How to Celebrate the Feast of St. Rita of Cascia (May 22) 

How to Celebrate the Feast of St. Rita with Children

St. Rita of Cascia is the patron saint of impossible causes, difficult marriages, and peacemakers. She lived a life full of suffering, prayer, and deep love. She remained faithful to God through it all. From her miraculous connection with bees to the symbolic roses that bloomed near her death, St. Rita’s life gives us so many ways to connect with children and teach them about prayer, perseverance, and hope.

Here are some fun and faith-filled ways to celebrate her feast day as a family:

Color and Craft with St. Rita

Start your celebration with our St. Rita Coloring Page. Then, try our St. Rita Bee Craft, which focuses on the virtues she lived out, like obedience and forgiveness.

The bees are inspired by a miraculous story from her infancy: when she was just a baby, a swarm of white bees surrounded her bassinet. Instead of stinging her, they peacefully hovered nearby, a sign that her life would be touched by God in a special way.

Eat Honey Treats in Honor of the Bees

Since bees are such a beautiful part of St. Rita’s story, enjoy a few honey-inspired snacks together:

• Bread and butter with honey
• Honey buns or honey cakes
• Tea sweetened with honey
• Biscuits drizzled with honey

(You can even refer back to some of the food ideas from our St. Valentine’s Day celebration, since he’s also a patron of beekeepers!)

 Decorate with Roses

Roses are another powerful symbol in St. Rita’s life. Near the end of her life, she asked for a rose from her family’s garden. Though it was the middle of winter, a single blooming rose was found and brought to her.

 Pray for Future Vocations

St. Rita was a wife, mother, and later a religious sister, a rare and beautiful combination of vocations. She reminds us that no prayer is ever wasted, especially the prayers we offer for our family.

Even during her difficult marriage, she prayed faithfully for her husband’s conversion, and after he died, she prayed deeply for her two sons—that they would not follow the path of revenge. She trusted God with their futures, even when her own heart was breaking.

One beautiful way to honor St. Rita is to teach your children to pray for their future vocation—whether it’s marriage, religious life, or a life of service to others. You can invite your children to say a short prayer for their future spouse (if called to marriage) and to pray for their future children and family. They can also pray to be obedient and say “yes” to whatever vocation God is calling them to.