NEGOTIATING HELL: a sequel to CS Lewis' "Screwtape Letters." Ch 22 - Confirmation
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Road to Purity
A life the World tried to Erase
Born blind, with dwarfism and a curved spine, St Margaret (1287-1320) was hidden by her noble parents who could not bear the shame, fear, embarrassment and social costs of her appearance. For 9-years she was kept gated within their Italian castle, in a cell by the chapel. Yet, her perfect ears and voice allowed her to participate in every Holy Mass. Miraculously, the castle chaplain discovered her and catechized her into the sacraments. Never seeing the outside world, his spiritual direction inspired a profound interior freedom within her. St Margaret learned to pray, forgive and love without expectation. Her earliest years—meant to erase her—became the quiet ignition point of a spiritual force that would ripple outward for centuries.
When Rejection becomes Mission
At age 16, her parents veiled her and took her to a shrine, hoping for a cure. When none came, they abandoned her in the crowd and disappeared. St Margaret, suddenly alone, should have been crushed by despair. Instead, she was taken in by the poor of Città di Castello, who recognized her gentleness, docility and joy in her outdoor freedom. All of which, defied her circumstances. As she was "time-shared" among the city families; good fortune, healings and/or providential events enveloped the hosting families. Eventually, the community competed for Margaret's time in their homes. What her parents saw as a burden, the townsfolk took as a blessing. This became the first of many “butterfly effects” in her life. St Margaret the unwanted, became a divine source of unity, compassion, and spiritual renewal for the entire community. Rejected by the lax local convent for her purism, the Dominicans gladly educated and vested her as a tertiary Dominican catechist. Her classes blossomed into a school where St Margaret loved the community's children while the parents worked.
Immense Radiance
After her death at 33, reports of healings multiplied as devotion to her spread. St Margaret's holiness radiated all in her life, and the congregation lobbied for her remains to be buried inside the local church, an honor for a select few. Her beatification received approval from Pope Paul V in 1609. Pope Francis canonized her in 2021. Margaret never held authority, wealth, or influence. Her ministry was small, almost invisible acts—teaching children, visiting prisoners, comforting the sick, praying with the dying. Yet these simple gestures carried transformative powers. People sought her emanating joy, untouched by obvious suffering. Her presence softened hard hearts, reconciled families and inspired others into service. In a world obsessed with achievement, Margaret brought quiet fidelity, kindness and humility. Her life proves that greatness is measured not by ability, but by love.
A Legacy of Dignity
Centuries later, she became patron of the disabled, abandoned, unborn and other groups whose dignity is questioned. Her story shapes conversations about disabilities, human worth and the value of lives that do not fit society’s expectations. A little girl once hidden in a cell now stands as a global, everyday hero. Every life, no matter how fragile, carries immeasurable worth. She always wondered why people pitied her, "was it not a privilege to suffer with Christ?" Her suffering was her ticket to heaven, her greatest gift from God.
What the world Overlooks
St Margaret’s butterfly effect invites us to examine our own lives. Her lesson is not merely inspirational—it is practical. She teaches us to reassess the souls we are tempted to overlook: the elderly neighbor, the difficult child, the suffering person who makes us uncomfortable. She challenges us to believe that small acts of mercy—listening, visiting, encouraging, forgiving—ripple in ways we will never know. To follow her example is to trust that hidden goodness is never wasted. In a world hungry for recognition, St. Margaret of Castello calls us to the quiet, steady love that transforms everything it touches. Her feast day is April 13.
Sources:
Margaret of Castello | Wikipedia
Pope Francis declares blind 14th-century lay Dominican a saint | EWTN,com
Science cannot explain suffering. As Lay Passionist and nurse, she challenges modern health care assumptions; contraception, abortion, euthanasia, herd immunity and more. Behind every health dilemma, God asks us to abide in Him. Author of 7 books & >20 peer-reviewed nursing journal articles; she also writes as "The Catholic Nurse" on Substack, see "Archives." She is a veteran of the Army Nurse Corps. Her primary charism is mercy through which she explores redemptive suffering, spiritual healing and the joy of bringing of souls to God.
