House of Castello
House Color: Yellow
Feast Day: April 13
The castle tower symbolizes Margaret's noble birth in Citta-di-Castello, a town in Italy's Tuscan region.
Crest:
House of Castello's bright yellow signifies Saint Margaret's joyful optimism, whose unfailing trust in the goodness of God encouraged the lives of the townspeople who cared for her. The crest bears the black and white Dominican shield, marked with the "C" for Saint Margaret's Tuscan hometown, Citta-di-Castello. The castle tower denotes her noble birth, while the crutches remind us of her severe physical disability, which caused her parents to shun her, but by which she discovered the path to holiness. The motto Domine, ut videam comes from the story of the healing of a blind man in Luke 18: "Jesus asked him, 'What do you want Me to do for you?' He replied, 'Lord, please let me see.' Jesus told him, 'Have sight; your faith has saved you.'" Although Margaret lacked physical sight, she "saw" with the eyes of her soul God's love for each human life. Saint Margaret's parents were disappointed she was not the son they longed for and were ashamed of her deformities. However, Saint Margaret bore her sufferings with great cheerfulness and humility.
Saint Margaret of Castello, pray for us!
A statue of Saint Margaret of Castello is located in the rotunda outside the library.