• March 25th - Saint Margaret Clitherow

    From rich@1:396/4 to All on Sun Mar 24 09:23:13 2019
    From: rich <richarra@gmail.com>

    March 25th - Saint Margaret Clitherow

    Also known as
    Margaret Clitheroe
    Margaret Middleton
    Margarita Clitherow
    Margherita Clitherow
    Marguerite Clitherow
    the Pearl of York

    =C2 (1555-1586)

    .. Saint Margaret lived and died during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I,
    and a time of great persecution of Catholics in England. At that time,
    priests were not allowed to reside within the country, and those
    sympathetic to the Catholic faith, celebrating Mass, or providing
    shelter to priests were found guilty of treason. For many, however,
    the faith continued undaunted, the celebration of Mass held more
    important than the danger of discovery.

    Margaret was born in Middleton, England, to faithful Protestant
    parents. Intelligent, funny, and attractive, Margaret grew up in the
    Protestant faith, and was married at 18 to a butcher, John Clitherow.
    Together, they had three children, and were content to live a
    respectable middle-class life. Margaret demonstrated a keen mind for
    business, and frequently assisted her husband in the butcher shop. She
    was known for her kind heart and warm smile.

    Margaret found herself dissatisfied with the Protestant faith, and
    eventually converted to Catholicism, instructing her children in the
    way of the Church. Her confessor, after her death, wrote of her
    conversion that Margaret "found no substance, truth nor Christian
    comfort in the ministers of the new church, nor in their doctrine
    itself, and hearing also many priests and lay people to suffer for the
    defense of the ancient Catholic Faith." Margaret's husband did not
    convert, but was respectful of her faith, and allowed the children to
    be raised Catholic. Their eldest son left England, and moved to France
    to enter the seminary.

    Despite the risk of discovery, Margaret had a =E2=80=9Cpriest hole=E2=80=9D=
    built in
    her home, where visiting clergy could hide if a raid should occur. She
    further built a hidden cupboard to hide vestments, missals, Eucharist
    and blessed wine. In Margaret's attic, still preserved for the
    visiting faithful to see, a hole was cut between her home and the
    neighbor's home, to allow an escape route for priests, should it co=
    me
    to that. Margaret stated, in defiance of the laws of the time, =E2=80=9Cby God's grace all priests shall be more welcome to me than ever they
    were, and I will do what I can to set forward God's Catholic service."
    She organized celebrations of Mass, and hired a Catholic tutor for
    neighborhood children of the faith. It was through this tutor that she
    came to be discovered.

    One afternoon, while the tutor was instructing the children, the
    police raided the house. The tutor escaped, and the authorities found
    children studying, but convinced of treason, they questioned the
    children until one broke down in tears, revealing the cupboard of
    hidden items. Margaret was immediately arrested, and the children were
    removed from their homes, placed with devout Protestant families.
    Margaret would never see her children again. Moved by her life,
    however, her younger son became a priest, and her daughter, a nun.

    Margaret was taken before the court and accused of treason. It was
    customary for those accused to plead guilty, resulting in a less
    severe penalty. Margaret, however, refused to plead, both out of
    conviction that she had done nothing wrong and concern that her
    children might have to testify in a trial. She stated, "I know of no
    offense whereof I should confess myself guilty. Having made no
    offense, I need no trial." The court was outraged, and sentenced her
    to the maximum penalty for failing to plead guilty--death via
    crushing. Margaret was informed, =E2=80=9CYou must return from whence you
    came, and there, in the lowest part of the prison, be stripped naked,
    laid down, your back on the ground, and as much weight laid upon you
    as you are able to bear, and so to continue for three days without
    meat or drink, and on the third day to be pressed to death, your hands
    and feet tied to posts, and a sharp stone under your back.=E2=80=9D Ten day=
    s
    from the sentencing, Margaret was executed.

    Prior to her execution, visited by a friend in prison, Margaret
    remained faithful and eager to meet her Maker. She said to her friend,
    "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."

    The night before her execution, Margaret sewed her own death shroud.
    She prayed through the night, for the Church, for the pope, for all
    the persecuted clergy, the faithful, and her accusers. In the morning,
    she was led to dungeon, had a cloth tied around her face, and was laid
    down on a sharp rock approximately the size of a fist. A heavy door
    was placed upon her, and then rocks were piled atop the door until the
    weight broke her spine. She never cried out, but was heard to
    continually pray, =E2=80=9CJesu, Jesu, Jesu, have mercy upon me.=E2=80=9D S= aint
    Margaret Clitherow died after approximately 15 minutes of torture.
    Following her death, her executioners were reprimanded by Queen
    Elizabeth I, who insisted that women should not be executed.
    Margaret's body was buried with common criminals, but not before he=
    r
    hand was severed. It remains today, incorrupt, in the chapel of the
    Bar Convent in York.

    Saint Margaret Clitherow was a practical woman, remembered for her
    humility, hospitality and her humanity. She was a wife and mother, she
    worked in her husband's butcher shop, she was concerned with the
    education of her children. Margaret was also a fearless protector of
    the faith, risking her life to instill in her children the message of
    Christ. Her courage and unwavering faith inspires, reminding us how
    quick we are to doubt, to take the easy way, to bow before pressures
    in our lives. We look to Margaret Clitherow as a model of steadfast
    love and obedience to the Lord. Can we say the same of ourselves?
    --by Jacob


    Bible Quote:
    For neither did his brethren believe in him. 6 Then Jesus said to them:
    =C2 My time is not yet come; but your time is always ready.
    7 The world can not hate you; but me it hateth: because I give testimony of=
    it,
    that the works thereof are evil. (John 7:5-7)


    <><><><>
    Annunciation, by John Donne

    Salvation to all that will is nigh;
    That All, which always is All everywhere,
    Which cannot sin, and yet all sins must bear,
    Which cannot die, yet cannot choose but die,
    So, faithful Virgin, yields himself to lie
    In prison, in thy womb; and though he there
    Can take no sin, nor thou give, yet he'll wear
    Taken from thence, flesh, which death's force may try.
    Ere by the spheres time was created, thou
    Wast in his mind, who is thy Son and Brother;
    Whom thou conceiv'st, conceiv'd; yea, thou art now
    Thy Maker's maker, and thy Father's mother;
    Thou hast light in dark, and shut'st in little room
    Immensity, cloistered in thy dear womb.

    --- NewsGate v1.0 gamma 2
    * Origin: News Gate @ Net396 -Huntsville, AL - USA (1:396/4)