When a situation feels hopeless, a marriage feels heavy, or a family wound will not close, many Catholics turn to a st rita prayer. St. Rita of Cascia knew real heartache. She was a wife, a mother, a widow, and finally an Augustinian nun in Italy, and she is loved around the world as a patron of impossible causes and of people in difficult marriages.
Below are eight original prayers, practical tips, prayers to share, KJV verses, and FAQs. Change any words you like.
“For with God nothing shall be impossible.” — Luke 1:37 (KJV)
A Short St Rita Prayer
St. Rita, you carried sorrow with patience and forgave those who hurt you. Please pray for me in this situation that feels impossible. Ask Jesus to give me peace, courage, and the grace to trust Him with what I cannot fix. Amen.
Who Was St. Rita of Cascia?
Rita was born around 1381 near Cascia, in the Umbria region of Italy. As a young woman she married, and tradition says her husband was harsh and quick-tempered for many years before his heart softened. They had two sons. Her husband was later killed in a violent feud, and Rita chose to forgive the men responsible. Her sons died young not long after.
As a widow, Rita entered the Augustinian monastery in Cascia. Tradition says she received a wound on her forehead, like the touch of a thorn from Christ’s crown, which she carried for about fifteen years. Tradition also says that near her death, in winter, she asked for a rose from her old garden, and a single bloom was found. She died in 1457, was canonized in 1900, and her feast day is May 22.
A Note on Praying to the Saints
Catholics do not worship St. Rita. Worship belongs to God alone. When Catholics pray a st rita prayer, they are asking her to pray for them, the same way you might ask a trusted friend to pray for you. If you are a Protestant reader, you are welcome to pray directly to God and adapt any of these prayers to fit your faith.
St Rita Prayers for Impossible Causes and Hard Times
1. Prayer for an Impossible Situation
Use this st rita prayer when every door seems shut.
Lord Jesus, You told us that with God all things are possible, and right now I need to believe that. I bring You this situation that has worn me out: [name it]. I have tried, I have waited, and I do not see a way forward. St. Rita, you knew what it was to face a wall that would not move, so please pray for me. Help me do what is mine to do and leave the rest in God’s hands. If the answer is not what I hope, give me the grace to accept it and the strength to keep going. Amen.
2. Prayer for Forgiveness After a Deep Hurt
Heavenly Father, someone has hurt me, and the pain is still fresh. I do not feel like forgiving, and I am not sure I know how. St. Rita, you forgave even those who took your husband’s life, so please pray that I may learn a little of your mercy. Lord, forgiving does not mean pretending the wrong did not happen, and it does not mean I must stay close to someone who harms me. It means I let go of revenge and give the debt to You. Make me free, one day at a time. Amen.
3. Prayer for Healing of a Wound
Lord Jesus, You wore a crown of thorns for my sake, and St. Rita carried a small share of that pain on her forehead. I come to You with a wound of my own: [in my body, my heart, or my memories]. Please touch it with Your gentle hand. Guide my doctors and help me follow their advice faithfully. Where healing is slow, give me patience. St. Rita, pray for me, that my suffering may draw me closer to Christ instead of pushing me away. Amen.
For more healing prayers, see our prayer for healing.
St Rita Prayers for Marriage and Family
St. Rita is a patron of difficult marriages and of wives who have suffered at home. Please read this gently: prayer never means staying in danger. If you or your children are unsafe, contact local emergency services or a domestic violence hotline right away. God does not ask anyone to remain in abuse. For marriages that are struggling but safe, a pastor or a trained counselor can be a real gift alongside prayer.
4. Prayer for a Difficult Marriage
This st rita prayer is for couples who love each other but keep getting stuck.
Lord, You joined us together, but lately our home feels tense and tired. We argue over small things and avoid the big ones. St. Rita, you lived through a hard marriage with patience, so please pray for us. Give us soft words when we want to snap. Help us listen before we answer. Show us where we need help from a pastor or counselor, and give us the humility to ask for it. Heal old resentments and remind us why we first chose each other. Let our home become a place of peace again. Amen.
You can also pray our prayer for marriage together as a couple.
5. Prayer for a Husband’s Change of Heart
Father in heaven, I lift up my husband to You. You know his heart better than I do, including the hurts he carries and the habits he cannot seem to break. Tradition says St. Rita’s husband softened after years of her prayers, so I ask her to pray with me now. Lord, open his eyes and his heart. Lead him toward honesty, kindness, and faith. And if his choices put me or our children at risk, give me the courage to seek safety and help. I leave him in Your loving hands. Amen.
More prayers like this are in our prayers for my husband.
6. Prayer for a Mother Worried About Her Sons
St. Rita, you loved your two sons and feared for their souls. You understand a mother’s worry. Please pray for my children: [names]. Lord Jesus, protect them from violence, from anger that hardens into revenge, and from friends who lead them away from You. Where they are wandering, draw them gently home. Where they are hurting, comfort them. Help me love them without trying to control them. I trust them to Your care tonight. Amen.
St Rita Prayers for Widows and Thanksgiving
7. Prayer for a Widow
Lord, my home is too quiet now, and grief comes in waves when I least expect it. St. Rita, you were a widow too, and you knew how lonely the nights can be. Please pray for me. Jesus, stay close in the empty hours. Send kind people to walk with me, and help me accept their help. Hold my loved one in Your mercy. When I am ready, show me how to live again with purpose and even joy, without forgetting the love we shared. Amen.
8. Thanksgiving Prayer to St. Rita
Use this st rita prayer when you have seen help come, big or small.
Thank You, Lord, for hearing my prayers. You saw my need and answered in Your own way and time. Thank You for the friends who prayed with me and for St. Rita’s prayers on my behalf. St. Rita, thank you for not giving up on me. Help me remember this answer when I feel hopeless again. May my gratitude show in how I treat people today, especially those who are struggling as I once was. Amen.
How to Pray to St. Rita When Things Feel Hopeless
- Be specific. Name the problem plainly. Saying it out loud often brings calm.
- Pray a novena if it helps. Many people pray to St. Rita for nine days in a row, often from May 13 to May 21. A novena is a sign of steady trust, not a formula that forces an answer.
- Pair prayer with action. Ask for help, make the phone call, see the counselor, follow the doctor’s plan. Prayer and wise action go together.
- Ignore chain messages. You may see posts saying a prayer “must be shared” or “never fails.” That is not Catholic teaching. God does not need you to forward a message to hear you.
- Ask St. Jude too. St. Jude is also a patron of hopeless causes, and many people pray to both. Try our prayer to St. Jude.
- Stay safe first. If your hard situation includes abuse, threats, or thoughts of harming yourself, reach out to emergency services or a crisis line today.
Short St Rita Prayers to Share
- St. Rita, pray for me in this impossible situation.
- Lord, with You nothing is impossible; help my unbelief.
- St. Rita, bring peace into our home today.
- Jesus, soften hard hearts, beginning with mine.
- St. Rita, pray for every mother who is worried tonight.
- Lord, comfort widows and all who feel alone.
- St. Rita, help me forgive what I cannot forget.
- Jesus, heal the wounds no one else can see.
- St. Rita, rose of Cascia, pray for us.
- Thank You, Lord, for every answered prayer.
Bible Verses for Impossible Causes
- Luke 1:37 – “For with God nothing shall be impossible.”
- Matthew 19:26 – “But Jesus beheld them, and said unto them, With men this is impossible; but with God all things are possible.”
- Philippians 4:13 – “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.”
- 2 Corinthians 12:9 – “And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.”
- Romans 12:21 – “Be not overcome of evil, but overcome evil with good.”
- Psalm 147:3 – “He healeth the broken in heart, and bindeth up their wounds.”
- Ephesians 4:32 – “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
All verses quoted from the King James Version (KJV).
FAQs About St Rita Prayer
Why is St. Rita the patron of impossible causes?
St. Rita faced a hard marriage, her husband’s violent death, the loss of her sons, and years of suffering, yet she kept praying and forgiving. People see her as a friend for situations beyond human help.
When is St. Rita’s feast day?
Her feast day is May 22. Many churches bless roses on that day.
Does a st rita prayer always work?
No prayer is a guarantee, and anyone who promises one is mistaken. Prayer is trusting God with your need. Sometimes the answer is a change in the situation, and sometimes it is new strength to face it. Either way, you are never ignored.
Can a st rita prayer help someone in an abusive marriage?
Prayer can bring comfort and courage, but it is never a reason to stay in danger. If you are being hurt or threatened, please contact local emergency services or a domestic violence hotline. Seeking safety is not a failure of faith.
A Final St Rita Prayer
Lord Jesus, You walked the road of suffering and rose again. I bring You everything that feels impossible in my life today. St. Rita, faithful wife, loving mother, patient widow, and holy nun, please pray for me. Ask Jesus to heal what is wounded, soften what is hard, and protect those I love. Help me forgive, help me hope, and help me keep going one day at a time. Whatever comes, keep me close to You.
In Jesus’ name, Amen. 🙏
You may also like: prayer to St. Anthony, prayer for strength and prayer for hope.
More Catholic Prayers and Saints
- Prayer to Mother Mary
- How to Pray the Rosary
- St. Michael Prayer
- Guardian Angel Prayer
- Prayer to St. Jude
- Prayer to St. Anthony
- Prayer to St. Joseph
- St. Peregrine Prayer
- St. Joseph of Cupertino Prayer
- Our Lady of Guadalupe Prayer
- All Souls Day Prayer
Naeem Khan creates faith-based and inspirational content focused on prayers, blessings, and spiritual reflections, helping readers apply timeless messages of faith to everyday life.
Every prayer and scripture reference published on Infoz Prayer is reviewed for clarity, accuracy, and appropriate context before publication. Bible and Quran verses are quoted from established translations, and articles are updated regularly to keep information accurate and helpful.