The town of Honiton is famous throughout the world for its lace. Today it is very rare and almost impossible to obtain but this year we were presented with an image of St Rita in pure Honiton lace made by the world’s leading authority.
The Principal Celebrant for Mass this year was the Abbot of Buckfast, Rt. Rev David Charlesworth; in his homily he spoke about the perseverance St Rita showed during her life, how the apostles also showed perseverance after the Ascension of Our Lord until Pentecost when He sent the Holy Spirit. In his sermon he described St Rita’s perseverance and her trust in God which she acted out in her hospitality.
There were many guests at the celebration; 3 coaches – 2 from Bristol which includes a group of Sicilians, a group from Stroud and a group from Burnham on Sea and a coach from London which includes our parishes in Wembley Park, many Spanish friends and the Hispanic Chaplaincy in Vauxhall + visitors from North Yorkshire, South Wales, Bedfordshire, Plymouth and a whole lot of other places. Including our own parishioners.
Fr Gerald Wilson O.A.R with the Abbot of Buckfast Rt. Rev. David Charlesworth O.S.B. It is 400 years since St Rita died yet her following is constantly growing. During the novena to St Rita the mail bags at St Rita’s promotion were bursting with letters from her followers all over the world some telling us about miracles she has helped to bring about. At this time in our lives with the uncertainty of the economic recovery and the threat to people’s jobs and homes, nor forgetting our Armed forces who risk their lives daily, St Rita is the ideal saint to offer hope to anyone experiencing difficulties in their lives. She was a wife, mother and widow before she became an Augustinian Nun, she knew the grief of losing her husband who was murdered and within a year the death of both her sons through illness. In her monastic life she knew pain and suffering through the stigma in her forehead, a thorn from the crown of thorns, which stayed with her until her death.