Saint Margaret of Scotland

(c. 1045 – November 16, 1093)

Feast Day November 16
 

Margaret was the daughter of Princess Agatha of Hungary and the Anglo-Saxon Prince Edward Atheling. She spent much of her youth in the court of her great-uncle, the English king, Edward the Confessor.
 
Her family fled from William the Conqueror and was shipwrecked off the coast of Scotland. Malcolm Canmore III, the king of Scotland, welcomed Margaret and her family and put them under his protection. He soon fell deeply in love with the beautiful and kind princess. Margaret and Malcolm became married in 1070 at the castle of Dunfermline.
 
They had eight children, six sons and two daughters. All of whom were raised with deep Catholic Christian faith. They lived as a holy family, a domestic church.
 
Margaret's kind-nature and good heart was a strong influence on Malcolm's reign. She softened his temper and helped him become a virtuous King of Scotland. Together they prayed, fed the hungry, and offered a powerful example of living faith in action. Margaret was placed in charge of all domestic affairs and was often consulted with state matters, as well.
 
She promoted the arts and education in Scotland. She encouraged Church synods and was involved in efforts to correct the religious abuses involving Bishops, priests and laypeople.
 
Her impact in Scotland led her to being referred to as, "The Pearl of Scotland". She constantly worked to aid the poor Scotland. She encouraged people to live a devout life, grow in prayer, and grow in holiness. She helped to build churches, including the Abbey of Dunfermline, where a relic of the true Cross is kept. She was well-known for her deep life of prayer and piety. She set aside specific times for prayer and to read Scripture. She didn't eat often and slept very little so she would have more time for her devotions. She lived holiness of life as a wife, mother and lay woman, truly in love with Jesus Christ.
 
Malcolm supported Margaret in all her endeavors and admired her religious devotion so much he had her books decorated in jewels, gold and silver. One of these decorated books, a gospel book with portraits of the four evangelists, is now kept in Oxford at the Bodleian Library after it was miraculously recovered from a river.
 
In 1093, Malcolm and their oldest son were killed during the Battle of Alnwick. Already ill and worn from a life full of austerity and fasting, Margaret passed away four days after her husband, on November 16, 1093. Her body was buried before the high alter at Dunfermline. In 1250, Pope Innocent IV canonized Margaret as a Saint, acknowledging her life of holiness and extraordinary virtue. She was honored for her work for reform of the Church and her personal holiness. In 1259, Margaret's and Malcolm's bodies were transferred to a chapel in the eastern apse of Dunfermline Abbey. In 1560, Mary Queen of Scots came into possession of Margaret's head. It was kept as a relic. She insisted that it, and Margaret's prayers from heaven, helped assist her in childbirth. Her head later ended up with the Jesuits at the Scots' College, Douai, France, but was lost during the French Revolution.

HISTORY OF ST. MARGARET’S CATHOLIC CHURCH
GIDDINGS, TEXAS

 St. Margaret’s Catholic Church is in the city of Giddings, Texas. Before the 1930s, missionaries ministered to Catholic families living around Giddings. By September 1932, Father Sebastian Rubi, celebrates a monthly Mass at the home of Mr. Raymond Treviño.
 
With he permission of Bishop Byrne, from March 1934 to 1939, Father F. D. Urbanowsky came once a month to tend to the spiritual needs of the people. Fr. Urbanowsky came three times a year with his trailer chapel, The Espiritu Sancto, to conduct a week’s mission each visit. By that time the home of Mr. Treviño became too small for the large numbers.
 
From 1940 to 1943, Fr. Louis Le Blanc built a first white frame church and St. Francis Church began. In 1943, Fr. George Elmendorf took care of the Giddings church; but by May 1944, the zealous Fr. LeBlanc recovered his health and was appointed as the first resident pastor of the new St. Francis Parish, with Pin Oak as a mission.
 
The rectory was begun in March 1945, but Fr. LeBlanc two months later passed away on July 19, 1947, before the rectory was completed. In 1945 Fr. Henry Gottschalk, became the new pastor and he was replaced by Fr. Vincent Waiches, SVD in April 1951.
 
Fr. Waiches, started planning for a new permanent church with eh aid of the Extension Society (who wished that the name of the church be changed to St. Margaret Church) completed a yellow brick structure in 1954. He also renovated the interior of the rectory. And religious education classes for the young people began.
 
1954-1964 Fr. Alvin Trublowski, SVD, completed the rectory.
1964 Fr. Michael Bodnar, SVD, a missionary from New Guinea, was assigned to St. Margaret. He instituted a “building fund” and established a mission at the State School in Giddings for troubled youth. In 1980, Fr. Amos Frerichs, SVD was appointed pastor of St. Margaret and he began the project of the new and modern church.
 
Fr Clement Mathis and Fr. Jayme served as substitute Pastor until Fr. Victor Mathias, originally from India, was assigned to St. Margaret Church in April 1988, serving until July of 1991. Fr. Ryszard (Richard) Goluch, from Poland, was then assigned to St. Margaret. Under his direction, the education building was completed in the summer of 1992.
 
In 1999, Fr. Raphael Clancy joined St. Margaret for a short time.
In July 1999, Fr. Juan Antonio Maravilla was assigned to St. Margaret as a pastor. And a secretary was established for the first time and Martha S. Bettis was hired for that office.
In July 2000, Fr. Albert C. Ruiz joined St. Margaret and he purchased the house across the street from the church. It was concerted into the Parish Office in 2001.
 
In January 2002, Fr. James R Olnhausen was assigned as pastor of St. Margaret. He began improvements to Education Building One, to accommodate the growing number of students in the Religious Education Program. In 2004, a major renovation of the Parish Hall was made. A Rededication was held in November in honor of the Feast of St. Margaret of Scotland.
In 2004, Deacon Mark Hamlet came to serve as permanent Deacon for both St. Margaret and St. Mary’s at Pin Oak until early 2008.
In 2005, the former Parish Office had more renovations.
In 2012, Fr. James Olnhausen began the preparation of a second Religious Education building.
On February 21, 2016, the new building was blessed by Bishop Joe Vasquez.
On July 15, 2016 after 13 1/2 years of faithful service Fr. Jim R. Olnhausen retired and left the parish.
On July 19, 2016, Fr. Uche Andeh arrived at St. Margaret as a new Pastor.
In July 2019, Fr. Miguel Duarte came to St. Margaret as new Pastor.
In July 2020, the Parish Office was moved to Religious Education Building Two.
In February 2021, due to an ice storm, the Parish Hall and Saint Cecilia house suffered significant damages, because of this, these two buildings were renovated.