Raised as a Baptist in a loving family in Mississippi, she started coming to Cleveland as an adolescent to help her siblings with childcare in the summer. Eventually, she moved here full time, married and began raising her own family.

Unfortunately, her husband struggled with mental health issues, the marriage became abusive, and they divorced. Margaret was a stay-at-home mom for her four children — three daughters and a son — while also caring for neighborhood children. Her children attended Urban Community School and the girls went on to graduate from Catholic high schools.

Since she didn’t have a car, she often walked past the stone church or caught a bus nearby.

“One day, I was feeling down and out and I was walking under the bridge (near the church) on my way to an appointment. I felt lost, alone, despairing and I didn’t know what to do. Then, as I approached St. Malachi, I heard a voice above me. It said, ‘Come … Come … Come.’ After the third time, I looked up and saw a ray of glory — a spirit coming toward me. It just hit me and overtook me. I recognized it and called out God’s name,” Margaret said, recalling the experience she had in 1987.

“I said, ‘God, are you calling me?’ I wasn’t frightened. 

Then I heard the voice telling me again, ‘Come.’ I asked God if he was calling me to come to the church,” she said, adding she didn’t think she could do that since she was Black. She wasn’t sure if she would be accepted by the white congregation.

“I didn’t have a church home in Cleveland, but I had a Bible and I prayed. I wasn’t sure what had just happened. Then I realized I had heard that voice before,” she said,

Margaret continued on to her appointment and on the way home, crossed the street, and walked toward the church. It was closed, but she noted the posted bulletin and the Mass times.

One day not long afterward, her second grade daughter, Sunny, said they had learned at school that if you pray for those who are in purgatory, they can go to heaven. That struck a chord with Margaret, who had lost six close relatives in a car crash in Mississippi. “I felt if I prayed for them, they could still go to heaven.” That also helped nudge her along the path to discovering the Catholic faith.

She began volunteering at Urban Community School and after repeatedly walking past St. Malachi, she finally decided to go inside. One Sunday morning, she got the kids dressed and they all went to Mass.  “We sat on the Holy Family side. I never felt out of place. In fact, we felt welcomed,” she said.

Gradually, she became more at home and more involved in the parish.

“If I hadn’t stopped and listened to that voice, I’m not sure what my life would be like,” she said.

The late Donna Rego, a longtime parishioner, invited Margaret to join what then was called Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults, or RCIA. Her family developed a relationship with the Regos, who often gave them rides to the church. Her son loved sitting in the front seat and grew close to Anthony Rego, Donna’s husband. When she and her family entered the Church at the Easter Vigil in 1989, Anthony was her son’s godfather and confirmation sponsor.

The family continued attending Mass regularly and becoming more involved in the parish, but transportation remained a hurdle. However, generous parishioners helped with rides, with one even sending a limousine to pick them up. She recalled how much they enjoyed that experience.

Margaret worked at the St. Malachi Center, assisting with childcare and family programming. She also volunteered as a companion for others in the RCIA process, now known as the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. She enjoyed sharing her faith story with OCIA candidates.

In recent years, Margaret has earned a college degree, purchased a home, obtained a car and became a business partner in Ecco Village Produce, LLC.

As she grew more familiar and comfortable in the Catholic faith, Margaret served on parish council and as a PSR teacher. She continues to serve as an extraordinary minister of holy Communion, an altar server and the chairperson for the Songs for the Soul event, designed to celebrate church and community with food and fellowship. She has also assisted with some of St. Malachi’s social outreach programs. In fact, she’s become so involved that when someone is looking for her, “My kids and grandkids always ask, ‘Are you at St. Malachi?’” she quipped. “I always invite people to come to this church.”

The only time she felt a small tug to go elsewhere was when her brother became the minister of his own Baptist congregation. But she prefers the Catholic Church, which she said “preaches salvation, not damnation,” as is common among Baptists in the South.

On Labor Day in 2024, she met Sister Jane Nesmith, SBS, and learned there is an Office of Black Catholic Ministries in the diocese. She was also surprised there are so many other Black Catholics engaging in culturally enriched spirituality. Margaret now serves as a member of the office’s advisory committee and the planning committee for the annual Juneteenth celebration.

“The most important thing as a Catholic living the faith is to take advantage of prayer, the sacraments, social teaching and service,” she said. “I am happy God put me here to live my faith. And that’s what I do. When the priest holds up the chalice and the host at the consecration, a glory fills the church. Even if I’m feeling alone, I feel the Lord’s presence,” Margaret said.

“I am so grateful that I listened and responded to God’s call.”