About Us
The Story of St. Margaret of Castello
1287–1320. Patron saint of the abandoned, the disabled, and those rejected for their appearance.
In 1287, a child was born to a noble family in Metola, Italy. But there were no celebrations. Rather, there was great distress.
This child, Margaret, was born blind, with a severe curvature of the spine, and one leg shorter than the other to the point that she could barely walk. To her status-conscious parents, she was a source of profound shame.
As young as age 6, Margaret was walled up in a room beside a chapel, with a hope that she would be forgotten. A family chaplain taught her about God.
Seeking a miracle, her parents took her to a Franciscan shrine. They didn’t receive one and abandoned her.
Yet, Margaret did not succumb to bitterness.
She was taken in by the city’s poor, who recognized the light within her that her own parents could not see.
Devotional panels commissioned for this foundation, 2026.
A living miracle of joy and service
She became a member of the Dominican Third Order of Castello, through which she continuously prayed and devoted the remainder of her 33-year life to performing acts of penance and charity.
Margaret spent her life visiting prisoners, nursing the sick, and teaching the Faith to children. Margaret lived her life as a “living miracle” of joy and service. Margaret’s life was a profound reflection of the Passion of Christ.
Just as Jesus was “despised and rejected by mankind” (Isaiah 53:3), Margaret carried the physical weight of rejection from birth.
However, she did not view her disabilities as a curse, but as a way to stay physically and spiritually close to the Cross.
She found her true mother in Mary
Margaret found her true mother in the Blessed Virgin Mary. In her isolation, it is said she conversed with the Mother of God, drawing strength from Mary’s own experience of witnessing her child suffer.
Like Margaret, who taught children the Faith despite her blindness, we are called to show these children that their value is not found in what they can do or how they look, but in who they are.
Why she is our patroness
St. Margaret of Castello is the patron saint of the abandoned, the disabled, and those rejected for their appearance.
She is the heartbeat of this foundation because she proves that a “broken” body can house a perfect spirit, and that being abandoned by one’s family does not mean being abandoned by God or community.
In our foundation, we aim to provide the Marian Mantle of protection. For children who have been abandoned by their biological mothers or fathers, our foundation acts as a spiritual and physical home, offering the unconditional love that Mary provided at the foot of the Cross.
Mission Statement
Inspired by the life and sanctity of St. Margaret of Castello, we provide a sanctuary of holistic lifelong care for children and adults with disabilities — as well as children facing abandonment or impoverishment. Through the synthesis of specialized medical and therapeutic support with the love of Christ and His Mother, we labor to ensure that no individual, regardless of ability or circumstance, is hidden, forgotten, or left to walk alone.
She was never given a home. So we are building one.
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