Saint Rita is loved, known, and invoked throughout the world. She, The saint of impossible graces, roses, and complete, trusting obedience; the Saint capable of making dry brambles bloom, in her simple extraordinariness she continues to amaze. For over 60 years, she has also become a friend, adviser, and benefactor to brides-to-be. How? Let's find out together!
A bride who can understand brides
Among the few married saints in the history of Christianity, Saint Rita is perhaps the most beloved. Invoked as the patron saint of marriages, she was a wife and mother before taking her vows. And it is precisely from her experience as a wife that a beautiful tradition has developed: going to her to receive a wedding dress as a gift.
Yes, exactly! Saint Rita continues to be a mother to all those daughters who, because of financial difficulties or simply to live more modestly and give wonderful dresses a new life, go to her to choose their wedding dress.
A gesture of solidarity and generosity that is repeated
For over 60 years, brides have donated their wedding dresses to Saint Rita. Wives who leave their dresses at the monastery of Saint Rita in Cascia perform, along with this practical gesture, an act of entrusting their marriage and family journey to her.
In the past, once they had reached adulthood, the dresses were used by orphaned or impoverished girls who lived in the monastery. Today, however, their purpose has changed. The nuns take used wedding dresses and, with needle and thread, try to alter them and make them unique and special for the brides who will wear them.
Life is preserved along with the dresses
The nuns who receive wedding dresses from brides assure these women, who are beginning a new journey with their husbands, of their prayers, and whenever they give a dress to a bride-to-be, they entrust her to Rita, the saint capable of understanding women's hearts and accompanying them with love.
The dresses that arrive at Saint Rita’s monastery are collected with care and delicacy and catalogued professionally. It is not a matter of getting rid of something bulky, but of giving beauty and expressing gratitude.
Love, not just “sustainability”
For those who might think of it as simply recycling used clothing, an element that is present and should not be overlooked in a throwaway and consumerist society, the deeper element of entrusting oneself should not be underestimated: it makes the act of donating a dress and receiving one as a gift a circle of goodness and love that unites all women, brides, mothers, and religious women... a circle that never stops and continues to be nourished by women’s generosity for women and by the skill and kindness of the nuns of Cascia.
Saint Rita’s atelier welcomes all brides
The nuns of Saint Rita continue to offer a vast selection to future brides. In fact, at least ten dresses generally arrive each month, and sometimes it is not only brides who donate them, but also some dressmakers. The dresses are collected and arranged by style, size, and color by Sister Maria Laura, who also handles any alterations.
The nuns welcome all brides and entrust them all to Saint Rita, even if they choose to marry in a civil ceremony. So do not hesitate to knock on Saint Rita’s door: she helps everyone!
To donate your wedding dress to charity or request one, here are the contact details:
SANCTUARY OF SAINT RITA OF CASCIA
Saint Rita Monastery, viale Santa Rita, 13
06043 Cascia (PG) – Italy
tel. +39 0743 76221
fax +39 0743 76786
monastero@santaritadacascia.org
http://www.santaritadacascia.org
Saint Rita is a woman, a Christian, a bride, a mother, and a nun; she who, through her life, endured great trials and sorrows, deserves to be rediscovered and known in her authenticity. So let us take advantage of this month of May to read something truly surprising about Saint Rita. Mauro Papalini, in fact, with his book gives her back to us as we have never seen her before. With a transparency and truth that will make us feel even closer to her.
