Page:A Dictionary of Saintly Women Volume 2.djvu/37

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B. MARGARET 25 abbey of Gracciano, founded by Alerano, the first marqnis, and containiDg his tomb; and there she built the conyent of St. Mary Magdalene where she shut herself up and imitated St. Dominio, walking towards Paradise by the diffioult road of patience. She cured* her niece Amadea, afterwards queen of Cyprus, whom all the physicians had given up. A certain lady having heard Margaret spoken ill of, abused her and shut the door in her face. As a punishment for this un- just and xmchristian conduct, she brought forth monsters instead of children, until she repented and craved the pardon of the saint. Margaret brought up Gian- nettina de' Boccarelli, who became a very holy nun. They were united by the ten- derest affection. Their spiritual father ordered them not to speak to each other and they dutifully obeyed. A.R.M,y Nov. 27. Bazzi Pio. Cahier. Manoel de Lima. Her Life is to be in the AA,SS. when they come down to Nov. 27. B. Margaret (25) Stropeni, Lucina (5). B. Margaret (20) of Bavenna, Jan. 23, 1442-1505, one of the founders of the Congregation of the Grood Josus, was bom at the village of Kussi, between Bavenna and Faenza. She became blind at two months old and began from early childhood to lead a life of religious con- templation and extreme austerity. She suffered much from ill-health and from the unkindness of her neighbours, who accused her of hypocrisy. At length, however, they were convinced of her sincerity and goodness, and all of them and three hundred other persons who had been strangers to her put themselves under her guidance. She then thought herself called to draw up a rule. It was written, in the first place from her dicta- tion, by Dom Serafino di Fermo, a Canon Begular of St. John Lateran. The Yen. Father Jerome Maluselli and B. Gentile, her disciple, assisted her in founding this secular order, which was intended for persons living in the world. Each member was enjoined to be content with his station and fulfil its duties: there were special rules for the guidance of women married and single : the clergy of this brotherhood were bound to be content with their income and not seek to obtain good livings. Twenty years after the death of Margaret, Maluselli suppressed such of her rules as were adapted to laymen and women, and it became an order for priests only, under the name of the Priests or Regular Clerks of the Good Jesus. The Biografia Ee- clesiastica says that, with the exception of the extreme asceticism inculcated on members of religious orders, her holy counsels for her Congregation would be good for every Christian. About thirty years after her death, Paul III. con- firmed her institution and commanded that her miracles and prophecies should be inquired into. She is not yet canon- ized but is numbered among the saints of Italy. She foretold many events which duly came to pass, in particular the depopulation of Bavenna by the French, which occurred within > year of her death. AA.SS. HelyoL Ferrarius. B. Margaret (27) Fontana, Sept 18, 1440-1513, was a very good and charitable woman, who belonged to the Third Order of St. Dominic, and lived in her own family in Modena. One winter, although food was very scarce, she deter- mined to take some bread to the poor. It was near Christmas and bitterly cold. As she was coming downstairs with her apron full of bread, she met her brother, who angrily asked her what she had there. The terrified girl said, " Roses," and immediately the loaves were changed into fresh, sweet roses. At her death her family were going to bury her in their own tomb, but the workmen suf- fered such awful terrors when they began to prepare the grave that they were obliged to desist ; it was then de- cided to bury her in the Dominican church, where her tomb emitted a scent of roses. AA.SS. Pio. Bazzi. B. Margaret (28) of Lorraine, or Margaret of the Ave Maria, Nov. 2, 1463-1521, O.S.F., was the daughter of Ferry de Lorraine, count of Vaudemont. Her mother was Yoland d*Anjon, duchess of Lorraine and Bar, eldest daughter of Ben6 d'Anjou, titular king of Jeru- salem, Sicily, and Naples, and sister of Margaret of Anjou, Queen of England. After the death of her parents,