The Eucharist of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 3:30 p.m. on Tuesday, December 12, 2023, at the Sacred Heart Chapel, Saint Benedict’s Monastery, St. Joseph, Minn., for Sister Rita (Anthony) Budig, who died on Wednesday, December 6, 2023, at Saint Scholastica Convent, St. Cloud, Minn. Burial will be in the monastery cemetery. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Benson Funeral Homes. Friends may call at Saint Scholastica Convent on Monday, December 11, 2023, for a Prayer Service at 3 p.m. followed by visitation until 4:15 p.m. or for a Vigil Prayer Service at 7 p.m. at Saint Benedict’s Monastery. Visitation continues at 1 p.m. until the time of the funeral on Tuesday, December 12.

Rita (Anthony) Budig was born December 24, 1934, to Anthony and Lucy (Martin) Budig in Wadena, Minn. She was the sixth child in the family and had two brothers and five sisters. Rita attended District #53 Grade School and Wadena Public High School in Wadena. She entered Saint Benedict’s Monastery on September 8, 1954, was received into the novitiate as Sister Anthony on June 6, 1955, made first monastic profession on July 11, 1956, and perpetual monastic profession on July 11, 1959. S. Rita celebrated her Golden Jubilee on July 11, 2006, and her 60th jubilee in 2016. She returned to her baptismal name in 1968. 

S. Rita earned a bachelor’s degree in business education with minors in economics and secondary education at the College of Saint Benedict, St. Joseph. She obtained a Minnesota Nursing Home Administrator’s license in 1973 and became a certified retirement housing professional in 1995. She also obtained a Certificate in Spiritual Direction in 2005. 

From 1958 until 1973, S. Rita served at the St. Cloud Hospital in St. Cloud in various areas in the business office, as well as supervisor of communications and director of admissions. She was administrator of Assumption Nursing Home in Cold Spring, Minn. (1973–1977), and administrator of Saint Benedict’s Senior Community Center in St. Cloud (1977–1995). She also served as administrator of Saint Scholastica Convent and Monastic Health Services (1996–2000). Following her career in administration, S. Rita served on the spiritual ministries staff in hospitality and spiritual direction at Saint Benedict’s Monastery and coordinated their volunteer services.

S. Rita is survived by members of her Benedictine community, her brother David (Doris), and her sister Carol (+Philip) Tabery, as well as nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, her brother and sisters-in-law, Bernard (Katherine, Victoria), and sisters and brothers-in-law, Madonna (Raymond) Kern, Cecelia (Sylvester) Heltemes, Iris (Paul, Thomas) Meckel-Nyberg and Genevieve (Thomas) Uselman.

Please direct memorials to the Sisters of the Order of Saint Benedict Outreach Ministries.