St. Anthony of Padua on the Blessed Mother

Feast of St. Anthony of Padua

St. Anthony statue, Molokai

Happy Feast Day!

This is what St. Anthony wrote regarding the Cross:

"The Christian must lean on the Cross of Christ as the wanderer leans on his stick when he takes a long journey. He must be well etched in the minds and hearts of the Passion of Christ only because the word is derived from that source of life and peace, grace and truth. Let us turn our eyes to Jesus, our Lord nailed to the Cross of salvation to crucify our flesh to his Cross mortifying the senses; weep for the sins we have committed ourselves and those of our neighbor".

Source

Thanks to Mary Jane for sharing the following:

TUESDAY: SAINT ANTHONY'S DAY

Tuesday is dedicated to Saint Anthony because of the many and astounding miracles which occurred on the Tuesday on which his body was laid to rest.

So numerous were these prodigies, as has been told before, that the somber funeral was transformed into a triumphal procession. It is said that no one invoked the aid of the Saint without obtaining relief. All returned to their homes comforted, praising God and saying: "This is the day the Lord hath made to Saint Anthony; let us be glad and rejoice therein."

Since that time the devout clients of the Wonder- Worker have dedicated every Tuesday to Saint Anthony as the day on which God was pleased to show forth the power of the Saint.

This pious custom gradually spread throughout the Catholic world. In Franciscan churches on each Tuesday, devotions were held in his honor, and faithful clients come to pay homage to him. Saint Anthony himself has chosen Tuesday as his own. He has obtained throughout the centuries countless favors, spiritual and temporal, for those who have honored him on that day.

The Church has set Her approval upon Tuesday as Saint Anthony's day by generous indulgences. A plenary indulgence is granted on every Tuesday of the year to all who receive the Sacraments and on that day visit a Catholic church where the Blessed Sacrament is exposed, and there pray for the intentions of the Holy Father.

A plenary indulgence is granted on each day of thirteen consecutive Tuesdays (or Sundays), once a year, to all who perform an act of piety in honor of St. Anthony, receive the Sacraments, visit a church or public oratory and pray there for the intentions of the Holy Father (Leo XIII, Mar. 1, 1898).

St. Anthony of Padua

This morning we had the privilege of venerating the relic of St. Anthony as it placed on the altar during Mass.  Father R. gave a lively homily on his favorite saint.  He talked to us about curious ways Catholics have of asking for St. Anthony's intercession.  It seems that some Catholics, (and I won't mention what country) looking for a spouse turn to St. Anthony.  Specifically, they turn the statue of St. Anthony upside down until he answers their prayers.  Another way St. Anthony, the finder of lost things is used is for finding a parking space.  I am sure just about all of us have asked St. Anthony to intercede for us when we lose something.  I often ask him to intercede for family members and friends to find their way back home to the Catholic Church.  He is also one of the patron saints on the  Prayers for Our Pets blog. Father R.enjoined us this morning to ask St. Anthony to help us find peace in our hearts when we are troubled.

Devotion to St. Anthony has always been big in our family.  My grandmother, who would have been 99 today was born on his feast day.  She had a huge affection for this dear saint.  She learned it from her mother, my great-grandmother.

Happy Feast of St. Anthony!

Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua

Picture source

"It is only in adversity that we come to know whether we have made real progress in goodness...

Two things the devil fears above all:

the fire of charity and the well-trodden path of humility...

The poor of Jesus Christ, who are marked with the sign of his poverty as long as they are in this world, consider themselves pilgrims and exiled from the Lord (2 Cor. 5:6) and walk roughshod over the passing things of this world. Unless we keep our hearts thus unfettered, how can we come to the Lord?

Nothing apart from God can satisfy the human heart which is truly in search of him. Patience is one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit in us. Practically, we are required to be patient in many ways: for there are some things, trials and crosses, which come to us from God; others, temptations and enticements, that come to us from our old adversary the devil; still other difficulties that arise from our neighbor: persecution, complaints, unjust accusations. Against all these we must be ever on our guard lest we give way to complaining against the trials our maker sends us; lest again we be led astray into sin, which is what the devil wants; or to be overly disturbed by the thoughtlessness or unkindness of others. For if we want to have our own way always, aren't we really seeking our reward here below in the things of the is life? Let us couple patience and long-suffering int he spirit of meekness and faith (and so bring forth fruit in patience)!"

- Saint Anthony of Padua.
June 13th Meditation of the Day, Magnficat 2011

On this the feast day of Saint Anthony, I highly recommend the movie Saint Anthony. It stars a young and very talented Italian actor Daniele Liotta. He also stars in another highly recommended movie Don Gnocchi. Click the link Saint Anthony to learn more and to read an interview with the actor. More on Don Gnocchi at a later time.