Two parishes of the Augustinian Recollects in the Brazilian Amazon have Saint Rita as their patroness: the one in the municipality of Tapauá, on the Purus River and the one in the Cachoeirinha neighborhood of Manaus, within the Prelature of Labrea.
In both, the patron saint is celebrated with crowds, popular religiosity and a lot of joy of the people. Devotion to St. Rita is universal, largely thanks to the presence of the Augustinian Family throughout the world.
In Brazil, the Augustinian saint is for many Brazilians a point of reference in their Christian life.
This is the case of the faithful of Manaus and Tapaua, in the Prelature of Labrea.
The devotion to Saint Rita is due to the two parishes of the Augustinian Recollects, which celebrated her feast day with joy last May 22.
Santa Rita, an example of mission in Tapauá
Since May 13, in the Amazonian town of Tapauá, in the Brazilian Amazon, the Parish of Santa Rita, whose extension coincides with that of the municipality (almost the size of Portugal in territory, and with about 18,000 inhabitants), prepared for its great patronal feast of the year 2019.
And is that from that day began the novena, which was joined from day 17 the night festival.
The main motto of the feast of St. Rita 2019 was in Tapauá “With St. Rita in permanent mission”.
During the novena, each day was dedicated as a theme for reflection to one of the most important parish realities; in addition, it was the pastoral agents who work with these realities who prepared the liturgies: elderly, children, sick, indigenous, riverside and rural population, land and environmental problems, catechesis… The participation of the people was, as always massive.
Many people made or paid promises to the saint during the novena and approached her image, which presides over the main church in the main square of the city, to pray to her.
The bishop of the Prelature of Labrea, the Augustinian Recollect Santiago Sanchez, was present two days before the feast.
He himself presided at the multitudinous mass on May 22, preceded by a procession through the main streets of the town.
Creators of communion’ with Santa Rita in Manaus
The Amazonian capital also celebrates St. Rita with crowds of people from all over the city and not only from the neighborhood where her parish is located, Cachoeirinha, in the southern part of the city.
Each day of the novena has had a different motto and theme for reflection:
- Day 1: As St. Rita, model of obedience to God the Father.
Blessing of the parents. - Day 2: Like St. Rita, joyfully help to care for the sick.
Blessing of the sick. - Day 3: As St. Rita, model of a Christian wife and mother.
Blessing of mothers. - Day 4: As St. Rita, care for our elders with love and dedication.
Blessing of the elderly. - Day 5: Like St. Rita, Let us be light and peace in our families.
Blessing of families. - Day 6: Blessing of the youth: Augustinian Recollect Youth (JAR), LCJ group (Carrying Christ Youth), St. Joseph and St. Cecilia youth groups, Altar Servers and Conformation Group.
- Day 7: Like St. Rita, bless the children with love and hope.
Blessing of the children. - Day 8: Like St. Rita, let us be faithful and helpful as tithe contributors.
Blessing of the tithe collaborators. - Day 9: Like St. Rita, take care of the things of God.
Blessing of religious and devotional objects.
The saint’s day, May 22, began with celebrations early in the morning, shortly after dawn.
At half past six in the morning a special mass was celebrated for widows, and at half past eight another to pray in a special way for the unemployed.
At noon the main Eucharist was celebrated with the blessing of roses, at three o’clock in the afternoon a rosary and at five o’clock in the afternoon the procession and mass, with a multitude of people walking through the streets.