A Ride Home Found, A Staue Lost

Every morning before he opened up his restaurant for the day, John Evangelista would pause before the St. Anthony of Padua statue in front of his home and say a prayer. "It's just something I did every day at 4:30 a.m.," said the 78-year-old "It was a ritual." However, over the past few days, Mr. Evangelista has had some medical issues and had not made the short trip from his home to his restaurant, so he didn't know that somebody had stolen his cherished 2-foot statue from his front yard. Mr. Evangelista, a Catholic, learned about the theft when his daughter stopped by his home to drop off some food. "I was just heartbroken about it," he said. Mr. Evangelista has had other statues stolen before, including a baby Jesus that was part of a Nativity display. But the recent theft deeply affected him because of the statue's sentimental value and his close spiritual relationship to the Franciscan Catholic priest preacher and teacher, known for helping to find lost things for people who pray to him.
The story goes back 55 years ago, when Mr. Evangelista was an Army corporal assigned to Fort Dix in New Jersey. He had planned to come home to Worcester for a weekend, but when he arrived at the bus station in New York City he discovered that he was a dollar short and couldn't buy a ticket. "I just sat there and prayed, `St. Anthony, please help me find a dollar because I really want to go home,'" he recalled. "All my Army friends had the weekend off and I wanted to be in Worcester." Amazingly, a street person happened by and, unsolicited, gave him the money. "He apparently noticed my uniform and he told me that I was doing a good job," said Mr. Evangelista. "He gave me the money and told me to buy a drink."
Instead, Mr. Evangelista bought a ticket and headed north.
He later told the story to a priest friend, who often used the tale when preaching about faith to his congregants. The priest bought him the concrete statue.
"I've never forgotten that guy at the bus station," said Mr. Evangelista. "I pray for him from time to time, or I'll light a candle for him in church." Mr. Evangelista said the encounter taught him never to turn his back on somebody in need. "That's why, when I see I guy who looks like he's out of luck, I'll give him a buck or two for a bowl of soup or whatever," said Mr. Evangelista. He said the statue really isn't worth anything but he'd like it back.
"I'll take it, no questions asked," he said.


We thank Mr. Evangelista for his beautiful story of finding a ride home, thanks to the intersession of St. Anthony, we pray that through that same intersession his statue is found and returned~

Saint Anthony Quote - The Gate Of Heaven

"The Blessed Virgin Mary is our hope, the gate of heaven and the door of Paradise. She is the mediatress who remade peace between God and the sinner."
-- Saint Anthony of Padua

May our mediatress, the Blessed Virgin Mary, help lead you more perfectly toward God - Become a 'Devout Client' of the Blessed Virgin Mary - To learn more about the Total Consecration to Jesus through Mary visit here

Lost And Found Essay

In honor of all of those that will be starting school soon, here is a story from Martha regarding a lost and found school paper, found with the help of Good St. Anthony

When I was in high school I was very unmotivated to say the least. Sr. Martina was my religion teacher and I was failing her class. She told me to write a 1500 word essay and have it to her by Monday and she would pass me with a C. So I wrote the essay. I honestly spent all weekend doing it. When I went to school Monday it wasn't in my bag. She asked me for it and I told her I lost it and she didn't believe me. I cried I swore I wrote the essay and she told me to pray to St. Anthony. I did that and closing prayer for the day I put papers in my book bag and there first page in my notebook was the paper. I was so exited I went straight to Sr. Martina and told her. She made me a believer and now I'm a devout Catholic.
BTW - Sr. Martina I'm now in nursing school. It took me ten years since High School but I still remember you. St. Anthony has never let me down.

The Results Were Profound

Several years back, when my daughter was quite young she got it into her head to attempt "to grow diamonds" by planting my wife's wedding ring into a potted plant. Once my wife discovered it was missing she questioned her, but she had simply forgotten about it. Weeks went by and my wife turned the house upside down looking for it, she was distraught after five or six weeks of looking before she finally broke down in tears revealing it to me. I tried consoling her, assuring her that ring was simply symbolic and could be replaced. Later on, I suggested; Why not try saying a prayer to St. Anthony...What have you got to lose? She did so that night. The very next day she was unable to find her watering can for the houseplants which she had been watering daily, so instead she used an empty ice-cream pail...the first plant she watered, the water came out quicker than she expected making a large hole in the dirt, as the water dissipated into the soil the wedding ring rose to the top of the surface revealing itself.

Now I can fully understand the skeptic considering this nothing but coincidence, but for the believer the results were profound.

A Christmas Find

My husband was not brought up to give gifts. A few years ago he had his sister-in-law pick out a diamond ring for me. That ring meant the world to me and I lost it just before Christmas. I hunted the house with a fine-tooth comb. Afraid to tell him I'd lost it I prayed to St Anthony many times, and then, on Christmas day, I found it on the floor under my desk. Thank you, St Anthony, I will honor you always and spread your name.

Thank you M.M. for you story of St. Anthony's help in finding your ring. Have a story of your own to share? Email us and we will post for others to read and be inspired by.

Saint Anthony Quote - Human Life Is Similar To A Bridge

“Human life is similar to a bridge and a bridge is made for crossing and not for remaining upon.”

- St. Anthony of Padua