St. Rita (Diocese of Harrisburg)

St. Rita Catholic Church
[[File:|150px|center]]
Dedication:	Saint Rita
Type/Classification:	Territorial Parish
Non-Parochial:	No
Operated By:	Sisters of Saint Joseph
Venerated Saints:	Saint John Vianney, Saint Catherine Labouré
Diocese:	Diocese of Harrisburg
Deanery:	West Shore Deanery
Address:	13219 Monterey Ln., Blue Ridge Smt, Pennsylvania 17214-9727
City:	Blue Ridge Smt, PA
Subdivision:	Pennsylvania
Country:	United States
County:	Franklin County
Website:	Website
Founded:	1995
School:	Yes
Email:	info@stritaparish.com
AI Confidence:	Not rated
Review Level:	0/5 (unreviewed)

St. Rita Catholic Church is a territorial parish in the Diocese of Harrisburg, located in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania. Dedicated to Saint Rita, the 15th-century Italian nun and mystic, the parish serves a suburban community in Cumberland County.

Established in 1995, St. Rita Parish was founded by the Sisters of Saint Joseph, who have operated numerous parishes throughout the United States. The current church building features design elements inspired by traditional Italian architecture.

The parish community seeks to emulate Saint Rita's commitment to prayer and service, particularly in her role as a patron saint for those seeking healing and intercession.

History

St. Rita Parish was established in 1995 by the Diocese of Harrisburg in response to growth in the Mechanicsburg area.

The first Mass was celebrated on August 12, 1995.

Special features

• Annual Saint Rita's Day celebration and procession
• Ministries inspired by the Sisters of Saint Joseph's charism, including service to the poor and marginalized

Relics

According to established Catholic tradition, the main altar contains deposited relics, as is customary in dedicated churches. Specific details regarding the saints associated with these relics are not publicly documented in available sources.

Architecture

External features

• Traditional Italian-inspired design elements
• Large stained-glass windows depicting scenes from Saint Rita's life

Interior features

• Ornate wooden altar and pews
• Mosaics of Saint Rita and other saints

Art and Devotional Features

Devotional elements focus on Saint Rita, reflecting her life of prayer and service.

Stained Glass Windows

• Scenes from Saint Rita's life
• Images of the Holy Family and other Catholic icons

Statues and Sculptures

• Statue of Saint Rita in the main nave
• Reliefs depicting scenes from the Stations of the Cross

Other Artwork

• Mural of Saint Rita's prayer life
• Iconography reflecting her role as a patron saint for healing and intercession

Image gallery

`

No gallery has been created yet. Type "Gallery" into the input box to create the page, save the page with the loaded template, and then use the Form tab to start adding photos. No gallery subpage has been created. Please use the input box above to create it.

Related parishes

• Saint Katharine Drexel Catholic Church (Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania)
• Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church (Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania)

External links

• Official parish website