St. Margaret Clitherow

St. Margaret was born during 1555, to Protestant parents in Middleton, England. St. Margaret was said to have had a very charming looks and a beautiful personality. During the year 1571, St. Margaret married John Clitherow who was a butcher. St. Margaret and her husband John had some children together. St. Margaret’s and John’s children were baptized as infants.

A few years after St. Margaret got married, St. Margaret felt the calling to become a Catholic. St. Margaret made a very brave decision in deciding to join the Catholic faith because she joined the faith during the reign of Queen Elizabeth l. During that time, Queen Elizabeth l wanted to get rid of all the Catholics in England. St. Margaret’s husband John however, decided not to join the Catholic faith but he was very supportive in St. Margaret’s choice to join the faith.

During that time in England if someone decided to miss the Protestant service, they would be charged. St. Margaret’s husband John would always pay all the fines that St. Margaret would get charged with.

St. Margaret’s love for the Catholic faith was so big that she had one room in her house, where she hid several priests, due to the fact that English authorities were trying to arrest members of the clergy. In another place in her house she kept the chalice, paten, and vestments that the priest needed to celebrate Mass.

St. Margaret would celebrate Mass in her house, and many Catholics would go to Margaret’s house secretly so that they could celebrate Mass and receive the other Sacraments such as reconciliation. St. Margaret’s house was often searched because the government suspected that St. Margaret was breaking the law.

St. Margaret decided that she would send her oldest son to France, so that he could be able to receive a Catholic education. However during that time in England this was a crime and someone eventually reported St. Margaret for what she had done. During the year 1586, she was arrested and charged for hiding and saving priests. However, St. Margaret refused to say that she had broken any laws and she refused to deny her faith.

Due to the fact that she refused to deny her faith, at the age of 30 years old she was sentenced to death. On March 25, 1586, St. Margaret was pressed to death. Her killers stretched St. Margaret out and placed her on the ground, where she had a very sharp rock placed on her back and she was crushed due to the heavy weights that were pushing down on her. The weight broke her bones, and she died after suffering for 15 minutes.

St. Margaret after she had found out that she was condemned to die told one of her friends; “The sheriffs have said that I am going to die this coming Friday; and I feel the weakness of my flesh which is troubled at this news, but my spirit rejoices greatly. For the love of God, pray for me and ask all good people to do likewise.” This shows how devoted St. Margaret was to doing the will of the Lord and how she was willing to endure any persecution and pain that she had to endure in the process.

St. Margaret’s 3 children joined the religious life when they grew up. St. Margaret’s daughter became a nun and her 2 sons became priests, which shows how big of an impact St. Margaret’s devotion to God had on her children.

St. Margaret died so that, future Catholic believers may be able to have the freedom to practice their faith. St. Margaret’s feast day is celebrated on March 26th.

Prayer to St. Margaret:

St. Margaret intercede that we may be able to have the courage and strength we need to practice our faith, even through persecution and other trials we may encounter during our lives. St. Margaret intercede that all those Catholics who still do not have the freedom to celebrate their religion, may be able to have the freedom. St. Margaret intercede that we do not take the freedom to celebrate our faith for granted and help us to strengthen our devotion to Christ by attending Mass as much as we can and by repenting our sins so that we may allow ourselves to be more Intimate with Christ. St. Margaret help us to be able to teach more people about the faith so that we may all be united in Heaven one day. St. Margaret intercede that we may realize the importance of saving souls for Christ, because no matter how bad someone has sinned, we should never judge them and we should do everything we can to save their soul and win their soul for Christ.

We ask this through Christ Our Lord and Mary Our Mother in Heaven.

Amen

St. Margaret pray for us

St. Joseph pray for us

May we continue to strengthen our journey to sainthood and keep others in our prayers.

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Works cited:

Information (read from, not taken):

Catholic Online. “St. Margaret Clitherow.” St. Margaret Clitherow - Saints & Angels - Catholic Online. Accessed 26 March 2021.

Images:

Saint. Margaret Clitherow. March 26, 2021.

st. margaret clitherow - Google Search