Saint of Interest

A few weeks ago when I was doing some of my reading, I came across more about St. Margaret of Scotland.  I think I've found a new saint of interest for me in life!  I receive a daily email from Notre Dame and this is what I read.  Pretty good person for me to follow, wouldn't you say?

St. Margaret of Scotland

"St. Margaret was born a princess in Hungary around 1045, and spent much of her youth in the court of her uncle, the English king, Edward the Confessor. Her family fled from William the Conqueror and ended up shipwrecked on the coast of Scotland. King Malcolm of Scotland took them in and was charmed by Margaret. They fell in love and were married in 1070. They had six sons and two daughters—Margaret was an excellent mother. She supervised the education and religious instruction of her children; her youngest son, David, became a saint himself.

Like his nation, Malcolm had a good heart but was rough and uncultured. Margaret gave him good advice, and he came to trust her counsel. She softened his temper and helped him live a virtuous life.

Margaret used her position to promote arts and education in Scotland. She founded several churches with her husband, and began dialogues with the hierarchy about reforming abuses of power in the Church. She loved to make churches beautiful for God’s glory—she even embroidered the priests’ vestments herself.

Despite her many duties in the court and with her family, Margaret was faithful to prayer. She gave up sleep in order to have time for devotions and she often consulted Scripture. During Advent and Lent, she would get up at night in order to attend Mass at midnight every day. On the walk home, she would stop to care for six poor people, washing their feet and giving them money. Poor people sought her out and she never refused them. It is said that she never sat down to eat without first feeding nine orphans and 24 adults.

She died of illness just as she heard that her husband and a son were killed in battle. Her relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica.

St. Margaret of Scotland, who helped her husband grow in virtue and who taught her children to be saints, pray for us!"