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Saint Anthony of Padua
By peace | June 16, 2010
Saint Anthony of Padua Statue at Church of St Anthony of Padua
Saint Anthony of Padua (1195 – 1231)
Feast Day: 13 June
Saint Anthony was only 36 years old when he died. Upon , some 336 years after his death, his body was found to be corrupted, yet his tongue was totally incorrupt, so perfect were the teachings that had been formed upon it.
Anthony’s parents were rich and wanted him to be a great nobleman. But he wanted to be poor for the sake of Christ, so he became a Franciscan. He first joined the Augustinian Order and then left it and joined the Franciscan Order in 1221, when he was 26 years old. The reason he became a Franciscan was because of the death of the five Franciscan protomartyrs — St. Bernard, St. Peter, St. Otho, St. Accursius, and St. Adjutus — who shed their blood for the Catholic Faith in the year 1220, in Morocco, in North Africa, and whose headless and mutilated bodies had been brought to St. Anthony’s monastery on their way back for burial. Anthony became a Franciscan in the hope of shedding his own blood and becoming a martyr. He lived only ten years after joining the Franciscan Order.
Anthony was a great preacher –so simple and resounding was his teaching of the Catholic Faith, so that the most unlettered and innocent might understand it He was sent out as a missionary and preached in many cities in Italy and France. He brought many sinners back to God, mostly by his good example.
It is said that when Anthony was praying in his room, the Infant Jesus apeared to him, put His little arms around his neck, and kissed him. He is thus depicted with a book and the Infant Child Jesus, to whom He miraculously appeared, and is commonly referred to today as the “finder of lost articles”. This wonderful favour was given to Anthony because he kept his soul free from even the smallest sin and because he loved Jesus very much.
When Anthony became ill, he went to a monastery outside of Padua, where he died at the age of only thirty-six on 13 June 1231. Thirty-two years after his death, his remains were brought to Padua. All the flesh except the tongue had been consumed by conception. Many miracles took place after his death. Even today, he is called the “wonder worker”. His feast is celebrated on 13 June.
Saint Anthony is one of the most popular saints. He was made a Doctor of the Church by Pope Pius XII in 1946. He is called the ‘Saint of the Whole World’ because the faithful of the whole world love him. During the past seven hundred years, millions have been attracted to this great Franciscan Wonderworker.
When St. Anthony of Padua found he was preaching the true Gospel of the Catholic Church to heretics who would not listen to him, he then went out and preached it to the fishes. This was not, as liberals and naturalists are trying to say, for the instruction of the fishes, but rather for the glory of God, the delight of the angels, and the easing of his own heart. St. Anthony wanted to profess the Catholic Faith with his mind and his heart, at every moment.
Another Franciscan, Saint Bonaventure, says, “Ask the Wonderworker with confidence” and he will obtain what you seek.
Topics: Education, Faith, Inspirational Stories, People, Personal, Religion, Spiritual Articles, View All Post, bible | 3 Comments »
June 16th, 2010 at 5:49 am
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