Lord,
thank you for the rich history you have bestowed on our faith community.
Blessed by your constant grace and the intercession of St. Rita,
we ask that you be present in our parish and in our lives.
Build us into a community of mercy, compassion, and forgiveness, and
send us out into the world proclaiming the Good News of Christ crucified.
Dearest St. Rita,
you became a rose in the garden of Christ
because of your love for him on the cross.
Pray for us, especially in times of trial and anguish,
that we may always know God's love.
Amen.