Episode Details
Back to Episodes
Updated: Apr 13 – S Hermengild / S Margaret of Castello
Description
Sources Used Today:
- "A Life of Faith" — Eastertide Day by Day
- "The Real Issue at Stake in the Consecrations, According to Cardinal Müller" (FSSPX.news)
- "Why Did Jesus Keep His Wounds?" (SSPX Sermons)
- The Spiritual Life — Archbishop Marcel Lefebvre (Angelus Press)
Saint Margaret of Castello was a woman whose life, marked by rejection and suffering, became a radiant testimony to the love of God. She was born in 1287 in Metola, Italy, to noble parents. From birth, she was blind, physically disabled, and considered by her family an embarrassment. Rather than receiving care, she was hidden away, raised in isolation so that her condition would not be seen.
Despite this harsh beginning, Margaret developed a deep interior life. Denied the ordinary experiences of childhood, she turned inward to God, learning to pray and trust in Him. As she grew older, her parents, hoping for a miraculous cure, took her to the shrine at Castello. When no healing occurred, they abandoned her there, leaving her alone in a strange place.
Yet this moment of abandonment became the beginning of her true life. The people of the town, moved by her gentleness and faith, took her in. Margaret eventually became associated with the Dominican Third Order, living a life of prayer, penance, and charity. Though she owned nothing and depended entirely on others, she gave freely of what she had. She cared for the sick, visited prisoners, and offered comfort to those who suffered.
Margaret’s physical limitations did not hinder her spiritual strength. She became known for her wisdom, patience, and joy. Those who encountered her saw not a life of misfortune, but a soul filled with grace. She accepted her suffering without bitterness, offering it to God and using it as a means of drawing closer to Him.
She died in 1320, still young, but having lived a life of remarkable holiness. After her death, many came to venerate her, recognizing the beauty of her hidden sanctity.
The Church honors Saint Margaret of Castello as a patron