Blessed are the Pure of Heart, for they shall see God! Blessed Margaret of Castello and the Eucharist

lessed Margaret of Castello lived in the This I can readily understand. There are a number early 1300’s in a town of called of well-authenticated cases of some”—he was Citta di Castello or Castello for short. about to say “,” but he knew Margaret She was left at a there by her would vehemently protest that she was not a parents in the year 1307. Blessed Margaret was —”of some good people having such a gift.” born of wealthy and noble parents but she herself Margaret remained silent. was blind and severely deformed, having a “Isn’t my explanation correct, Margaret?” hunchback and one limb much shorter than the “Father,” she replied with the utmost other. Out of pride and shame, the parents hid tranquility, “you have commanded me to reveal her for twenty years in some of the most to you in confession the innermost secrets of my inhumane ways. Their patience at an end, they heart. Since I am obliged to speak, I must repeat finally sought a miraculous cure for little what I have said before: from the Consecration Margaret at a nearby shrine. When the miracle until the Communion I do not see the priest, the was not forthcoming, they abandoned her at the crucifix, the missal, or anything else. But I do see age of 20 years old… blind, crippled and Christ our Lord.” friendless. Now the confessor was not only a theologian Blessed Margaret was already very holy and but he had had long experience in directing souls; devout by the time she was as a result, he was skilled in abandoned, but grew very quickly to distinguishing between become a prodigy of holiness in the genuine mystical phenomena town of Castello. and hallucinations. For many She sought to purify her sinless months it had been his duty as conscience from even the shadows of Margaret’s confessor to subject imperfection by going to confession her to severe, searching tests in every day and by receiving Holy order to learn chiefly the state Communion as often as she was of her soul, because he saw that allowed. During the last years of her she had reached exalted life, she revealed to her confessor that heights of spirituality. As it whenever she attended she was important to clarify her could see Christ Incarnate at the altar. assertion, he began his Her confessor sought to give this approach from another quarter. statement a spiritual meaning. “Tell me, Margaret, what “Do you mean, Margaret, that you does our Lord look like when are conscious in some special way of you see Him during the Mass?” the Divine Presence?” “Oh, Father,” she exclaimed “No,” replied Margaret. “That is in dismay, “you are asking me not what I mean. I see our Lord.” to describe Infinite Beauty!” “But how is that possible, when But despite her protests, her you are blind?” consuming love of God “I do not know,” was the unperturbed reply. impelled her to begin, with all the fervor of her The confessor was silent for a moment, soul, her canticle of love. As the Dominican pondering her statement. Then he said: theologian critically listened to her glowing “Margaret, do you see the crucifix, the missal, the attempt to describe Divine Beauty? He had the candles on the altar?” feeling that the gross material world of the present “No, Father.” was fading away and becoming shadowy and “Do you see the priest or the altar itself?” unreal, while the veils of eternity were being “No, Father.” removed one by one, affording him glimpses of “There you are!” he exclaimed triumphantly. distant supernatural glories. The last shadow of “You do not actually see our dear Savior; doubt fled from his mind, and with awe he apparently in some way you sense His Presence. recalled the words: “Blessed are the clean of voices, recalling instances of her unfailing heart, for they shall see God.” kindness, her invincible patience, her remarkable courage. Others were kneeling in the street s the year 1320 began, Margaret’s closest praying, as unashamed tears coursed down their friends realized that she was not going cheeks. to remain much longer in their Presently they heard from far off a faint company. Her twisted little body was murmur that grew ever louder and finally obviously losing the fight in its efforts to keep resolved itself into men’s voices chanting the body and soul united. The signs were Gradual . In the distance a procession of unmistakable. Margaret was by now so Dominican came into sight. They formed the transformed that she had completely forgotten escort to the Prior, who was bringing the Blessed self and thought only of God and His glory. to the dying girl. Theologians teach that when a person’s love of The medieval biographer confesses that it is God becomes absolutely purified of all selfishness beyond his power to describe the supreme love and reaches its maximum intensity, the physical and devotion with which Margaret received the body can no longer hold the soul fettered to it. last rites of the Church. After Margaret had been Margaret’s soul had now reached that stage, and anointed, the priest held up the Sacred Host every day saw her spirit before the dying girl. In struggling more and more accordance with the determinedly to free itself. In Dominican rite, he solemnly her ecstasies, God had asked her: evidently revealed something “Do you believe that This of Himself to her. What she is the Christ, the Savior of the had been permitted to see of world?” the infinite perfections of Margaret, her face radiant Eternal Beauty had inflamed with love, fervently answered: the soul of Margaret to such a “Yes, I believe it.” degree of intense love that it The priest then placed the was reacting on her wasted Host upon her tongue, saying: body like a violent fever. “May the Body of Our The very violence of the Lord Jesus Christ preserve conflict aggravated her illness, you until life everlasting!” but although she suffered The friars and her fellow greatly, no word of complaint, sisters began the prayers for no expression of pain, ever the dying, but Margaret did crossed her lips. But the serene not hear them. She was rapt in look on her face and the smile loving contemplation of the always hovering about her lips God who had come to her in deceived none of her intimate the Holy Eucharist. She could friends. Margaret herself not bear to be separated again recognized the approach of from Him Whom she loved so death with a joyful tranquility; completely; she longed to be her long exile from God was dissolved and to be with her coming to a close. She Eternal Love forever. Flesh requested her dear friend Lady Gregoria to send and blood could no longer hold so ardent a soul, word to the Dominican friars so that, as a and Margaret’s spirit, freed at last from its daughter of St. Dominic, she might receive the shackles, soared aloft to her God. Last from a son of St. Dominic. The date was the Second Sunday after Easter, Quickly the news spread through the town: April 13, 1320. “Little Margaret is dying!” Margaret was 33 years of age. Her body Her fellow sisters hurried to the house in remains incorrupt to this day.  which she was dying to pray for their companion in her last hours. Men and women gathered (source: The Life of Bld. Margaret of Castello outside the house and anxiously awaited news of by Fr. William R. Bonniwell, O.P., TAN pub.) their friend. Some were speaking with subdued