Saint Anthony of Padua, OFM, Priest, Doctor of the Church (Feast)

Follow Saint Anthony’s footsteps and help the poor.

Feast Day

13 June

Saint Anthony of Padua, O.F.M, was born in Lisbon as Fernando Martins de Bulhões on 15 August 1195 and is also known as Anthony of Lisbon and Saint Anthony the Wonder-Worker. He was a Portuguese Catholic priest and friar of the Franciscan Order. Saint Anthony of Padua is one of the Catholic Church’s most popular saints. Saint Anthony of Padua, patron saint of lost and stolen articles, He was a powerful Franciscan preacher and teacher. He’s often portrayed holding the child Jesus or a lily in his arms, in honour of an apparition of the Infant Jesus, in which He kissed Saint Anthony and told him He loved him . Many people give alms to Saint Anthony in thanksgiving to God for blessings received through the prayers of Saint Anthony. Saint Anthony's extraordinary love for the poor is portrayed in his actions of feeding the hungry. This act is well-known as Saint Anthony’s Bread for the Poor and is a one of the popular method for people to emulate the spirit of the saint in feeding the hungry.

At 15, he joined the community of Canons Regular of St Augustine in Lisbon and at 17, he was transferred to the Augustinian Monastery of Santa Cruz at Coimbra which was renowned for its biblical scholarship. He then 25, was inspired to die for Christ by the martyrdom of the first Franciscan Friars whose bodies were brought back from Morocco to Coimbra where he was studying. He was deeply affected by their deaths where Berard, Peter and Otto who were priests while Adiuto and Accursio were brothers whom had had tried out of love to convert the Sultan of Morrocco and gave their lives for the sake of the Gospel.

Soon after, he joined the Franciscan Friars taking the name "Anthony" after the patron of the friary at Coimbra called Saint Anthony of the Olives and within a few months he was sailing for Morocco to achieve his dream of martyrdom. This did not last long as God had other plans for Anthony. He became ill with malarial fever and it was necessary for him to return home. On the voyage journey back there was a violent storm causing the ship to turn and run before the wind. They were blown all the way to Sicily where they found safety in the harbour at Messina and here Anthony found a group of Franciscan Friars. On getting to know about a great meeting of the friars at Pentecost, Anthony happily accompanied the friars north to Assisi. On the 23 May 1221, he attended the great Chapter of Mats and was one unknown, new, foreign friar among the thousands gathered at the meeting.

Saint Anthony's preaching came to the attention of Saint Francis, the founder of the Franciscans, who directed him to teach theology to the Franciscan brothers. He preached so strongly against the Cathars and Albigenses which earned him the title "Hammer of the Heretics." During his life, he performed many miracles, including rendering poisoned food innocuous by making the Sign of the Cross over it; bilocating (appearing in two places at one time) so that he could celebrate Mass and sing the Divine Office; and reattaching an amputated foot. His miracles, both during his life and after his death, has made him known as "the Wonder Worker".

Saint Anthony died in Padua on 13 June 1231, , and his feast is celebrated on that day.. St. Anthony's canonization was one of the fastest in history as it took less than 12 months. He was canonised in the town of Spoleto by Pope Gregory IX on the 30 May 1232. When his body was exhumed to be transferred it was found that although his body had disintegrated his tongue was whole, life-like and of a natural colour. St Bonaventure, seeing this miracle cried out, "O blessed tongue, you have always praised the Lord and led others to praise him! Now we can clearly see how great indeed have been your merits before God." He was proclaimed a Doctor of the Church on 16 January 1946.

Patron saint of faith in the Blessed Sacrament, amputees, sailors, elderly people, seekers of lost articles, animals especially horses, expectant mothers and barren women.

“Christians must lean on the Cross of Christ just as travellers lean on a staff when they begin a long journey. They must have the Passion of Christ deeply embedded in their minds and hearts, because only from it can they derive peace, grace, and truth.”

~ St. Anthony of Padua ~

The year 2013 marks the 750th anniversary of the discovery Saint Anthony's relics by Saint Bonaventure and the 782nd anniversary of Saint Anthony's death.

Thursday, June 13, 2013 

St. Anthony of Padua, OFM, Priest, Doctor of the Church (Feast)

Reading 1

Wisdom 7: 7 - 14
7	Therefore I prayed, and understanding was given me; I called upon God, and the spirit of wisdom came to me.
8	I preferred her to scepters and thrones, and I accounted wealth as nothing in comparison with her.
9	Neither did I liken to her any priceless gem, because all gold is but a little sand in her sight, and silver will be accounted as clay before her.
10	I loved her more than health and beauty, and I chose to have her rather than light, because her radiance never ceases.
11	All good things came to me along with her, and in her hands uncounted wealth.
12	I rejoiced in them all, because wisdom leads them; but I did not know that she was their mother.
13	I learned without guile and I impart without grudging; I do not hide her wealth,
14	for it is an unfailing treasure for men; those who get it obtain friendship with God, commended for the gifts that come from instruction.

or

Ephesians 4: 7, 11 - 15
7	But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift.
11	And his gifts were that some should be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, some pastors and teachers,
12	to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ,
13	until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fulness of Christ;
14	so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the cunning of men, by their craftiness in deceitful wiles.
15	Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ,

Psalm

Psalms 40: 3 - 4, 10 - 11, 17
3	He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God. Many will see and fear, and put their trust in the LORD.
4	Blessed is the man who makes the LORD his trust, who does not turn to the proud, to those who go astray after false gods!
10	I have not hid thy saving help within my heart, I have spoken of thy faithfulness and thy salvation; I have not concealed thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness from the great congregation.
11	Do not thou, O LORD, withhold thy mercy from me, let thy steadfast love and thy faithfulness ever preserve me!
17	As for me, I am poor and needy; but the Lord takes thought for me. Thou art my help and my deliverer; do not tarry, O my God!

Gospel

Mark 16: 15 - 20
15	And he said to them, "Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation.
16	He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.
17	And these signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues;
18	they will pick up serpents, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover."
19	So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.
20	And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen.