Rita Smith, 1913-1991
Rita Smith, 1913-1991
1966 - Message from Saint Therese of Lisieux
Throughout Frances Klug’s life, God prepared her in stages that paved the way for The Miracle of Saint Joseph. In 1966, Frances Klug learned from Saint Therese of Lisieux that she had been chosen for a “special way of life.”
The account below, excerpted from a presentation given by Roberta Haag, Frances Klug’s daughter, describes the evening in 1966 when her Mother was given a message from Saint Therese of Lisieux through Rita Smith, a True Mystic.
Rita Smith and Saint Therese of Lisieux
Because relatives from the Midwest enjoyed California’s desirable climate, the homes of my parents and grandparents were always open to visitors. The year was 1966 when Rita and Jim Smith came to California from Indiana and stayed with my grandparents in Downey. Rita Smith was my father’s cousin, my grandmother’s niece, and Rita was a True Mystic who worked for Saint Therese of Lisieux. Until this time, Mother and my father were not fully aware of the life that Rita led, but learned that Revelations, mostly from Saint Therese, came through Rita, who transcribed Them on paper.
Rita suffered the Stigmata, The Wounds of Our Lord. Saint Therese would also send the Odor of Sanctity, whereby the aroma of roses would fill a room. Rita received the Holy Oils of Saint Therese that would pour from her hands, enough to fill bottles. Upon a moment’s notice, Rita would be sent to someone’s bedside or to a hospital, or anywhere that Saint Therese wanted her to be. Although countless physical cures were performed, many of them were known only to God. Rita would be asked to rub the Holy Oils on the person in need – a cancer patient, a leprosy patient, or someone with another illness. When the visit was over, Rita would often suffer the effects of the illness or disease herself for several days.
During Rita and Jim’s visit in early 1966, our family joined them to take in several California sights. Following a long day of sightseeing, we gathered at my grandparents’ home in Downey. Rita and Jim were to leave the next day, so we said our goodbyes and returned to Brea. At home, Mother was struck by an overwhelming sense than she needed to return immediately to my grandparents’ house. When Mother told my father that she needed to drive to Downey to say goodbye again to Rita and Jim, his first thought was for Mother’s safety, as she was not a confident nighttime driver. Mother assured him that she’d be fine, and that he needed to stay home with my brothers and me. Mother quickly selected a brand new tablecloth from the linen closet to bring as a parting gift.
When she arrived at my grandparents’ home, she was greeted with some confusion as to why she was there. Mother felt a bit uneasy as she sat in the living room. They were finishing up the dishes and my grandfather, who was very ill due to a serious heart condition, was sitting with Mother. When everyone finally gathered in the front room, Mother mentioned that she just wanted to say goodbye one more time and that she had a gift for Rita and Jim. Rita immediately said to her husband, ‘Jim, please go out to the car and get the True Cross Relic.’
Message from Saint Therese of Lisieux
Mother thought that maybe this meant a cure for my grandfather who was so ill. Jim came back and gave the True Cross Relic to Rita, who went directly to Mother and held it on her back. The Relic began to shake in Rita’s hand. Mother was worried that this meant she was in need of a cure. Rita said, ‘No, Saint Therese told me to tell you that you’ve been chosen for a Special Task.’ Then Rita went on to say, ‘I wonder if this means my death?’ Mother immediately replied, ‘No, it doesn’t.’
Mother’s quick response indicated a natural, Divine Closeness that she did not yet completely understand. Rita told Mother to keep the True Cross Relic until she asked for it back.
Some 35 years later in a Revelation delivered on November 9, 2001, Saint Therese of Lisieux spoke about that evening:
“I am Saint Therese of Lisieux. Many of Us Saints were present the night This Gift was Announced to this one small body. As We put her in what you call ‘ecstasy’, We protected her when she left where she had to come to be told she had been chosen for a ‘special way of life’. As she drove, she does not remember the drive. We were in control of the automobile at all times.”
The message Mother received that evening in 1966 from Saint Therese, through Rita, verified what Mother had sensed for her entire life. God is good, as He gave Mother a sign, a touch of support for her faith, by sending the message through family; not a blood relative, but family nonetheless. Remember that Rita Smith was my father’s cousin, which is an additional indicator that my parents’ union was truly a match made in Heaven. This event also shows how God The Father was continuing to pave the way for The Miracle of Saint Joseph in stages.
Following that evening in Downey, Mother did have a few phone conversations with Rita, but Rita knew that it wasn’t her place to speculate on anything, because the details had not been revealed to her. You see, a True Mystic’s first lesson from God is the lesson of strict Obedience to Him, which leaves no room for presumptions on the part of the True Mystic.
After learning in 1966 that she had been chosen for a ‘special way of life,’ Mother waited and prayed for further Heavenly Direction.
