Ygnacia's Own Stories - That Crazy Vest

Once more, St. Anthony comes through for me, and thank goodness, because this time I was in a real panic. My youngest son wears a uniform to school - normally it is just the usual blue pants, white shirt thing, but this year they added a sleeveless blue vest, required for special occasions. I bought him a new one, he wore it once, and then it just disappeared. I have looked for it for weeks, over and over again. He was supposed to wear it a few times since the loss, but we slid under the wire without it. Well, this week the sliding was over - the Bishop of our Diocese was coming for his yearly visit, so everyone needed to look their best. I was praying, please St. Anthony, I really am in a spot, please intercede for me to find that crazy vest!
I looked everywhere again, no luck - through all of his drawers, closet, the washroom. Then I thought, I will start looking in the other kid's rooms, just in case. I had done it before, but I thought I would give it a shot again anyway. I went into the first room, a room that is, shall we say, a typical teen's room, far from tidy. I was in there for one minute, praying under my breath, I look down, and there, impossibly, stuck in an old doll crib, was the vest. My relief was, and still is, enormous. When you have a thing like this happen to you, and you know in your heart that it was an impossible find, you know God's Hand in it.
Oh, and to end the story, my son was picked at the last minute to hold a tray of awards for the Bishop for the awards ceremony, in front of the whole school. Without that crazy vest, which is part of his full uniform, he would not have been chosen. Thank you St. Anthony, for your kind and generous help~

A True Friend In Saint Anthony

I was seven when I learned of St. Anthony. I never gave him much thought until the day I lost my spelling tablet. My teacher, a strict nun, had told the class at the beginning of second grade we were to keep it in our book bag and have it every Friday. When I went home Thursday night, I was beside myself when I found the tablet missing. It was then I decided to ask St. Anthony for help. Terrified, I prayed that night to St. Anthony to find it. The next day, when I opened my desk the first thing I saw was my spelling tablet!
Don't underestimate the power of intercession. Since the episode in second grade, St. Anthony has always come through when I needed his intercession the most. It's been many years since second grade, and now, with maturity, I seem to have annoying senior moments and lose things daily (sometimes hourly). He's there when I need him. When I pray for his help now I'm usually in a panic, so all I can muster is "St. Anthony, if at all possible, I need your help now," and I am in awe of his response time. I will always be grateful for the lost spelling tablet because I found a true friend in St. Anthony.

Thank you P. for sharing how St. Anthony has been a faithful friend to you. Have a story of how St. Anthony has helped in your life? Email it to us and we will post it on the blog~

I Took His Devotion Seriously

I am a educated man who always struggled in my life to find a job. Age was catching with me to get married but no job no money. I have heard of St. Anthony as a kid but never asked him for favors. Until few years back - I took his devotion seriously and asked him favors which he granted me.
Now I have a job and married for few months and planning to have a baby and will name my son Antonio in the honor of the great Saint with whom I am in constant touch on a daily basis. I have put my life into his hands to ask for me to Jesus things which he finds right for me. St. Anthony is for me every thing and I will always pray for him for the rest of my life. Thank you St. Anthony, the world does not know what you mean to me.

Thank you A. for sharing how St. Anthony has helped you over the years. Have a story of how St. Anthony has influenced your life? Email it to us and we will post it on the blog~

St. Anthony's Prayer For The Help Of The Holy Spirit

O God, send forth your Holy Spirit into my heart that I may perceive, into my mind that I may remember, and into my soul that I may meditate. Inspire me to speak with piety, holiness, tenderness and mercy. Teach, guide and direct my thoughts and senses from beginning to end. May Your grace ever help and correct me, and may I be strengthened now with wisdom from on high, for the sake of Your infinite mercy. Amen.

~St. Anthony of Padua

A Medal Of Saint Anthony

All my life, I've had a devotion to Saint Anthony. As a child I would often pray to him for lost articles. I had a medal of Saint Anthony that I wore around my neck. I lost my medal one year on our last visit to the family cottage. I prayed and prayed to him that I would find it. But the time came for us to leave and I still couldn't find my medal. Over the winter I forgot about it, but on our first visit in the spring, there was my medal on a dirt road among the stones!

Thank you L.O. for your great little St. Anthony story~ Have a story of St. Anthony's help in your life to share? Email it to us to post on the blog.

Saint Anthony Quote - Lean On The Cross Of Christ

"Christians must lean on the Cross of Christ just as travelers 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