St. Rafqa Ar-Rayyes

Our Saint for today is one that I've picked for my own patronage - see if you can guess why.

St. Rafqa Ar-Rayyes was canonized June 10, 2001.  Her name is the Arabic form of Rebecca.  She was born in Lebanon in 1832 and was baptized Butrusiyyah (Petra, the feminine form of Peter).  She lost her mother at the age of seven and at 14, her father and step-mother wanted to marry her off, but they could not agree on the choice of suitor. The young girl prayed for guidance and chose to give her life to Jesus.

She joined the Mariamette Sisters and upon taking the habit took the name Sister Anissa (Agnes). In 1860, Sr. Anissa was sent to Dier El-Qamar to teach catechism.  The town became the site of civil unrest and on one occasions she reportedly saved a child from murder by hiding him under her robes.
The Mariamette Sisters were dependent on the Jesuits and when the latter were driven out of Lebanon, the community of Nuns was dissolved. God told Sister Anissa, "You will remain a nun." And she heard the voices of saints directing her to enter the Lebanese Maronite Order. She obeyed. Here she received a new religious name - Rafqa (which had been her mother's name). 

In October 1885, Sister Rafqa made an unusual request of Jesus, asking to share in his suffering. Her prayer was answered and she was afflicted by various illnesses, eventually becoming completely disabled and blind. She bore everything with patience and in union with our crucified Lord and His Sorrowful Mother.
Her Feast day is March 23.