MARGHERITA da Ravenna, blessed
Born at Russi (Faenza) in 1442, died at Ravenna on 23 January 1595. Blind from the age of two, she led from childhood a life of harsh penance and contemplation.
For fourteen years she endured with admirable patience a troublesome infirmity and was subjected to harsh treatment by ill-wishers who accused her of hypocrisy. Once her sincerity and holy life were recognized, not a few faithful placed themselves under her guidance, founding the Confraternity of the Good Jesus, for which she drew up the rules, based especially on penance and charity toward one’s neighbor. After the death of Bl. M., her disciple Bl. Gentile, with the help of Fr. Girolamo Maluselli, transformed the confraternity into the Congregation of the Regular Clerics of the Good Jesus.
MARGHERITA del S.mo Sacramento, venerable
Mystic of the Carmelite Order, born Marguerite Acarie, at Paris on 6 March 1590, died there at the Petit Carmel du faubourg Saint-Jacques on 24 May 1660. Daughter of Barbe Avrillot or Mme Acarie (v. Maria dell’Incarnazione, 1620), she was born at Ravenna on 15 September 1605 among the Carmelite nuns of the Latin rite at the Faubourg Saint-Jacques (Paris).
“She will go further than her mother,” said Fr. E. Binet (v.) of M. Nourished on the works of St Teresa and the spirit of the *De imitatione Christi*, she always aimed at self-effacement. Her spirituality was strong and simple. God manifested M.’s holiness by the gift of prophecy. Richelieu himself had her examined by Cardinal de Bérulle before undertaking the siege of La Rochelle. She foretold, in particular, the death of St Jeanne-Françoise de Chantal. At the beatification process of her mother, Mme Acarie, the Marquise de Maiguelais declared: “Mother M., her daughter, is even holier.” Fr. De Vernon extracted from her letters and spiritual notes: *Conduite chrétienne et religieuses selon les sentiments de la vén. mère Marguerite* (Paris 1641).