St. Margaret Clitherow was born about 1556 in York, England, and died on March 25, 1586. Margaret is among the Forty Martyrs of England and Wales who were executed between 1535 and 1679 on treason and related charges for defending the Catholic faith.
Margaret converted to Catholicism when she was eighteen, and was an ardent defender of her newfound faith. It was discovered she was hiding priests in her home, and she refused to enter a plea in court because her children and servants would have been called as witnesses against her. Margaret was crushed to death by having a door loaded with rocks and stones placed on her chest.
St. Margaret Clitherow said: “Having made no offense, I need no trial. If you say I have offended, I will be tried by none but God and your conscience.”
Give some thought today to why you follow Christ as a Catholic. What do you say when someone of another faith or an agnostic or atheist asks why you are Catholic? Spend some time in prayer today contemplating your explanation, and how you would be prepared to defend the faith.
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