St. Margaret

Livestreamed presentation by Fr. Stephen Alcott, O.P. with reflections on the pilgrimage to Italy for the canonization celebration of Saint Margaret of Castello:

This will be broadcast live on Thursday, September 30, 2021, at 7:00pm on this page:

https://www.stpatrickcolumbus.org/live-streaming

This presentation will also be recorded and available on the same webpage for future viewing.

Reading of Decree of Equipollent Canonization and unveiling of banner of Saint Margaret at the Mass on Sept 19 in Citta di Castello:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RIKdoKGTtEc

Full video of the Mass of Canonization:

https://www.facebook.com/ttvteveretv/videos/1776352232562276/

Video of Fr. Gianni Festa, O.P., the Dominican Postulator who assisted in preparing the offical Positio (case for canonization) for Saint Margaret, giving a brief background of the canonization process for Saint Margaret:

https://www.op.org/st-margaret-of-citta-di-castello/

Brief video footage of the Oratory of Saint Margaret and the Castle where she was born in Mercatello sul Metauro, Italy: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SJA3znJHnbo

May 6th: Radio Interview, Sacred Heart Radio, with Guild Director Fr. Stephen Alcott

 

***May 1, 2021***

Dear friends,

OUR FRIEND MARGARET OF CASTELLO HAS BEEN CANONIZED A SAINT!

On April 13, 1320 she breathed her last on this earth, and beheld Christ in the beatific vision: the very first person she had ever seen, as she was blind since her birth.

In 1609 she was declared Blessed by Pope Paul V.

And on April 24, 2021, she was declared Saint Margaret of Castello by Pope Francis, shortly after the 701st anniversary of her death on this earth and her birth into eternal gladness.

Pope Francis canonized her by a process called equipollent (equivalent) canonization, in which case the requirement for a second officially documented miracle is waived. Candidates for equipollent canonization must meet three criteria: (1) there must a long-standing cultus or history of devotion to the candidate; (2) the candidate must have a solid and enduring reputation for virtue; and (3) the candidate must have a long association with miracles. While there were few equipollent canonizations in the 20th century, Pope Benedict XVI declared Hildegard of Bingen a saint by this process in 2012, and Pope Francis has used this process as well, such as in the cases of St. Angela of Foligno and St. Peter Faber in 2013.

Because of the way that equipollent canonization works, the candidate is canonized by very act of the Holy Father signing the decree, which he did on April 24. However, there will also be a solemn Eucharistic celebration of St. Margaret of Castello’s canonization on September 19, 2021, in Citta di Castello, Italy, where St. Margaret’s body is reposed in honor under the altar of St. Dominic Church.

What does this mean for our Shrine of Saint Margaret of Castello at St. Patrick Church in Columbus, Ohio? We will certainly continue our Wednesday novena prayers and veneration of the relic of St. Margaret after the daily Masses. I also look forward to increased visits from people making pilgrimages to our Shrine of Saint Margaret of Castello. In fact, the very day that Pope Francis signed the decree, two people from our area but not from our parish came to visit our Shrine, having heard the news online. I am in discussion with other Dominican friars as well as with Bishop Brennan of the Diocese of Columbus about having a local celebration of St. Margaret’s canonization, possibly in conjunction with her canonization celebration in Citta di Castello on September 19. I am also keeping a list of those interested in making a pilgrimage to Citta di Castello for St. Margaret’s Mass of canonization in September, though due to pandemic restrictions in Italy we will have to wait and see what the travel possibilities will be.

If you have any testimonials of your own about a prayer answered or a favor granted through the intercession of our friend St. Margaret of Castello and would like to share them for possible publication, I would be glad to receive them—feel free to mail or e-mail them to me or to contact the parish office.

Saint Margaret of Castello, pray for us, especially that we may make you better known and loved by those who will become your friends on earth!

Peace,

Fr. Stephen Alcott, O.P.

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April 18, 2021 from the desk of Rev. Stephen Alcott, O.P., Pastor, St. Patrick 
I know that many of you, like me, are excited about our
friend Blessed Margaret of Castello’s canonization. At the
time of this writing, I learned from one of our Dominican
friars in Rome that there may be an official news release
about her canonization shortly after her feast day, April 13.
Several of you have expressed interest in making a
pilgrimage to Citta di Castello in Italy for the Canonization
Mass on September 19. I checked with my fellow
Dominican friar in Rome about this, and he said that we will
have to wait and see for now what will be possible, since
Italy is presently under a pandemic lockdown. He promised
to keep me updated, though, and hopefully we will know
more clearly in another month or two. I would like to begin
keeping a list of those interested in a potential pilgrimage
to Italy for the canonization, in the event that this is
possible, so please e-mail me through our website or call
the office if you would like to be updated about this.

Also, the Dominican friar in Rome told me that the friars
who have worked on Blessed Margaret’s cause for
canonization are very much interested in testimonials of
healings or other favors or answered prayers that have
come through Blessed Margaret’s intercession, so that
these can be shared more widely, and so that others might
be encouraged to seek Blessed Margaret’s intercession.
There is no need to submit official records of miracles at
this point, since Blessed Margaret has enough miracles for
her canonization, so a written testimonial would be
wonderful. Again please email via this site and I will be glad to send them on to our friars in Rome.

Blessed Margaret, pray for us

****************************************************************************************

March 2021, from the desk of Rev. Stephen Alcott, O.P., Pastor, St. Patrick Church

At long last, it is my great joy to share with you the good news you have so long awaited: our friend, Blessed Margaret of Castello, will be canonized a saint!

As you may remember, last fall our Dominican friars in Rome who promote the causes of Dominicans for beatification and canonization submitted the Positio, the official case for the canonization of Blessed Margaret, to the Holy See. This Positio incorporated a report of devotion to Blessed Margaret that I sent to our Dominican friars in Rome last spring, and an important part of that report was the evidence of your devotion as members of the Blessed Margaret of Castello Guild. I reported that there are at present 1,261 people on our mailing list, and that in response to this Novena letter, we regularly receive in excess of 200 letters annually in reply with requested prayer intentions. I also summarized some the favors that have been reported by you in response to your prayers that you have entrusted to Blessed Margaret’s intercession. So, you have helped Blessed Margaret’s cause, and later this year we will lovingly begin to address her as Saint Margaret of Castello!

I have not received many details about the canonization, or the miracle through Blessed Margaret’s intercession that was officially approved for her canonization, but I have received the information that Blessed Margaret of Castello will be canonized a saint on September 19, 2021, in Castello, Italy.

April 13, 2021 will be the 701st anniversary of the entrance of Blessed Margaret in the Communion of Saints, when for the first time, after a life without physical sight on earth for 33 years, she beheld Christ face-to-face in the beatific vision. So, our annual novena for the intentions of the Blessed Margaret Guild this year begins on April 5, Easter Monday, and ends on her feast day, Tuesday, April 13.

Along with your prayer intentions that you will entrust to Blessed Margaret for her humble but powerful intercession during this Novena, let us pray in thanksgiving to God for this great honor of the Church for our friend Blessed Margaret, and in thanksgiving for the decision of our Holy Father Pope Francis to approve the canonization of a relentlessly joyful young woman who could not be overcome by the physical challenges she carried from her birth, by the rejection of those closest to her in her own family, or by the challenges of starting over again with nothing in the (then) strange new city of Castello. I can easily imagine that Pope Francis sees in Blessed Margaret an important gift and tremendous witness for our own times, especially for those who are unwanted or whose lives are of little value to the world. Let us pray that many, many more people will come to know her as their dear friend and powerful patron.

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