Whilst Bella entered the Little Sisters of the Poor who ministered to those living in poverty, Margaret felt called to spend her life in solitude and prayer. Her first choice was to enter the Poor Clares at Edinburgh, her hometown. However, the community there was experiencing a time of great difficulty and her application was turned down. She understood the true meaning of the words of the Psalmist: "Listen daughter and incline your ear; leave your people and your father's house" (Psalm 45:10). She willingly sacrificed the nearness of family and her Scots culture, and wrote to apply to the Poor Clares in Notting Hill, London.