Today is the glorious feast of one of MY favorite saints, the sweet and incorrupt Blessed Margaret of Castello, virgin (1287-1320 AD). She is also known as Margaret of Metola, from her birthplace. She was abandoned by both her parents in the parish church of Castello when she was 6 years old. Some church ladies found the poor blind girl wandering alone and took her in. She was hunch-backed and club-footed as well, but so lovely on the inside that everyone who took their turn as her foster parent (for they were all very poor) declared she was an absolute joy and no burden at all. There was a convent in town, so it was natural that the sisters also take her in, which she accepted with joy. It didn't last, however, for they were very lax and her holiness and devotion were a reproach to them. At first they were merely critical of the poor blind girl, then openly calumnious. For shame! They kicked the little saint out and she was back on the street.
Her old friend sheltered her and one family in particular took her in. There she stayed, a laywoman, all her life. At 15 she took the veil of a Third Order Dominican and became a religion teacher of sorts. She was good with children, being very simple herself, and devised little lessons and tasks for them which she helped them with. She knew all the psalms by heart (she was a quick study) and taught them to the kids as well. Her heart was pure and goodness just radiated out of her. She was seen to levitate during prayer, she stopped a fire in her foster parents' home with just her overcoat, and ironically she cured the blindness of another Dominican tertiary. She died in the odor of sanctity in her 33rd year and her body can still be seen today, supple and incorrupt. Many miracles were wrought at her tomb. Pray to her; she gets things done.
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