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St. Margaret is our 7 yo daughter's patron saint. In FHC CCD, the children present a report or project about their patron saint. She did hers today, because of the feast.

As a proud homeschool mom, let me show you St. Margaret as seen by a 7:

St. Margaret of Scotland

My great-great-great, 30 times, grandmother is my patron saint. Some other members of my family may be saints too, but I know Queen Margaret is, because the Church said so on June 19, 1250. The Church announces that someone is a saint by a process called canonization.

Saint Margaret was born in about 1045. Most people know that, in 1066, the Normans conquered England. However, the entire time of Saint Margaret’s life was full of wars and upheaval. Saint Margaret was a Saxon princess. Her father Edward the Exile was never crowned King of England, but her great-grandfather Ethelred and her grandfather Edmund II both were crowned kings.

At one point when Saint Margaret was a child her family fled to Hungary, where the king welcomed them. Margaret learned a lot about being a Christian ruler from the court in Hungary. Saint Margaret’s family returned to England from Hungary when her father has a chance to be king of England. Soon after they returned to England, Margaret’s father died. Edward the Confessor became King of England. When Edward the Confessor died in 1066, Margaret’s family fled in a ship.

They planned to return to Hungary, but were blown off course and ended up in the Firth of Forth in Scotland near Edinburgh. The king of Scotland, Malcolm, was the son of Duncan, whom Shakespeare wrote about in Macbeth.

Malcolm fell in love with the princess, married her and made her his queen. She knew that it was important to fully live her vocation as a wife and a queen. Queen Margaret totally changed life at the Scottish court. She encouraged beautiful clothes and decorations. She was well known for her beautiful embroidery.

Margaret built a church dedicated to the Holy Trinity around the chapel where she was married to Malcolm. Queen Margaret brought many of the Church teachings to Scotland, including observing Lent for a full 40 days, Latin in the Mass, obedience to Church law on marriage, and most importantly receiving Jesus in the Eucharist at Mass.

Queen Margaret had a Gospel book that she loved very much. Once, when they were crossing a river, the book fell into the water and was lost. Weeks later the book was found in the river, but the pages weren’t even wrinkled. It was as if it had never been wet. That book is in the Oxford library now. Margaret had eight children, including a boy David who was a saint too.

American Catholic’s Saint of the Day

November 16, 2005

St. Margaret of Scotland

(1050?-1093)

Margaret of Scotland was a truly liberated woman in the sense that she was free to be herself. For her, that meant freedom to love God and serve others.

Margaret was not Scottish by birth. She was the daughter of Princess Agatha of Hungary and the Anglo-Saxon Prince Edward Atheling. She spent much of her youth in the court of her great- uncle, the English king, Edward the Confessor. Her family fled from William the Conqueror and was shipwrecked off the coast of Scotland. King Malcolm befriended them and was captivated by the beautiful, gracious Margaret. They were married at the castle of Dunfermline in 1070.

Malcolm was good-hearted, but rough and uncultured, as was his country. Because of Malcolm’s love for Margaret, she was able to soften his temper, polish his manners and help him become a virtuous king. He left all domestic affairs to her and often consulted her in state matters.

Margaret tried to improve her adopted country by promoting the arts and education. For religious reform, she instigated synods and was present for the discussions which tried to correct religious abuses common among priests and people, such as simony, usury and incestuous marriages. With her husband, she founded several churches.

Margaret was not only a queen, but a mother. She and Malcolm had six sons and two daughters. Margaret personally supervised their religious instruction and their other studies.

Although she was very much caught up in the affairs of the household and country, she remained detached from the world. Her private life was austere. She had certain times for prayer and reading Scripture. She ate sparingly and slept little in order to have time for devotions. She and Malcolm kept two Lents, one before Easter and one before Christmas. During these times she always rose at midnight for Mass. On the way home she would wash the feet of six poor persons and give them alms. She was always surrounded by beggars in public and never refused them. It is recorded that she never sat down to eat without first feeding nine orphans and 24 adults.

In 1093, King William Rufus made a surprise attack on Alnwick castle. King Malcolm and his oldest son, Edward, were killed. Margaret, already on her deathbed, died four days after her husband.

Comment:

There are two ways to be charitable: the "clean way" and the "messy way." The "clean way" is to give money or clothing to organizations that serve the poor. The "messy way" is dirtying your own hands in personal service to the poor. Margaret's outstanding virtue was her love of the poor. Although very generous with material gifts, Margaret also visited the sick and nursed them with her own hands. She and her husband served orphans and the poor on their knees during Advent and Lent. Like Christ, she was charitable the "messy way."

Quote:

"When [Margaret] spoke, her conversation was with the salt of wisdom. When she was silent, her silence was filled with good thoughts. So thoroughly did her outward bearing correspond with the staidness of her character that it seemed as if she has been born the pattern of a virtuous life" (Turgot, St. Margaret's confessor).

St. Margaret of Scotland

St. Margaret of Scotland
Feast Day: November 16, 2007
(1050?-1093)

Margaret of Scotland was a truly liberated woman in the sense that she was free to be herself. For her, that meant freedom to love God and serve others.
Margaret was not Scottish by birth. She was the daughter of Princess Agatha of Hungary and the Anglo-Saxon Prince Edward Atheling. She spent much of her youth in the court of her great-uncle, the English king, Edward the Confessor. Her family fled from William the Conqueror and was shipwrecked off the coast of Scotland. King Malcolm befriended them and was captivated by the beautiful, gracious Margaret. They were married at the castle of Dunfermline in 1070.
     Malcolm was good-hearted, but rough and uncultured, as was his country. Because of Malcolm’s love for Margaret, she was able to soften his temper, polish his manners and help him become a virtuous king. He left all domestic affairs to her and often consulted her in state matters.
     Margaret tried to improve her adopted country by promoting the arts and education. For religious reform, she instigated synods and was present for the discussions which tried to correct religious abuses common among priests and others, such as simony, usury and incestuous marriages. With her husband, she founded several churches.
     Margaret was not only a queen, but a mother. She and Malcolm had six sons and two daughters. Margaret personally supervised their religious instruction and their other studies.
     Although she was very much caught up in the affairs of the household and country, she remained detached from the world. Her private life was austere. She had certain times for prayer and reading Scripture. She ate sparingly and slept little in order to have time for devotions. She and Malcolm kept two Lents, one before Easter and one before Christmas. During these times she always rose at midnight for Mass. On the way home she would wash the feet of six poor persons and give them alms. She was always surrounded by beggars in public and never refused them. It is recorded that she never sat down to eat without first feeding nine orphans and 24 adults.
     In 1093, King William Rufus made a surprise attack on Alnwick castle. King Malcolm and his oldest son, Edward, were killed. Margaret, already on her deathbed, died four days after her husband.

Comment:

There are two ways to be charitable: the "clean way" and the "messy way." The "clean way" is to give money or clothing to organizations that serve the poor. The "messy way" is dirtying your own hands in personal service to the poor. Margaret's outstanding virtue was her love of the poor. Although very generous with material gifts, Margaret also visited the sick and nursed them with her own hands. She and her husband served orphans and the poor on their knees during Advent and Lent. Like Christ, she was charitable the "messy way."

Quote:

"When [Margaret] spoke, her conversation was with the salt of wisdom. When she was silent, her silence was filled with good thoughts. So thoroughly did her outward bearing correspond with the staidness of her character that it seemed as if she has been born the pattern of a virtuous life" (Turgot, St. Margaret's confessor).