Beyond the brick and mortar, can you sense the echoes of faith that resonate within St. Rita? This Catholic church stands in Berlin’s Reinickendorf district. St. Rita is more than just a building. It is a testament to faith and community. It serves as the seat of the parish of the same name. St. Rita belongs to the Deanery of Reinickendorf. Together with Herz-Jesu Tegel, St. Bernhard Tegel Süd, and St. Marien, it forms the Pastoral Area Süd.
Before St. Rita parish was established in 1929, Augustinian priests ministered to the area. In 1929, the area was separated from St. Marien. St. Rita became a curacy. Three Augustinian fathers were housed in a rented apartment. They were officially entrusted with pastoral care. Their area included Reinickendorf-West, Wittenau, and Lübars. A monastery was built in 1935. A church was still missing. For decades, the community relied on makeshift spaces. These included the St. Hedwig Cemetery chapel and the Marienschwestern children’s home chapel. A small chapel in Lübars also served.
Construction of St. Rita church began on August 14, 1951. It was consecrated on June 22, 1952. By then, Wittenau was no longer part of the parish. The parishes of St. Nikolaus and St. Martin had been founded there.
Felix Hinssen designed St. Rita after World War II. It was the first completely newly designed Catholic church building. He incorporated the Augustinian monastery built in 1935. The two-story building has a Latin cross layout. The single-nave hall church includes a transept. The brickwork construction features a red brick base and sand-colored plaster. The church hall is on the upper floor. An external staircase leads up to it. The ground floor houses the community hall. It also includes the weekday chapel. Slender, closely spaced arched windows articulate the walls. The nave and chancel are covered with pitched roofs. Above the eastern arm of the transept rises the bell tower. Its roof ridge runs parallel to the nave. The western arm of the transept lies under the tower’s pent roof.
St. Rita’s belfry holds three bronze bells. The first bell was cast in 1954. Friedrich Wilhelm Schilling was the bell founder. Its strike tone is Gis2. This bell weighs 500 kg. Its diameter is 93 cm. The bell’s height measures 77 cm. The crown measures 15 cm. The inscription reads “INQUIETUM EST COR NOSTRUM DONEC QUIESCAT IN TE DOMINE”. Another inscription states “IN HONOREM S.P.N. AUGUSTINI”. The second bell was cast in 1982. Petit & Gebr. Edelbrock was the bell founder. Its strike tone is H2. It weighs 375 kg. It has a diameter of 80 cm. Its height is 64 cm. The crown measures 14 cm. The inscription reads “AVE MARIA GRATIA PLENA DOMINUS TECUM”. The third bell was also cast in 1954. Friedrich Wilhelm Schilling was the bell founder. Its strike tone is Cis33. This bell weighs 200 kg. Its diameter is 70 cm. Its height is 55 cm. The crown measures 13 cm. The inscription reads “IN HONOREM SANCTAE RITAE VIDUAE”. Another inscription states “ORA ET LABORA”.
St. Rita stands as a testament to resilience. It embodies community spirit. It also mirrors architectural innovation. It is more than just a church. It is a living story.