St. Margaret Fontana

In her teenage years, Margaret Fontana, of Mutina, Italy, consecrated her virginity to God and became a Third Order Dominican, living her consecration thereafter in her family’s home. Margaret’s biographer describes her as “meek and humble as a lamb…simple and pure as a dove, ” sparing in words, but honest and wise whenever she did speak. She rose in the night not only to recite the divine office, but also to spend much time in her own devotions. On one occasion, in the street facing the Fontana family’s home, a girl about nine years old, while playing with other children, was struck in the right eye by a sharp piece of wood, which lacerated it. As the girl screamed in agony, Margaret came out of her house and went to the girl’s side, saying, “Have confidence, my little daughter, and be of good heart.” Margaret then made the sign of the cross over the punctured eye. Thereupon the girl opened her eye, which was found to be completely healed. The girl lived to a very advanced age and, as an eighty-four-year-old woman, described this incident to three priests many years after Margaret’s death.