Saint Anthony – Miracle Worker

By TOM DENNEHY

Saint Anthony of Padua, a revered figure in the Catholic Church, was a renowned Franciscan friar and preacher. His deep devotion to God, profound knowledge of Scripture and eloquent preaching made him a beloved and influential figure in his time. He was known for his ability to connect with people from all walks of life, delivering sermons that touched hearts and stirred souls.

He was born in Lisbon, Portugal in 1195. Though he was born into an affluent family, he found religious life attractive from an early age. He joined the Augustinian order in Coimbra, Portugal where he studied Theology and Sacred Scripture. When Franciscan monks came to the area, he was intrigued by them and their way of life but what really caught his attention was their missionary spirit. When the bodies of the first Franciscan martyrs, missionaries to Morocco, were returned to the city, Fernando felt a stirring in his soul. He wanted to be a martyr too. Having received permission, he joined his Franciscan brothers and took the name, Anthony. Anthony was sent to Morocco as a missionary, a fulfillment of his dream. But when he arrived, he felt terribly ill and was put on a ship destined for Portugal so he might recover. The ship was caught in a vicious storm and was blown off course and landed on the shore of Sicily, Italy. From there, Anthony travelled north where he remained for the rest of his life in the company of his brother Franciscans.

A Gift Discovered.

Anthony’s health having improved, he now served his new community without much notice. That all changed one night when he attended an ordination of a group of Franciscans and Dominicans. The Dominicans, known for their preaching, were expected to deliver the homily but insisted they were unprepared. Anthony’s superior instructed Anthony to preach and he delivered a homily so eloquent and beautiful that it greatly impressed the founder of his order, St. Francis, who asked him to become preacher to the Franciscans, an offer that Anthony humbly accepted. Though he spent some time teaching in universities, Anthony was best known for his preaching which was at once brilliantly profound but at the same time simple enough for all to understand.

Proofs of Holiness.

Though he is patron saint of sailors, fishermen, and the poor, Anthony is constantly invoked by us to find lost articles, thanks to an event that happened during his years spent teaching the Franciscans. A novice, disenchanted with the monk’s way of life, had decided to leave the hermitage, but before he did, he stole Anthony’s Psalter, a very valuable item to him. Anthony prayed for its return and the novice not only returned the book but also returned to religious life.

Miracle of the Eucharist.

St. Anthony felt sorry for the non believers. He saw that they were depriving themselves of the most precious gift of the Eucharist. One day, they told Anthony they would believe that Christ was truly present in the Eucharist only if their mule bowed down to it. The owner starved the mule for three days and when the mule had to choose between eating the fodder and the Blessed Sacrament, he ignored his extreme hunger and knelt down to adore the Blessed Sacrament.

Back in Padua in 1231, Anthony preached his last and most famous Lenten sermons. The crowds were so great- sometimes 30,000 – that churches could not hold them, so he went into the open fields. People waited all night to hear him. Confessions lasted all day as well as his fasting and constant prayer. The great energy he had expended had left him exhausted. He went to a little town near Padua to rest and recover but he soon realized death was coming close. At Arcella, he received the last sacraments. When asked what he was staring at so intently, he answered, “I see the Lord”. He died in peace a short time after that. He was only 36 and had been a Franciscan for only ten years. The story of devotion to Saint Anthony began almost immediately after his death on June 13, 1231. Thousands came to view the body of Anthony and attend his burial. His grave immediately became a place of extraordinary devotion and numerous miracles. Pope Gregory 1X, who personally knew Saint Anthony, canonized him only a year after he died. Pope Leo X111 gave him the title of “Saint of the World” because he is venerated all over the world. He is a Doctor of the Church.