Nov 16 (June 10) Margaret of Scotland b. 1045 d. 1093 c. 1250

Thommy and John

good morning
i love you


St. Margaret of Scotland: her feast day is November 16th in Scotland still but the universal church celebrates her on June 10 rather on the usual day of her dying – and there’s no biggie to bumper her off of Nov 16th.. go figure.


Margaret lived a nomadic life even before she was born. Her father, Edmund Ironside, king of England, was in Exile in Hungary when Margaret was born in 1045. Her mother was a kinswoman to the wife for St. Stephen, King of Hungary. [So why did she choose Scotland in 1066? Any history buffs know that one? Agatha wanted to go to the continent. But a storm blew them to Scotland? A storm? The breath of the Holy Spirit?] She was brought to England in 1957. [a bit not unlike you’re being shuttled about in your youth – but in your case, Nashville was your home, where you were born, where you went to school, where your both your parents had based their careers and your father had settled in to be with you no matter what. your being moved to Greensboro was not a family’s triumphant return to the throne…. But it was a similar age-time of being moved for the first time….

In 1066, remember your history? Norman conquest of England and Margaret and her mother and the courtesans with them took refuge in Scotland. Margaret and her mother were Catholic. The Normans were not. The choice she had, as a 21 year old [your current age sorta], was to succumb to the religion of the new possessor of the throne and do what the new pater/mater familias required vis a vis religion practices and tenets of faith - - the choice, to succumb or to move out to more protected, more respectful, more Catholic domain. Not unlike your dilemma upon your being moved to Greensboro and the change in ‘religion’ in your domain….

Malcolm III was the king of Scotland who took in the exiled, fugitive, English princess and family. In 1070 Malcolm and Margaret wed. “As Queen, Margaret changed her husband and the country for the better. Malcolm was good, but he and his court were very rough. When he saw how wise his beloved wife was, he listened to her good advice. She softened his temper and led him to practice great virtue.” [Catholic online] Remember to be like Malcolm! He loved Margaret. And to love is to commit to becoming one. To not only be smart enough to watch and listen but to also assimilate, adopt, accommodate your wife’s good qualities – Yes, Mam! Cannot be said enough times. Be like Malcolm and Margaret, an example to your children, friends, family, community – pray together, go to Mass together, serve the poor together, do good and right together, as one, forever, no matter what….

Margaret brought to the throne and to the entire Scottish land, the faith, religion, customs upon which she was raised. See, one choice is to succumb, submit, recant, and abandon the one true faith OR, like Margaret go to another place and rejuvenate not only your own faith but also the faith of your new community. Margaret was not only concerned with the practices of court, ceremony and rituals, she made every effort to fundamentally Catholicize the court and country – and like Catholic missionaries for generations, she founded schools, hospitals, and orphanages; the faith-based caring for the people.

Margaret believed in the frequent receiving of Communion. We still hear how our Church has not allowed women a role in the leadership. Margaret provided substantial leadership in our Church; albeit from a chair in the secular throne room. Most of us men do not have a role in our Church’s leadership – except the leadership we exercise in our personal lives, our professional lives, even our parish/diocesan lives. We have the duty of our charisms – for the good of the church as well as for the good of our family and communities.

“In her last illness, she learned that both her husband and her son, Edward, had been killed in battle. Yet she prayed: "I thank You, Almighty God, for sending me so great a sorrow to purify me from my sins."” [Catholic online] when we have sorrows, when we experience trauma, when we are standing in our own Gethsemane wishing for this cup to pass, remember Margaret’s prayer – gratitude for the opportunity to purify oneself from sins – and Jesus’ prayer “not My will but Your will be done.” The cards we are dealt are for our well being, our good doing….

I love you,
dad