The feast day of St. Margaret Clitherow is celebrated on March 26.
St. Margaret Clitherow was born in Middleton, England in 1555. She was raised in the Anglican faith. Her father was Thomas Middleton, the Sheriff of York. She married John Clitherow who was a wealthy butcher. They had two children.
Margaret converted to the Catholic faith after several years of marriage. She began harboring fugitive priests during the persecution of Queen Elizabeth. She also was known to let the priest celebrate Mass on her property. St. Margaret was arrested and put into prison. She refused to deny her faith and sentenced to die by being ‘pressed to death’. At the trial Margaret’s only statement was…
“Having made no offense, I need no trial”.
The martyrdom of St. Margaret took place in 1586. St. Margaret was stretched on the ground with a sharp rock on her back and crushed under a door laden with heavy weights. She died within fifteen minutes. Many of her bones were broken. She was 33 years old.
St. Margaret was canonized in 1970 as one of the 40 martyrs of England and Wales.
Spirit of truth, You are the reward of saints, the comforter of souls, light in the darkness, riches to the poor, treasure to lovers, food for the hungry, comfort to the wanderer; to sum up, You are the one in who all treasures are contained.
Quote of St. Mary Magdalen de Pazzi; Feast day May 25
March is the Month of St. Joseph