Today, April 13, is the memorial of Blessed Margaret of Castello.
Margaret was born into a proud, noble family in 1287. She was a hunchback midget, and born blind, lame, and deformed. Her parents were so ashamed of her looks that they decided to keep her existence a secret.
When Margaret was six, she was seen, accidentally, by her parents’ guest. Her father was horrified and decided to build her a room without a door, onto the side of the church. For 10 years, Margaret was not allowed to step out. Her food and needs came in through her window.
The other window in the room allowed Margaret to hear Mass and receive the Eucharist. In that room, alone with her Lord, Margaret scaled the heights of Divine Union. Even the friendly parish priest was impressed by her spiritual wisdom.
One day, her parents, expecting a miracle, brought her to the shrine. No cure happened, and her parents abandoned Margaret in the streets. Townspeople took pity on her and provided her with food.
Margaret’s happy disposition, wisdom, and spiritual depth endeared her to many. She became a lay Dominican, and spent her life in prayer and good works. God gifted her with many mystical experiences.
She forgave her parents for abandoning her, and was never known to say anything bad about them.
Margaret died of natural causes in 1320 at age 33. Countless people attended her funeral, recognized that a saint lived among them, and demanded that the parish priest allow her body to be buried inside the church. The priest refused. However, a crippled child was miraculously cured at Margaret’s funeral, and so the priest finally agreed.
She was beatified in 1609 by Pope Paul V. To this day her body remains incorrupt.
After 412 years, Margaret will be finally canonized in 2021.