Worshippers fill shrine chapel for St. Rita feast day
Worshippers fill the St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel, 7740 S. Western Ave., for the 119th novena and feast day Mass for St. Rita of Cascia. Known as the patron saint of impossible causes, St. Rita was a wife, widow, mother and Augustinian nun who bore the stigmata and died in 1457 in Cascia, Italy. She is also associated with roses. Worshippers received a rose before the Mass and it was blessed with a relic of the saint during the service. Augustinian Father Tom McCarthy, director of the shrine and prior-elect of the Midwest Augustinians, was the main celebrant for the Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Servers carry the cross during the opening procession. Worshippers fill the St. Rita of Cascia Shrine Chapel, 7740 S. Western Ave., for the 119th novena and feast day Mass for St. Rita of Cascia. Known as the patron saint of impossible causes, St. Rita was a wife, widow, mother and Augustinian nun who bore the stigmata and died in 1457 in Cascia, Italy. She is also associated with roses. Worshippers received a rose before the Mass and it was blessed with a relic of the saint during the service. Augustinian Father Tom McCarthy, director of the shrine and prior-elect of the Midwest Augustinians, was the main celebrant for the Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Servers carry roses during the opening procession. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Augustinian nuns walk in the opening procession. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Divine Word Missionary Robert Kelly, an unidentified priest, Augustinian Father Tom McCarthy, Father Andy Matijevic and Scalabrini Father Thanh Khan Vu welcome the congregation to Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Members of the congregation pray during Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Augustinian Father Tom McCarthy smells a rose during the homily as he talks about the life of St. Rita. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Cristina Serrano from Sacred Heart Parish (96th St.) holds a rose up as clergy process around the church with a relic of St. Rita. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Clergy pray at the St. Rita shrine located inside the chapel. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Jack and Rita Hannon, members at St. Catherine of Alexander Parish in Oak Lawn, pray the novena during Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Servers hold candles during prayer at the shrine for St. Rita inside the chapel. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Father Andy Matijevic walks in a procession around the church. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Divine Word Missionary Robert Kelly walks in a procession around the church. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Augustinian Father Tom McCarthy carries a relic during a procession around the church during Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
First Communicants walk in a procession around church. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Worshippers fill the shrine chapel. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Worshippers fill the chapel. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Augustinian pre-novice Michael Bourke prays during Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Worshippers fill the shrine chapel. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Felicia Reilly from Queen of Peace Parish, and Maria and Rosa Rappa from Our Lady of Mount Carmel Parish in Melrose Park, sing during the closing hymn. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
Sancha Gonzalez venerates a relic of St. Rita following Mass. (Karen Callaway/Chicago Catholic)
