# 8 - A SERIOUS REPORT ON BLESSED CASTELLO, O.P.

 # 8 - A SERIOUS REPORT ON BLESSED CASTELLO, O.P.

IN PURSUIT OF THE TRUTH - HTTP://WWW.CINOPSBEGONEBLOGSPOT.COM - MON. DEC. 21, 2020

 

THE LIFE OF BLESSED MARGARET CASTELLO, O.P. (1287-1320)

    By Father William R. Bonneville, O.P. Tan Books, Carolina, 2014, Chapter 11, p. 9-11

 

    "But the very friendliness of Margaret was fated to bring her new suffering. One day, when she was six year old, visitors came to Metola, but through forgetfulness, the nurse failed to warn Margaret to stay in her room. The child, in accordance with her custom, went to the chapel to pray. On her way, she met one of the women visitors, who was moved with pity at the sight of the cripple.

"Are you blind, little girl?"

"Yes, Your Ladyship." The visitor was astonished.

 

"If you cannot see, how do you know I am a lady?"

"Because you do not speak like the wives of the soldiers. Your voice is like that of my mother or of Lady Gemma." The lady's astonishment grew greater.

 

"Your mother? What is your mother's name dear?"

Before the child could answer , there came running around the corner a large, fat peasant woman, who almost rudely thrust herself between the lady and the child. 

"Excuse me, Your Ladyship," she panted, "but this little girl is ill and should have remained in her room. You naughty child! God back to your room at once!" And loudly scolding her, she rushed Margaret down the corridor. 

 

    When Parisio and Emilia learned of the incident, they were aghast at the narrowness of their escape. They shuddered at the thought of the news being bruited throughout Massa Trabaria that the lord and the lady of Metola has a shockingly deformed daughter. It was that if he allowed Margaret to continue to enjoy the freedom of the fort, they would be courting eventual discovery.

 

    Something had to be done, but what? Emilia suggested finding some peasant, farther back in the mountain, who would rear the child. Parisio dismissed the idea as presenting too many difficulties. A silence ensued, during which the castellan took to walking up and down the room. Of a sudden he stopped. "Emilia! What was that silly story the chaplain was telling you at dinner yesterday? I was no paying much attention to him." "What silly story do you mean?"

 

"Don't you remember? Something about a crazy woman who shut herself up in a prison some place near Florence." " You mean St. Veridiana?" "That's the name! What was the story?"

 

Emilia gazed wide-eyed at her husband. Was he jesting or did he actually want to hear a pious story?

"Well?" said Parisio irritably. "Don't you remember?" Emilia, still unable to believe her ears, mechanically began. "The chaplain said that this saint wanted to do penance, so she had a small cell built next to the church." She paused uncertainly, but it was evident that Parisio wanted her to continue.

 

"The cell had a tiny window through the church wall," she continued, "so that the recluse could see the altar and attend Mass, but could not be seen by the congregation. On the other side of the cell there was another small window, through which food was passed in to the saint. This second window had a black curtain hung in front of it so that no one could see the saint. The chaplain said  she lived there for more than thirty years and that one occasion St. Francis of Assisi - " 

 

Never mind the rest!" interrupted Parisio testily. He resumed his walking up and down the room. Finally he turned to his wife and said slowly, "Do you know, I think our chaplain has solved the problem for us." ...

 

George H. Kubeck