Anita Cantieri was born in Lucca, Italy, March 30, 1910, and died August 24,

1942, about the same age as her Lord.  Her life was one of innocence, love

and suffering.  She attained an extraordinary spiritual beauty.  Anita was

greatly loved in life and now she is prayed to by countless people.  The

Holy See has accepted her as a candidate for sainthood.

 

Anita came from a fine Catholic home and even in her school years was

thoroughly good, generous, and desirous of sanctity.  At twenty she tried

entering the active Carmelite Sisters of St. Theresa but had to leave after

fifteen months because of ill health. She took up her life at home again as

a laywoman, always hoping her illness would pass and give her the chance to

return to Carmel.  But at 24 she found herself confined to bed almost

continuously with excruciating suffering.  Realizing at last that it was not

our Lord's wish that she become a Carmelite Sister, she became a SECULAR

Carmelite on July 1, 1935.

 

Anita devoted herself with all her heart to the vocation she had discovered

on her sickbed:  that of sharing the sufferings of Jesus Crucified for the

salvation of others.  This union with Jesus on the Cross, along with love

for Him in the Blessed Sacrament and love for Mary were the great devotions

of her life.  She carried on a remarkable apostolate from her sickbed.

People who at first came to console the sufferer went away themselves

comforted, counseled and encourage.  Toward the end of her life there was a

constant stream of visitors to her bedside.  Anita had become a fountain of

grace for all who came near her.  It is still that way, as anyone who

approaches her in prayer quickly learns.  She welcomes you even now with the

same smile and the same love, imparting spiritual favors; peace of heart,

strength, a desire for holiness, the desire for God.

 

Prayer:

 

Jesus, Son of God, thank You for Your love for Anita and for the many graces

You bestowed on her in her life on earth.  Thank You for giving her to us as

a model and friend.  Lord, if You please, grant this beloved sister of ours

the honors of the Church so everyone may come to know her and imitate her in

serving You.

Grant us the petitions we present to You through her intercession, dear

Lord........Amen.

 

 

Prayer to Anita:

 

Anita, now you are with God beyond all of this life's troubles.

Please help us to serve Jesus generously, as you did.  Make us willing to

suffer for Him and share in His cross, should He ask it.  Dear, saintly

sister, we beg you to intercede with our Lord for us in the matters we bring

to you now.......

Thank you, Anita.  Amen.

 

 

Anita's words:

 

"The thought that there are souls who, through their own fault, fall into

hell makes me tremble with compassion.  At all costs I want to stop it by

offering myself for them as a victim of praise and reparation.  To love God

and make Him loved by many, many souls in eternal joy, I would think little

of an eternity of sufferings."

 

"To give thanks for a single communion, a whole lifetime spent in God's

service would not be enough.  And Jesus gives Himself to me every day!"