us is that every present
moment offers a new opportunity to
affirm or to change the direction of
our life.
Fr. Michael DiGregorio O.S.A. was our
Shrine Rector from 1992 to 2007. He
was elected Asst. General of the Order
and resides in Rome.
4

2013 pilGrimaGE to italy
Trace The Footsteps
Rita as child, wife, mother, and nun
CasCia italy & romE!
april 15-25 | $3,247 from philadelphia
Visit St. Rita’s monastery cell, her parents’ home,
her marriage home, her special place of prayer in
Roccaporena and more. Fr. Michael DiGregorio,
O.S.A., past rector of the National Shrine of St. Rita
will lead this pilgrimage of prayer. Call Deborah Binder,
Development Director at 215-546-8333 ext.12,
or www.pilgrimages.com/shrineofrita to find out more!
spaCE still aVailaBlE!
mass & prayEr daily!
Mon. 4/15 Depart Phila.for Rome
Tues. 4/16 Travel to Cascia
Wed. 4/17 Cascia
Thurs. 4/18 Cascia/Roccaporena
fri. 4/19 Tolentino/loretto
sat. 4/20 assisi
sun. 4/21 Montefalco/Rome
Mon. 4/22 Rome/ostia antica
Tues. 4/23 Rome/Genazzano
Wed. 4/24 Rome/Papal audience
Thurs. 4/25 Depart Rome for home
onlY 2 hoTels!
CoNGratUlatioNs to oUr
2013 st. rita
pEaCE award rECipiENts
dawN’s plaCE
dawN’s plaCE is a pioneering
residential program for women who
have been victims of commercial
sexual exploitation. The four
founders come from different backgrounds,
and yet each informed by
her life experiences to recognize the
scourge of the sexual exploitation
of women.
Sr. Teresita Hinnegan, a Medical
Mission Sister, nurse-midwife and
social worker, spent years in
Bangladesh, ministering to pregnant
Muslim women. She taught
public policy at the University of
Penn., particularly access to health
care for the poor. At a meeting of
the Phila. Anti-Trafficking Coalition,
Sr. Teresita met Mary DeFusco, a
public defender in Phila. Mary has
seen too many domestic women
pass through the courts, many on
repeated occasions until, as Mary
says, “You don’t see them: because
they are dead.”
Sr. Terry Shields, a Holy Rosary
Sister and nurse-midwife, spent
many years in Africa. While working
in refugee camps, she saw how
women were abused on many levels
and were denied basic rights. Terry
explained, “It was an experience of
witnessing the evil of trauma, the
trauma that the women experienced
in many, many ways, that
made us sensitive to the issue.”
Sr. Kathleen Coll, a Sister of
St. Joseph, was a “domestic”
missionary, working in city parishes.
She witnessed people’s struggles
but also their ability to
deal with their circumstances
including much abuse, to seek
a better life. Their resiliency
always impressed her.
Kathleen now administers
shareholder advocacy for
Catholic Health East.
2013 pEaCE award BaNqUEt
Friday, may 3rd • Valentino’s restaurant, phila. pa
Come & Meet the Recipients of Dawn’s Place
tickets: 215-546-8333, ritashrine@aol.com

sUrViVors
of sEXUal
EXploitatioN:
dawN’s plaCE
dawN’s plaCE exists because
there is a definite need for women
survivors of sexual exploitation,
both foreign trafficked and domestically
pimped to prostitution, to
be given an opportunity, not only
to survive, but to grow. women
who come to dawn’s place have
been physically, spiritually and
emotionally degraded over time.
These women suffer sexual trauma
and the ravages of drug or alcohol
abuse, or both. These problems and
others take a physical toll on these
8
women. “It was an experience of
witnessing the evil of trauma, the
trauma that the women experienced
in many ways, that made
us sensitive to this issue,” explains
one of the founders. Whether
trafficked foreigners or domestic
prostitutes, this is all part and
parcel of the commercial sexual
exploitation of women. Both groups
suffer the same sexual trauma and
both groups need the concern and
care they experience at this
pioneering, residential program.
dawn’s place provides an atmosphere
of compassion, community
and caring in which women can
experience self-worth and dignity.
Many of the women are in substance
abuse programs that stress
the concept of a higher power,
which is supported by reading
material and study guides that are
available and, at times, even
requested by the residents, and
connects them to their faith group.
Residents come on a voluntary
basis. As they embrace sobriety,
they continue to attend programs
designed to keep them free of
substance abuse. More importantly,
each woman attends sexual trauma
recovery therapy, and they have
responded to this. It may take some
time before they will speak of the
ways in which they’ve been handled
and the degradation they have suffered.
The focus on this aspect of
recovery has brought success to
this program. While there is no
proselytizing at Dawn’s Place, the
residents are seen and treated as
people who are redeemable and
lovable, not objects to be rejected.
the staff models the compassion
needed to aid the recovery of these
women who are searching for a
way to regain the self-esteem and
confidence they’ve lost in their
lives.
When the residents and staff share
a meal, there is no “us” vs. “them.”
They are all women - sharing a
meal. The dignity of all is respected
and the healing of these women,
who have been considered “throwaway
people,” is slowly happening.
They begin to see their own value
as persons, something we all
share. The effects of a caring and
compassionate community are
transformative and the experience
of compassion by these women
residents brings the women themselves
to a compassionate stance.
Trafficked women and domestic
prostitutes are held – controlled –
by handlers who exploit them for
financial gain. These twin problems
are staggering in scope. Commercial
sexual exploitation is huge and
includes prostitution, trafficking,
pornography and more.
These are not “victimless” activities.
They rob people of their dignity.
When a person “harmlessly” looks
at pornographic pictures, it contributes
to an industry that enslaves
women in the sex trade and by
extension, addictions to drugs and
alcohol, and health problems from
which it is difficult for them, if not
impossible, to escape.
continued on next page
9

dawn’s place has been a blessing, providing a location
where the survivors have time to heal in a safe community
and re-discover their value as human beings.
We need more services and opportunities for women
survivors. But this alone isn’t enough; we need to
change cultural attitudes that have perpetuated the
myth that these women are not “victims.” We need to
SURVIVORS HAVE TIME TO heal IN A safe COMMUNITY
see this for what it is: enslavement. A person’s dignity
is a casualty of monetary gain. Commercial sexual
exploitation of women, whether international trafficking,
domestic prostitution or pornography, will not end
until we all become partners in bringing it to an end.
We all need to care about it. Would St. Rita the
“Peacemaker” want any less?
Written by Kitty Sheridan, Assoc. Communications
Director for the Province of St. Thomas of Villanova.
from an interview with the 2013 Peace Award
Recipients of “Dawn’s Place,” Sr. Terry Shields,
M.S.H.R., Sr. Teresita Hennigan, M.M.S., Sr. Kathleen
Coll, S.S.J., and Ms. Mary DeFusco, Esq.
yoUr word to Us
i’m God BlEssEd
Each day I arise and I feel great,
My shoulders are light
Because God’s lifted the weight.
i’m God blessed
I love my neighbors and my enemies too,
It’s not because I’m great,
It’s what God wants me to do.
i’m God blessed
I don’t worry, I don’t fear
Because in my heart I keep God near.
I listen to God and try my best,
I’m not perfect.
i’m God blessed
I carry no weapons, I have no need for a gun,
For God is my soldier, the best under the sun.
I’m not afraid and I do not fear
Because when I walk, God walks near.
i’m God blessed
10
For more information visit:
dawn’s place: www.ahomefordawn.org
philadelphia anti-trafficking Coalition: www.patcoalition.org
polaris project: www.polarisproject.org
Things seem to come easy, I’m lucky they say,
It’s not luck at all, it’s trying to walk in God’s way.
When you try to heed God’s word and do your best,
You’ll realize one day.
you’re God blessed
Composed by
Kay Brown
Parishioner of
St. Rita’s & Friend
of the Shrine

Spirituality
aNd
traUma
“Jesus’ CROSS is an
example of painful
toil. His
resurrection is
the reward of
painful toil. In the cross
he showed us how we are
to bear suffering. In his
resurrection he showed
us what we are
to hope for.”
st. augustine, on the Creed, 3
Photos of Prayer Vigil with Fr. Joe Genito a few blocks from St. Rita Shrine
at the site of recent murder by gun violence, Fall 2012

thE traUma
of GUN ViolENCE
aNd hEEdiNG
God's Call
bY bRYan MIlleR, 2009 sT. RITa
PeaCe aWaRD ReCIPIenT
For many years following Mike's death I lived and worked
in New Jersey and led a secular gun violence prevention
advocacy organization, Ceasefire NJ, that succeeded in
vastly improving the regulation of guns in the Garden
State, to the extent that New Jersey now has one of the
lowest statewide per capita rates of gun death in the
country.
For the last four years, though, I've been thrilled to lead a
growing faith-based and grassroots movement to prevent
gun violence, Heeding God's Call (www.heedinggodscall.org),
two EVENiNGs before
Thanksgiving in 1994 I received a
phone call no one wants to get. My
sister Lisa had the wrenching family
duty to call to tell me that our only
brother, FBI Special Agent Mike
Miller, had been shot and killed earlier
that day. Mike, his female FBI
partner and a Washington, DC
Metropolitan Police sergeant were
shot and killed by a lone gunman
wielding a concealed assault pistol.
My family learned that horrific day
about the trauma of gun violence.
Thanksgiving used to be my favorite
holiday, but I have found it difficult
to appreciate and enjoy since Mike
was killed. And, the shock of losing
a loved one to such sudden, inexplicable
and outsized violence
remains with all of us. Yet, we go
on faithful and hopeful.
We also learned that gun violence
affects a far greater circle than just
family. Neighbors, co-workers and
whole communities are dramatically
damaged in both obvious and hidden
ways by acts of gun violence.
Trauma is not limited.
my journey to both faith and emotional
health began immediately
following, and both are of a piece
14
with the work i took up to prevent
future acts of gun violence. my dormant
faith was awakened by a felt
need for God's presence and Jesus'
example of caring for all people.
My emotional health was saved,
sustained and improved by devoting
myself to reducing the likelihood
that other families would suffer the
gun trauma mine did and does.
Since that evening in '94 I've
watched and contemplated the
reactions of others who have
endured acts of gun violence. Some
seek to avoid the grief, loss and
shock by trying to 'bury' those
emotions and 'moving on.' Others
maintain a powerful anger, devoting
themselves to punishment of the
violent, believing that such will
grant them the commercial notion
of 'closure.'
in my view and experience, though,
those victims who find succor best
are those who remain unseduced by
the notion of closure, but who seek
to promote positive solutions to the
problem of gun violence. doing
exactly that has made my faith
stronger and gone far to heal my loss.
THEIR RELIGIOUS duty TO care FOR THEIR FELLOWS
whose operative theory is that people and communities of
all faith traditions recognize their religious duty to care for
their fellows and who wish to do so by looking to save lives
from gun violence.
Heeding takes a new and effective direction, by seeking to
get people of faith to campaign to persuade gun retailers
to eschew selling to those, 'straw buyers' and gun traffickers,
who would put guns on the street and in the hands of
those prohibited from possessing them. These are the
very guns used to threaten, wound, maim and kill.
continued on next page
Heeding Gods Call Prayer Vigil, murder site near shrine, Fall , 2012
15

Bryan Miller speaking with prayer group, Fall, 2012
Heeding's public witnesses at gun
shops provide opportunities for
people of faith to 'live their faith
on their feet' at a critical juncture,
namely where the guns leave
retailers and go onto the street.
Heeding's faithful acts have led
to the shuttering of Philadelphia's
most notorious gun shop and
improved sales procedures at a
second. And we are only just
getting started.
Heeding also witnesses at the sites
of gun murders. We do this to show
effected neighborhoods, which are
16
often 'damaged communities'
suffering senses of isolation and
depression, that their trauma is
recognized and honored and that
PROVIDE caring, concern AND optimism
TO THE NEIGHBORHOOD IN new AND effective WAYS
Heeding will do all in its power to
keep such trauma from damaging
them again.
these witnesses provide caring,
concern and optimism to the
neighborhood, in new and effective
ways. they help to heal, much as
my faith and care for others has
and does heal me.
Prayer oF one
Who Mourns
dEar saiNt rita,
As wife and mother you suffered
greatly at the death of your husband
and children. Faith was your consolation,
eternal life was your hope.
Pray for me in my loss that I may
have the grace of true Christian
resignation. Be with me in my sorrow
so that even this present cross may
become for me an instrument of
deeper faith and stronger confidence
in the promise of life everlasting for
my loved ones, and of peace of heart
for myself, which are the gifts of
Jesus, the Lord of life!
Prayer FoR
The Deceased
God oF all CrEatioN, GUardiaN
oF thE liViNG aNd thE dEad,
Your will is to bring to completion
all that you have initiated and never
to abandon what you have begun.
Hear the prayers I offer for my
beloved dead, especially for ………
Through the intercession of Saint
Rita whom you blessed with extraordinary
grace and whom you have
made a brilliant witness of your
compassion and love in our midst,
bring these departed to the light and
peace of your kingdom to enjoy the
happiness of your presence in the
company of Saint Rita and of all
your saints.
17

DIReCToR of CasCIa CenTeR MInIsTRIes fR.JaMes PaRaDIs, o.s.a.
whErE do
wE Go
when liFE Falls
apart?
hoW Do We aCknoWleDGe The
PaIn? hoW Do We beGIn aGaIn?
GriEF, loss aNd st. rita
What are your stories of loss and
separation? The life and witness of
St. Rita has so much to say to those
facing deep pain and the task of
"relearning the world." Having lost
her husband at a young age to
broken relationships and disregard
for human life. For Rita, this was a
searing and disorienting time not
only of anguish and heartache but
a time of great searching and questioning.
How would she carry on with
the burdens of life in front of her?
THE RESTORING love OF God
i thoUGht of
these questions
recently when I
heard a rebroadcast
of an interview conducted by
Terry Gross who hosts the program,
Fresh Air on National Public Radio.
Gross spoke with another NPR
personality, Dr. Dan Gottlieb, a
psychologist who hosts a program
called Voices in the Family. Gottlieb
carries a unique perspective in
helping people cope with life's challenges
from having battled mightily
to face his own deep loss: he's a
quadriplegic. He navigates life and
work from a wheelchair. In the interview,
he described the accident
which left him paralyzed in 1979.
He was cruising along one day on a
Pennsylvania expressway, and without
any warning at all, the entire
wheel of a big truck came loose,
struck his car, and within seconds
his life was forever changed. All he
remembers from that horrific accident
is that a "big, black thing"
came hurling at him.
How do we cope with traumatic
loss—the "big things" that come
hurling at us in life? It is one thing
to suffer the pain of an expected
loss, such as the death of a loved
one or close friend at old age or
following a long illness. These are
difficult enough to endure. But then
there are the life-changing losses—
events that knock us completely
down and render us powerless.
These put us on the difficult journey
that grief specialist and author
Thomas Attig calls "relearning the
world." For example, I think of the
crisis that may come from sudden
illness, a relational cutoff or betrayal,
or the loss of one's job or status in
life. I think of parents I've prayed
with who have faced the death of a
child or who have lost a son or
daughter to suicide and who are at
pains to understand why. I think of
the shattered souls I've sat with
who lost years of joy,innocence and
trust in life following childhood sexual
abuse. These are the wounds of
soul that stay with us for a lifetime,
shaping our lives and relationships.
AND THE church community
murder in a vendetta, she knew
the depths of emptiness and
inconsolable grief. She bore her
suffering, not only as a wife robbed
of her spouse, but as a mother of
two sons who lost their father and
in bitterness and fury, wanted to
take revenge. She knew firsthand
the challenge of holding a family
together in the midst of violence,
Traumatic loss can so easily overwhelm
and paralyze all our abilities
for living in trust and safety. Still,
despite overwhelming obstacles,
Rita knew a deeper voice in life
to which she turned in faith, and
in which she knew she was held:
the restoring love of God and the
church community. It is here,
continued on next page
18
19

undoubtedly united to the cross of Christ and his wounds,
that she could see her own wounds cared for in love and
transformed in time with God's grace. In no way was Rita's
process of grieving easy or over with quickly. Rather, she
held on to the help of God, the practice of prayer and the
care of others. In so doing, God's grace touched her
deeply, leading her toward healing and peace.
rEaChiNG oUt to ComFort aNd hEal
It is Saint Rita's example of bearing great loss in the beauty
and strength of faith that led the National Shrine this year,
as part of its Cascia Center project, to host a "Service of
Light & Hope," an interfaith gathering for remembering
Father Joseph Genito, O.S.A., Shrine
Director, welcomed attendees and
spoke of the appropriateness of holding
this service in a church dedicated
to St. Rita, a model of responding to
violent family loss with grace and
peaceful resilience. He reminded
co-victims that while they may experience
individual suffering, they are not
alone and that there is strength in
relying on a caring community for
support and comfort.
The service included prayers for
consolation and help from God
proclaimed by a local pastor of the
United Methodist Church, a Jewish
Rabbi and an Imam, who intoned an
Islamic prayer. Readings took place
from the Hebrew Scriptures, the
Christian New Testament and the
Koran. The names of over 100 homicide
victims were read aloud under
reflective music and ritual that
honored their lives and recognized
their deep grief. It is the hope of the
Cascia Center that the Service of
Light and Hope will be an annual
gathering during the Advent season
as people prepare for the holidays.
Where do we go, then, when life
falls apart? How do we cope? There
is no ready formula for the journey,
especially when mired in the pain of
deep and devastating loss. What is
clear is the path toward healing that
St. Rita shows us in her life of faith
and action: that pain is made more
bearable by the love of God in
which we are held and that same
divine love that shares the pain of
others. This is the love that heals
broken lives.
Fr.­Jim­Paradis­O.S.A.
st. rita prayEr & saCramENtal paCkEt
Religious Leaders at the Interfaith Service of Light & Hope
"co-victims" of homicide. Taking place on Sunday,
December 2, nearly 200 guests—Christians, Jewish and
Muslim—attended an hour-long service of prayer, music and
ritual, all intended to hold out comfort, hope and healing to
grieving families and friends of those lost to murder in the
city of Philadelphia. In addition to the Shrine, the gathering
was co-sponsored by the Anti-Violence Partnership of
Philadelphia, Achilles Consulting Services for Victims, the
United Methodist Church, the Augustinian Defenders of the
Rights of the Poor (ADROP), and the Institute for Forgiveness
and Reconciliation at Chestnut Hill College. Leaders from
each of these organizations reached out to crime-affected
families and worked together to craft a meaningful gathering
of prayer and healing.
st. Rita’s blessed oil, blessed Rose
Petal, Prayer Card, novena booklet,
Medal & 3rd Class Relic holy Card.
$10.50, with st. Rita statue $30.50
(shipping included in both totals)
Individually: blessed Petal $1.50,
novena $1, Medal $4, statue $18
(min. order $5 plus $1.50 shpg.,
orders $6-$20 add $3.50 shpg.)
To mail requests send to:
national shrine of st. Rita
1166 south broad street
Philadelphia, Pa 19146
with check to “national shrine of
st. Rita” or Call Us at 215-546-8333
for Visa, MC or Discover.
20
21

dEVElopmENt
of oUr
dEVElopmENts
22
dEar FriENds oF st. rita,
Our theme of “Spirituality­and
Trauma” and the contributing writers
we chose for this issue unbeknownst
to us at the time we discussed the
choices, providentially became more
pertinent reflecting upon tragic
events in the Fall and close of 2012.
As is the practice here at the Shrine
of St. Rita, the patron of reconciliation,
forgiveness and peace, the
intentions of those affected by major
tragedies are held in prayer along
with all friends of the Shrine in our
Masses celebrated daily and in the
daily vespers of our friars.
The work of Development for the
Shrine and its ministries through the
building campaign of the Cascia
Center continues. We reached out
last month to all of you who had
contributed to the 2010-2012
Capital Campaign to give you the
opportunity to offer an end-of-theyear
gift. It was heartwarming to see
how many friends found a way to
The CasCIa CenTeR PRoJeCT
A­prayer­for­a­holy­and­peaceful­2013­to­you­and­your
loved­ones!­I­extend­my­hopes­to­you­for­a­spiritually
rewarding­year­as­you­make­efforts­to­deepen­your
relationship­with­Our­Lord,­His­Most­Blessed­Mother,
the­Saints­in­heaven­and­those­who­surround­you­in
daily­life.­May­St.­Rita­intercede­to­remove­anybarriers­that­prevent­your­own­emotional,­spiritual,
physical­and­relational­healings.
contribute one more donation before
the close of 2012 to help us reach
our goal.
In these times, the ‘household of the
St. Rita Shrine’ most probably like
many of your own households, is
reviewing how to best use the funds
available to us with prudence and
integrity as we seriously review the
options for renovation and building
to move the project to the next step.
Donations are still needed, as they
will always be needed to bring our
ministries to one location, to sustain
our desire to assist those in need,
and to create new ministries to extol
the virtues of St. Rita!
Deborah­Binder
Development Director
215-546-8333 ext. 12
ritashrine@aol.com
www.SaintRitaShrine.org
Religious holding bowl with names of
the deceased who were remembered
at our interfaith gathering for families
of murder victims
oUr CasCia
CENtEr miNistry
…to FUrthEr thE apostolatE oF
st. rita throUGh
“hEaliNG
BrokEN liVEs,”
with
grace peace
aNd
forgiveness.
please make a donation today
to help us to promote the virtues
of st. rita through the ministry of the shrine & Cascia Center.
[ Write a check & use the envelope provided in centerfold
[ Use PayPal on our website at www.SaintRitaShrine.org
[ Call Shrine to use your MC/Visa/Discover at 215-546-8333
[ Contact us by email with questions ritashrine@aol.com
[ Discuss a pledge, 215-546-8333 Ext. 12 Development Director
Thank you
for your support of our ministry at the st. rita shrine!

National Shrine
Saint Rita of Cascia
1166 South Broad Street
Philadelphia, PA 19146
Return service requested
a BlEssEd
new year
to all From thE
Friars & EmployEEs oF thE
shrine
2013 UpComiNG EVENts
april: italy pilgrimage “in the Footsteps of rita, pg. 6
may: peace award Banquet, pg. 7
may 22, 2013 st. rita Feast day, schedule in next issue
www.saintritashrine.org