Dear St. Anthony, I pray, Bring It Back, Without Delay!

Posted on December 12, 2012 by Joanne M. Queenan

Not just Catholics have a devotion to St. Anthony of Padua. He is a Saint for Everyman. Everyone misplaces or misses something important from time to time and it doesn't just have to be tangible things like keys, money, rings or other personal items. It could also be for return to health, peace and contentment or for a deeper spirituality.

People feel comfortable with St. Anthony, calling him by his nickname, Tony, as they beseech him to search with them or to pray with them for an answer to their intention. Does St. Anthony only have one item in his job description that the only reason why he is called upon is to be a scout on a treasure hunt? Hopefully, no, that people see him for the complex man he was.

Devotion to St. Anthony is deep and sincere, intense and often relentless. If the loss or intention is important enough to pray for, people stay at it until they get an answer. There is comfort to the belief that such a Saint is interested in our human desires and takes them so seriously when we entrust him to carry our concerns to the Lord Himself. That is the mendicant in us. He is our go-between for us human beggars and The Almighty. In our desperation, we seek divine help to recover whatever is missing in goods or in spirit.

St. Anthony's image is easy to identify on holy cards, statues and paintings. He is seen wearing a tonsure (bald spot at his crown) and perhaps there is a tiny flame on his hand or breast. He often holds the Infant Jesus or a large book with some lilies.

He has been called a patron for those away from home in the armed forces and of sailors. Other patronages are vaguer to explain his connection. He is said to be the patron of fishermen, cemetery workers, of amputees and has been called the marrying saint.

St. Anthony was a shy friar, apparently not what we might call a 'people person'. He wasn't gregarious or extroverted. But still, we gravitate to him, believing he is the right Saint for the job. More than once, Anthony experienced serious illness in his life and thus people pray easily to him, believing he really understands their situation given that in his life he experienced pain and vulnerability. His health was a cross for him to bear as his body put limits on him that denied his desire to set the world afire in the name of God. He was only 36 when he died of natural causes. He was canonized a Saint just one year after his death. When his body was exhumed in the canonization process, everything was reported to have turned to dust except his tongue. He was also titled as a Confessor, and later was named as only one of 33 Doctors of the Church.

We lovers of Franciscans know he was a Friar, a contemporary of St. Francis of Assisi. Because of Anthony's reticence it even took St. Francis a while to learn what a gifted man Anthony was. Once he understood how well educated the humble, holy man was, he charged him with educating the Friars and of taking the gospel and Franciscan mission through Italy. Anthony's gift, he discovered, was to preach on complex matters in a way that was understood by simple people. He has been called the first Franciscan teacher. The saint eventually established new Franciscan Monasteries and became the Provincial General in Northern Italy.

Br. Clete Riederer, OFM, gives food to those in need

St. Anthony's Bread is a current model emulating what he did during his lifetime. He tendered tangible assistance, not only in the form of answers to his needy followers' prayers, but he gave money, goods, food and his time. He worked miracles big and small in his lifetime as after his death. In response, the petitioners wanted to keep their relationship with the Saint from being self centered and materialistic, so many beneficiaries liked to return his generosity with a private token of gratitude. Those helped become the helpers. Those offerings of thanksgiving continue today through your gifts.

Born in Lisbon, Spain to wealthy parents, he was baptized Fernando Martins de Bulholm. But he changed his name when be began his spiritual journey at age 15. “Tony, Tony look around something's lost and can't be found!”... flows more easily than “Fernando, Fernando look around...!”

Joanne M. Queenan

Learn more about St. Anthony.