Poor St. Anthony gets worn out from getting called on by me for help with lost objects, but he always comes through. :) Even my protestant husband will ask if I have called on St. Anthony.
Great story: Years ago, during my teaching career, a young colleague came into my room after school in search of a misplaced grade book. I hardly knew him, but a hunch had me ask him if he was Catholic. He told me, “No, but I was raised Catholic”. When he indicated that he would not do so, I told him. as he was leaving the room, that I would pray to St. Anthony on his behalf.
Seconds later, he came in astonished at having found the grade book in a place where he had looked several times.
Some days after this incident, he had misplaced his wallet at home and was tearing his house apart looking for it. In the meantime, he got a call from his grandmother, the woman who had raised him Catholic. He said that she told him to pray to St. Anthony. He was annoyed and told her she sounded like “a woman I work with” (me). But he related that after he got off the phone he fell to his knees and asked for our dear saint’s help. And, of course, St. Anthony came through again.
He is one of the great saints of the Catholic Church, and one of the beloved--even far beyond Catholics themselves. Untold numbers of people turn to him, still, when there is loss. And strangely--at least strangely in the usual ways of the world--those things often quickly turn up. And often they turn up in the most unexpected--even seemingly miraculous ways. Let the stories begin.
