St Anthony of Padua
Feast Day June 13
 
Patron of the Lost

St Anthony is most familiar as the finder of lost objects.  MMG members regard him simply as "finder of the lost."  They often ask his intercession for the return of one of their family members who is lost to the faith.  For that lost sheep they find the words (although a little bit altered) of that rhyming prayer often prayed to St Anthony to be inspiring: "Tony, Tony, please come down.  Some-one's lost and must be found!" 

Who was Saint Anthony of Padua?

     This Doctor of the Church began his religious vocation at age15 in a monastery. Soon he would spend nine years in study during which time he was ordained a priest.
     Anthony knew where he wished to go, but God led him instead to other places. On his way to Morocco he became ill and began the trip back home. A storm blew his ship to Sicily where he met the friars at Messina. There Anthony asked to be assigned the a life of a hermit and his wish was granted. That is, until he attended an ordination where he was asked to give a sermon at the meal.
     His simple, but inspirational and knowledgeable rhetoric in addition to his obvious holiness, changed his life from hermit to public preacher.
      In Anthony, people found not only a preacher of the Word, but also one who lived the gospel lifestyle of poverty. In time Anthony became a teacher of the Franciscan friars.
     Finally, he was led to Padua where he preached at the university and always tried to spend time in solitude and prayer. His sermons were so well attended, sometimes numbering 30,000, that he had to preach in the open fields.
     His preaching, with calls for peace and justice, also called so many people back to the faith that he was called “Hammer of Heretics.”
     We are asked to imitate Anthony's love for God's Word and follow his efforts at applying it to our own everyday lives through love of neighbor and humility.

 Prayer Asking
the Intercession of St Anthony

Most holy St. Anthony, Beloved Friend of Jesus, I place myself in your heavenly care. Be with me, especially in life’s troubles and difficulties. Intercede before the Lord for me, so that I may confidently know I do not face my problems alone. I join my prayers to yours, O Great Saint, as I ask God to give me consolation in times of sorrow, courage when I am afraid, and healing from all the ills that afflict me.

Obtain for me from God, Most High, the grace to accept whatever is God’s holy will for me and my loved ones. Strengthen my faith so that I will never despair, but always have hope in God’s healing presence and power in my life. Amen.

 Comment: Anthony should be the patron of those who find their lives completely uprooted and set in a new and unexpected direction. Like all saints, he is a perfect example of turning one's life completely over to Christ. God did with Anthony as God pleased—and what God pleased was a life of spiritual power and brilliance that still attracts admiration today. He whom popular devotion has nominated as finder of lost objects found himself by losing himself totally to the providence of God.

            ~From Saint of the Day, Lives,
  Lessons and Feast,
By Leonard Foley, O.F.M.