I Had To Do Something I Had Never Done Before

I lost my old passport which I really needed to apply for my UK business visa. So I ended up applying for the visa without it, but I knew my application would never be successful. I eventually received a response from the visa office, and my application was unsuccessful. They mentioned the absence of the old passport as one of the reasons why I did not get the visa.
I had been looking for the passport for one and a half months by now. At that moment I knew I had to do something I had never done before to find my passport. St. Anthony is the patron saint for lost items, and our church is also called St. Anthony's Church, but I had never prayed that particular novena before. So I prayed the St. Anthony Novena when I got home that evening, and 30 minutes later, my mum found my passport in an old hand bag. My advice - you need to pray the prayer in earnest and with great faith for St. Anthony to intercede for you.

Thank you About.com - Catholicism for this and other great stories of St. Anthony help.

An Early Christmas Present

I recently lost my iPhone at a local grocery store just a couple of hours before they closed for the day. By the time I realized my phone was missing the store was already closed. That night I prayed to St. Anthony and said the chant. The next day when I called the grocery store, lo and behold they had it. Customer service said it was found in "one of the carts" only that morning. You know what else is unusual, because I was in a rush that night, I didn't even use a cart. Thank you so much St.Anthony, you are truly a blessing. An early Christmas present.

Thank you blog reader A.F. for your great little story of St. Anthony's help in finding your phone. If you have a Saint Anthony story of your own to share with out readers, please email it to us to post~

The Goodness Of St. Anthony

I wanted to share with everyone the goodness of St. Anthony.
Back in August, we went to the mall to buy some last few items to bring with us on our vacation. As we're heading out the store, I saw a pair of sandals that I tried on to fit and purchase. When I was reaching for my wallet, I felt that my wedding ring was missing. I told my daughter about it and she said that she saw me wearing it when we entered the store. Both of us thought that I dropped it in the store, so we look around, but nothing. I also emptied my purse in the car but it wasn't there. We went home, I told my husband about it, he was sad but he said we'll have a new one when we celebrate our 25th. wedding anniversary in 2 years time.
Last week, Nov. 22, I organized my bedside table. As I opened one of my prayer books, it brought me to the prayer of Saint Anthony. I read it, I read all the prayers on that page. I didn't think about the ring. It totally slipped my mind, and I know I lost it in the store so I know it's impossible to get it back. The following day, my daughter needed some adhesive tape to secure her poster. I looked in the drawer but there was only a little bit left on the holder. I went to my box of Christmas wrappers because I know I've kept some there. The last time I touched this box was back in January when I kept the leftover wrappers from Christmas. When I lifted the wrappers to check the tapes, I saw something shinning, and behold, I really couldn't believe that my ring was there. I was so happy and then I remembered the prayer I said yesterday. I am so thankful to St. Anthony, and I promised him that I will tell people about him and his miracles. You are so great St. Anthony.....

Thank you A.S. for sharing the story of St. Anthony's amazing find of your lost wedding ring. Have a St. Anthony lost and found story of your own to share? Email it to us and we will post it on our blog~

Saint Anthony's Relics To Visit New York Dec. 7-15th., 2013

After the astounding success of the visits of Saint Anthony's Relics to the New York tri-state area in February, California in April and Chicago, Australia and Canada in June, Ireland and U.K. in October and November, there are more visits planned for New York. From December 7th. to 15th., 2013, two precious relics from Saint Anthony's Basilica in Padua will be returning. The Eucharistic and Veneration Services will be celebrated as follows in Manhattan, Queens, Brooklyn, The Bronx, Staten Island, Long Island.

I've Been Without A Job

Here is a recent email from one of our blog readers I.N. who just found a job after a long search, thanks to the intersession of Good St. Anthony:

I've been without a job for a year and a half with no luck. Just 4 days a go, I started to pray for St. Anthony to help me find a job soon, because of the stress and financial issues I was going through. Today, which is the forth day of my prayer to him, I was getting something at a store and suddenly I asked a nice lady, "are you hiring?" After talking to her, she asked me to come back for an interview and hired me on the spot. I knew St. Anthony helped, because usually you have to apply on-line, and they don't hire right away without checking references, at least for this kind of job. And also I'd like to add that the nice lady even said that she doesn't usually hire people that don't have experience which I didn't.....Saint Anthony prayed with me and for me.
Thank you God, Mary and all the Saints, especially St. Anthony, for hearing my prayer. Prayers are the most powerful tool us humans have....just believe in God. God bless us all. Amen.

Click here for a Prayer To St. Anthony To Find Employment. Have an experience of St. Anthony's help in your life to share? Email it to us and we will post it on our blog to inspire others to trust in St. Anthony's intercession~

S.A.G. - Saint Anthony Guide

The origin of the initials 'S.A.G.' and why traditionally Catholics have in years past often marked it on envelopes is this:
The initials S.A.G. stand for "Saint Anthony Guide". This prayer dates to an incident in July, 1729, in Spain. A merchant's wife, in need of support from her husband on business in Peru, placed a letter to him in the sleeve of St. Anthony's statue in her parish church, trusting he would somehow deliver it. Returning to the statue the next day, she found not her own letter but one from her husband, Don Antonio. Lodged in the sleeve was a heavy pouch containing 300 pesos, also sent by him. The merchant advised his wife that a letter from her had been delivered "by a friar of the Order of St. Francis." Don Antonio was sending his reply through the same friar. To this day, the merchant's letter is preserved in the Franciscan Monastery in Oviedo.

This story led to the custom of placing 'S.A.G.' on mail and praying that St. Anthony give it safe passage. The practice became popular, whereby people placed mail under the protection of St. Anthony, trusting it would get safely to it's proper destination. By asking St. Anthony to direct a letter or even obtain for it a good reception, we practice the virtue of Faith and the virtue of Religion. May 'S.A.G.' be not only a three letter prayer on the envelopes we address, but also one of our habitual prayers in moments of doubt, temptation, perplexity, or any other need.


Here is a picture of "S.A.G" on a package I recently received.

Lost Keys Found In A Miraculous Way

I had gotten down from a bus and in a short distance walking removed my wallet from my purse for some purpose. After that I came to a bus stop to board another bus. At this moment I checked for my keys, they were not there and neither was my Rosary. I prayed to St. Anthony for help. I went back to the previous place where I removed my wallet, there I found my Rosary but not my keys. I thought, my keys, I will never find them... then I looked for the bus which I had traveled on and went to the seat I had sat in, but could not find anything. I was about to leave, when I felt an urge to sit on the seat. I sat, just bent to the right side, and there were my keys stuck between seat edges. Thank you St. Anthony. I got both keys and Rosary.

Thank you blog reader R.D. for your story of following Saint Anthony's inspiration after praying for his help. Click here for a post on How To Find Something By Praying To St. Anthony. Have a St. Anthony story of your own to share? Email it to us and we will post it on our blog~

I Was Pretty Sure It Was A Hopeless Case

Here is a recent story from one of our readers:

I can't begin to count how many times he has helped me and my family. The most recent being when I noticed that my diamond was missing from my wedding ring, which I have had for 25 years. I had already been down working in my large vegetable garden that morning, and had also stood for about 20 minutes on my friends gravel driveway, chatting after dropping my son off to spend the day on their farm with her 2 boys. I was pretty sure it was a hopeless case because I did not have any idea of when it had fallen out. I still asked St. Anthony for his help. I then took my shoes off to walk around the house to see if I would step on it. I did. It's now back in my ring, where it belongs. I can't wait to meet him in Heaven. He may be tired of me though. I do talk with him an awful lot.

Lost And Found Health

My right hip joint was in so much pain that normal duties around the house were becoming difficult to attend to. I was unable to fold my leg without excruciating pain in my hip. I had even started using my left leg to get into my bed instead of the usual right one. One day at around 3:00am in the morning I woke up due to the extreme pain, and could no longer sleep. In the midst of it all I was browsing for a miracle testimony about St. Anthony finding a spouse for someone. I went to different sites and was reading about the miracles on your blog, and discovered that you also can petition for other needs. While still in bed I folded my leg and a very sharp pain shot up. Shortly thereafter I stretched it out, and realized the pain was gone for good. In disbelief I jumped out of bed with hesitation that it was just for a moment. Thankfully this healing was real, and the pain has been gone for more than a month now. This is real and now I believe in St. Anthony miracles 100%, because my leg is pain free.

Thank you J.W. for your story of healing thought he intersession of St. Anthony. Click here for one of the many prayers to St. Anthony for help and healing. Have a story of St. Anthony's help in your life? Email it to us and we will post it on the blog~

I Was Desperately Searching For A Job

The greatest amount of visitors to our blog come here to find prayer for employment. Here is an uplifting email from blog reader M.F. who shows us that with perseverance, and prayer to Saint Anthony, the right new job can be found:

Hi, I just wanted to share my story with all the readers of this blog. My company was closing down and I was desperately searching for a job. Through this site I found a St. Anthony Novena To Find Employment. I prayed 2 consecutive novenas but nothing happened and there seemed no job opportunities on the horizon. I knew St. Anthony would never let me down and I continued praying, knowing in my heart that when the right job came along Saint Anthony would give it to me. Rightly enough, a couple of weeks after my first Novena I got through an interview with a company located only 5 minutes from home, and they wanted me to start immediately. Thank you St. Anthony for everything, I am so blessed.

Have a St. Anthony story of your own to share? Email it to us and we will post it on our blog~

Short Prayers To Saint Anthony

Here is a collection of short prayers to Saint Anthony:

Saint Anthony, great wonder-worker, intercede for us that God may grant us our request, if it be for the good of our soul.

Saint Anthony, be our patron, our protector, and our advocate in life and in death.

Saint Anthony, attentive to those who invoke thee, grant us the aid of thy powerful intercession for the grace of holy purity, meekness, humility, obedience, the spirit of poverty, and perfect abandonment to the will of God.

Saint Anthony, servant of Mary, obtain for us greater devotion to the blessed Mother of God.

Although St. Anthony’s feast day is June 13th, his aid can be invoked at any time. Let us try to emulate this devoted servant of Our Lord in our love of God and neighbor~

St. Anthony Quote - The Preaching Of Heretics

“The preaching of heretics is impure in comparison with the most pure teachings of the Church… They resemble a beast named Iamia, which has the face of a human and the body of an animal. They, in fact, in order to deceive more easily, show themselves with an amiable appearance saying courteous words, but beneath they are hiding their bad intentions.”
~St. Anthony of Padua

Thank You St. Anthony For Your Intersession

Here are a few thank you's to St. Anthony that the blog has received from readers recently:

Dear St. Anthony. Thank you so much for returning my lost locket to me, with the blessed remains of my late dog Max in it. I searched high and wide, but prayed to you, and my precious locket has been returned to me, thanks to your intervention. I will forever thank you, give glory to your name, and just know my saints are always with me. Thank you so much for your help. Please give me the grace to help and pass on your truly wonderful works, as Jesus has given you. I thank you so much from all my heart, and soul for this. Blessed are you dear Saint Anthony.

I believe that Jesus has all his special people. Thank You so much St. Anthony, not just for returning my locket to me, but it did happen! And I have so much faith that whatever Jesus wants to happen, will. But please send Him A REALLY BIG THANK YOU! It's by your intercession, and God's grace, not only did I get my locket back, but it restored my faith, which is a way better present then anything of this world could be. I never doubt Jesus, or his saints. My thoughts, praise, and thank you. You guys are totally awesome! Hope to walk with you all, someday. Love forever in the faith and words of Jesus Christ. Amen.

I was in desperate state for weeks trying to find my Rosary. I asked St. Anthony for his intersession and in three hours my wife called to tell me she has found them. Thank You St. Anthony for your intersession.

I am 13 and I lost my glasses lens - I looked for it for an hour or less, maybe thirty minutes. I typed in a prayer to find thing on the internet and I found one. After finding the prayer I started to sing it and praise to St. Anthony. After I stopped, 10 seconds later I found my glasses lens! It's a miracle!

For years and years St. Anthony has been my helper and my children's when something is lost or just misplaced...We love him so much and I know I look forward to seeing him in Heaven.

If you would like us to post your own thanks to St. Anthony on our blog, send us an email~

Saint Anthony Quote - The Grace To Overcome Pride

“Let us beseech Jesus Christ, dearest brethren, Who with His humility defeated diabolical pride, that He may grant us the grace to overcome pride and haughtiness of heart with humility, and to show in our attitude a sincere humility, in order thus to reach His glory: by the grace of He Who is the Blessed One for all eternity. Amen!”
~St. Anthony of Padua

A Blessed Birthday Wish

A very happy, blessed birthday to one of Saint Anthony -- Lost and Found's blog owners as they turn 50 years young today~ Pro multis anos~ Here is a picture of one of the birthday gifts - a beautiful little statue of Good Saint Anthony.

St. Anthony's Comment Box Quotes - I Seldom Misplace Things

I seldom misplace things, recently I looked for my grandmothers rosary and was in panic to see it gone from its place on my jewelry stand! I prayed to St. Anthony to help me find it. Within minutes I thought I should check my safe. Strangely, the rosary was there! But not only it. A tiny icon of St. Anthony was nestled in the cloth bag with the rosary. It was also my grandmother's and I had not thought about or seen the icon for at least a year. Thank you St. Anthony for helping me find the rosary and YOU! If anyone has trouble believing in the saints, please share this story.

Our thanks to Rachel on Catholic Online for sharing her Saint Anthony story - St. Anthony really is a friend, ready to help whenever we ask.

Si Quaeris Miracula - If You Seek Miracles

"Si quaeris miracula" are the first words in Latin (translated: If you seek miracles) with which perhaps the most well-known prayer in honor of St. Anthony, the Miraculous Responsory of Saint Anthony, begins.
Set to music, the text dates back to Fr. Giuliano da Spira who composed it in 1235, as the Responsory of the Liturgy of the Hours for the Feast of Saint Anthony of Padua. Listen and enjoy~

St. Anthony’s Relics To Visit Ireland and the U.K.

After the astounding success of the visits of Saint Anthony's Relics to New York in February, to California in April, and to Chicago, Canada, and South Australia in June, we are pleased to announce that the Franciscan Friars will mark the 750th Anniversary of the Discovery of Saint Anthony's Relics by Saint Bonaventure by visiting Ireland from October 17 to October 25, and the U.K. from October 26 to November 3, bringing two precious relics from Saint Anthony's Basilica in Padua.

To download the program of the scheduled Masses and Veneration Services in Ireland and the U.K. click here.

I Said A Prayer To St. Anthony Follow Up

You posted my story on August 17, 2013. This is an update to that story about my 18 year old granddaughter and Saint Anthony finding her wallet and reminding me to put the prayer in the newspaper by letting me find a medal of St. Anthony on my patio. It is now August 28, 2013 and I still have not had a chance to publish the thank you prayer in the newspaper. St. Anthony has contacted me again two more times to remind me to publish the prayer. Yesterday I was looking for a key chain in my cabinet where I keep unused key chains, and the one that was on top was a key chain that had a beautiful glass colored medal of St. Anthony that I had put away years ago. It was miraculously at the front of the cabinet. Then today when I was driving down a main street in my town, I passed a brand new market, with the name of SAN ANTONY MARKET, Spanish and American products. I was so overtaken that I had to get out of the car and take a picture of the sign. When I did so, I realized that the store was across the street from the local Journal Newspaper office. So needless to say the prayer will be published in the Journal next Wednesday.
P.M.J.

Have a prayer answered through the intersession of Good St. Anthony to share? Email it to us and we will post it on our blog~

I Decided To Invoke Saint Anthony's Help

My son just got accepted to a great school at the last second and needed to find his birth certificate, but I am very disorganized. I hadn't the faintest clue where it was and scoured in our filing cabinets to no avail. I dumped out a few drawers and started to feel overwhelmed and desperate, as well as shameful and guilty for letting my failings to keep an orderly household affect my children and family. So I decided to invoke Saint Anthony's help to find it. I promised to do a better job of keeping an organized filing system, and as I invoked his help I remember my husband saying that the last time he saw it the birth certificate was in a pink plastic folder - so that is what I was looking for, but still doubtful it even existed. As I pulled out the last few remaining folders of papers, I grabbed a large package folder, pulled out the documents, flipped through them and found my son's birth certificate. I stopped and shed a few tears because my prayers were answers. I next found your site with a thanksgiving prayer to Saint Anthony, which I prayed then sent you this email.
Thanks be to God and all His blessings.
Sincerely, Y.T. - A mother trying to live her vocation of wife and mother

Thank you Y.T. for your heartfelt story of St. Anthony's help, may God continue to bless you as you live out this most important vocation. Have a St. Anthony story of your own to share? Email it to us and we will post it on our blog~

I Said A Prayer To St. Anthony

My granddaughter who had just turned 18 years old, lost her wallet containing money, valuable bank cards and other licenses. We searched all over the house for over 4 hours and could not find the wallet. She was panicking. I said a prayer to St. Anthony asking him to find the wallet, right away that evening, so she could get to sleep and not worry about the lost wallet . I told St Anthony that if he found it right away I would publish a prayer to him in the newspaper. Within 15 minutes my granddaughter yelled down from her upstairs bedroom that she found the wallet in her cosmetic drawer, where she never would have put it normally. This happened on the weekend and I could not call the newspaper till Monday morning, which I forgot to do. On Tuesday morning while I was sweeping my patio, I looked down and saw something shinny on the patio blocks. I stooped over and when I picked it up to my amazement it was a medal of St. Anthony. We have no idea how it got there as it does not belong to anyone in the family. The patio is private in my back yard and we did not have any visitors over the weekend. I took it as a sign that St Anthony was reminding me to tell this story and not to forget to put the prayer in the newspaper. Therefore I am writing this email to thank St. Anthony for his help. It was truly a miracle and so very much appreciated.

Click here to read the follow up to this story.

This story was an answer to my own prayer, as I wanted a new story of Saint Anthony's help in someone's life for this blog. So, thank you Saint Anthony for finding me a new story, and thank you to our blog reader P.M.J. Have a story of your own you would like to share? Email us and we will post it on the blog~

The Mass Of Saint Anthony Of Padua

If you do not know about the Traditional Latin Mass, please know that it is the Mass of St. Anthony of Padua, of all the saints, martyrs, virgins and other Doctors of the Church. It is the Mass of your grandparents and theirs and theirs. It is your liturgical patrimony; it is your Catholic birthright; it is the great jewel of Christendom and the most beautiful thing this side of heaven. If you don't yet know it, come to know it, and the true fullness of the Roman Catholic Faith, as you have been separated from your Catholic heritage by the very thing which is the touchstone of the Catholic Faith: The Mass.

The Latin Mass is not lost, it can now be found, thanks to the generous pastoral care of Pope Benedict XVI. To experience the Mass that St. Anthony himself celebrated, visit the website of the Coalition in Support of Ecclesia Dei for listings of Traditional Latin Masses in the United States.

St. Anthony You Truly Are Amazing

From our reader M.M. comes this testimony to St. Anthony's help in people's everyday lives:

"It's never occurred that I called upon St. Anthony and my prayer went unanswered!! Not once no matter how trivial or serious he's always there! When I thought I had lost my atm card, I found it within a few minutes in my laptop bag ! Once on my way to college I dropped a new wristwatch. It was a gift from my mom and I prayed for it fervently! And lo, when I got back from college that day the security guard at my hostel entrance were standing with my watch in their hand! She explained that someone had spotted it and had left it in their care!! My oh St. Anthony you truly are amazing and I can feel your presence in my life all the time...!and I pray to him for any need..in my studies there's been times when I couldn't prepare well for exams and behold, I've topped the class in medicine! Thank you so much St. Anthony for being my miracle worker!"

Virtual Novena Prayer To Saint Anthony Of Padua

Pope Benedict XVI - Reflections On Saint Anthony

In a 2010 audience, Pope Benedict XVI said that Saint Anthony of Padua offered important insights on prayer, saying that prayer needs silence – not so much a lack of noise, but an inner silence where distractions and worries are put aside.

Pope Benedict also said that Saint Anthony offered four “indispensable” steps to perfecting the art of prayer. First, “opening one’s heart to God’s presence,” the Pope said, adding that the second is to “have an affectionate dialogue with God.” The third step is to tell God what’s on your mind, and the fourth is to praise and thank God.

Saint Anthony urged people to seek “true wealth – that of the heart” and bring Christ’s love and mercy to the world, Pope Benedict said.

How To Find Something By Praying To St. Anthony

1.) Make an earnest effort to look for whatever you lost. Make sure you look carefully on your own. God helps those who helps themselves, so one would believe St. Anthony does the same.

2.) After you're confident that you've searched carefully for whatever it is that is lost, then it's time to ask for help. Sit down in a quiet spot, if possible. Think about what you lost. Recite the following prayer, "Good St. Anthony, look around, something's lost and can't be found." Say it a few more times while thinking about the lost object.

3.) Now, look again for the lost item, while saying the above prayer to yourself. Think, feel, and pray. Recheck the logical places first, knowing that someone, a good friend, is helping you. Listen to that inner voice.

4.) Did you find it? People find that praying to St. Anthony works the majority of the time. This is not a magic trick; faith is needed.

5.) When you have found your lost object, remember to say a quick Prayer Of Thanksgiving to St. Anthony. Click this link for another prayer of thanksgiving to Good St. Anthony.

Want to share your experience of St. Anthony's help? Email us your story and we will post it on the blog~

St. Anthony's Super Tuesdays

St. Anthony still amazes me!
I was not mad about him, (sorry St. Anthony.) My husband lost his job and he was unemployed for many months. It was not possible for him to be re-employed because of his advance age. He made two or three novenas to St. Anthony. I did scoff to my husband and said to him it is not working. He was determined because he felt that he trusted St. Anthony.
1) He got a job offer on “Tuesday” after going to Mass for St. Anthony.
2) He started his first day on a following “Tuesday.”
3) Our cat was missing for eleven days. My husband went to Mass for St. Anthony. After his departure for this Mass and he lit a candle before St. Anthony as he begged St. Anthony to have his cat found. We went out of our house and we heard a meow and we were shocked to see our cat. He was found on “Tuesday”
4) I posted a large package to my daughter in China two months ago. She never got it , even she went to the Post Office twice and they kept saying no. I prayed to St. Anthony for a help last Sunday and guess what! She got my package on “Tuesday”
I am still godsmacked and St. Anthony is a very amazing saint…He won my heart. I am now devoted to him. Super Tuesdays.

Thank you B.C. for your testimonial about St. Anthony, we hope that others are inspired by it to pray for the intercession of Good St. Anthony in every aspect of their lives~

Many people pray a Novena to St. Anthony on thirteen consecutive Tuesdays, per the instructions of Pope Leo XIII, or on all Tuesdays.

I Had Forgotten About Him

When I was younger I was a great believer of St. Anthony but over the years I had forgotten about him and hardly ever prayed to him. A week back I stumbled across your site, it was a wonderful feeling reading about all the wonderful miracles. Then I suddenly remembered my Mum had given me a small statue of St. Anthony over a year back, I looked everywhere for him but I couldn't find it so I decided to pray and literally in a matter of minutes I opened a drawer which I never expected to find it, and there it was.
Since then he has blessed me in many ways, and today he found my cell phone which I thought was never going to be found. Thank you for this website and thank you St. Anthony for everything.

And thank you to M.F. for sharing her inspiring stories of St. Anthony - we are grateful that she 'found' him again in her life through our blog, as that is our greatest goal~ Have a story or two of your own to share? Email us to have them posted on our blog.

St. Anthony Remained Her Great And Faithful Friend

On this the Feast of St. Anthony, blessed Feast Day to all of our readers~

In a manuscript entitled “St. Anthony”, Servant of God Luisa Cepollini (1880-1917)recounts the meticulous vigilance of the Saint over her soul, carried out by a teaching of the highest perfection. Until her death, St. Anthony remained her great and faithful Friend. Let us, therefore, draw from this precious “manuscript” some of the teachings given by St. Anthony to his privileged disciple:

Blessed are the pure of heart:

“On the evening of 7th March 1887- writes Luisa- I saw him for the first time. This meeting was the start of that relationship which would never end. Its immediate effect was the growth within me of the desire to know Jesus.” On the 17th of March she had a second visit from St. Anthony. “What are you thinking of that makes you weep thus?” asked the Saint. “Oh!...how I would love to know Jesus… You know Him so well, tell me something!” “Jesus… He alone is able to speak efficaciously to your soul, since He is the Word…but the good Master has said: Blessed are the pure of heart, because they will see God!” “And what is necessary in order to become pure?” “There are several degrees of purity… The degree that you must strive to procure consists in avoiding every voluntary fault.” Immediately the little girl, enlightened by a special grace, saw all her defects, which she did not even realize she had. She immediately became discouraged. But St. Anthony said to her: “Aim, my little daughter, at loving Jesus: it is the shortest way which leads to Him. It is the way which Jesus shows us by which we may come to know Him.”… “But is to love Jesus a virtue?...Oh, then I will have no difficulty…”. “Be careful, my little daughter – the Saint admonished- since you do not yet know well what it means to love God… Human love seeks to please itself in that which it loves; divine love desires that God is pleased with us, at our expense, and therefore lives a life of sacrifice. To love God means to forget oneself in order to think of Him, to overcome oneself so that He will triumph, to abandon oneself in order to be possessed by Him. Only by putting this into practice can it be understood and one’s whole life is not sufficient to put it into effect; eternity itself will not be long enough to do so fully, since we are to love a God Who is infinite, while our limited love, however much it may increase, can never reach the infinite.” These were the foundations of the spiritual edifice which Luisa received.


The source, and the rest of the article:
http://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2013/06/antonio-saint.html

St. Anthony's Bread On The Feast Of St. Anthony

One custom on the Feast of St. Anthony, June 13th., is known as "St. Anthony's Bread" and goes back to the year 1263 A.D., when a child drowned near the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua as it was still being built. The mother besought St. Anthony and promised that if her child were restored to life, she would give to the poor an amount of wheat equal to the weight of her child. Of course her son was saved, and her promise was kept.
Another reason for the practice is traced back to Louise Bouffier, a shopkeeper in Toulon, France. A locksmith was prepared to break open her shop door after no key would open it. Bouffier asked the locksmith to try his keys one more time after she prayed and promised to give bread to the poor in honor of St. Anthony if the door would open without force. The door then opened. After others received favors through the intercession of St. Anthony, they joined Louise Bouffier in founding the charity of St. Anthony Bread.
"St. Anthony's Bread," then, is the promise of giving alms in return for a favor asked of God through St. Anthony's intercession (the custom also takes place throughout the year when parents give alms after placing their baby under the patronage of St. Anthony). In some places, the custom has a literal parallel in that loaves of bread might be blessed and given away at church or, generally, to the poor. The practice of distributing St. Anthony's Bread recalls his concern for the poor.

Below is a recipe for an Italian bread that may be shaped into individual loaves for you to pass out at church, among friends and family, or to the disadvantaged in your community.

St. Anthony's Bread
(Yield: 16 mini-loaves)

3 cups flour, divided
2 packages active dry yeast
1 Tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 Tsp. dried parsley flakes
1 1/4 cups milk
1/4 cup water
2 Tbsp. butter
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 Tsp. garlic salt
1 egg
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese, divided
2 Tbsp. butter, melted


In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of flour, yeast, Italian seasoning, and parsley flakes. In a saucepan, heat and stir the milk, water, butter, sugar, and garlic salt just until warm (120-130º) and butter almost melts. Add milk mixture to flour mixture. Add egg and beat with electric mixer on low or medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping the bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes. Using a wooden spoon, stir in 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese and as much of the remaining flour as you can.
Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth (3-5 minutes total). Shape the dough into a ball. Place it in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease the top and bottom surfaces. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 45 minutes).
Grease baking sheets or a 13” x 9” x 2” baking pan. Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 16 portions, shaping each into a round mini-loaf. Place mini-loaves on sheet or pan. Brush tops with 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with remaining Parmesan cheese. Cover and let rise in a warm place (about 15 minutes).
Bake in a 375º oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

The Blessing Of Lilies On The Feast Of St. Anthony

On the Feast of St. Anthony, your priest might bless lilies for you to keep (this isn't a universal practice). The blessing of lilies, which remind us of St. Anthony's purity and have always been a symbol for him, stems from a miracle which took place in Revolutionary France: many priests and religious were murdered, so many churches and convents destroyed, but the faithful still showed up at a surviving church on the Feast of St. Anthony. Months later, it was discovered that lilies that had adorned the church at that feast were still fresh. Let the lilies beautify your house, or carry them with you, or press them in a book, etc. If your priest doesn't bless lilies, you can still use them non-sacramentally to remind you of one of the greatest Saints ever. The English of the Blessing of the Lilies is as follows:

The Blessing of Lilies on the Feast of St. Anthony

The priest vests in surplice and white stole, and says:

P: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
All: Who made heaven and earth.
P: The Lord be with you.
All: And with thy spirit.
P: Let us pray. God, the Creator and Preserver of the human race, the Lover of holy purity, the Giver of supernatural grace, and the Dispenser of everlasting salvation; bless + these lilies which we, Thy humble servants, present to Thee today as an act of thanksgiving and in honor of St. Anthony, Thy confessor, and with a request for Thy blessing. Pour out on them, by the saving sign + of the holy cross, Thy dew from on high. Thou in Thy great kindness hast given them to man, and endowed them with a sweet fragrance to lighten the burden of the sick. Therefore, let them be filled with such power that, whether they are used by the sick, or kept in homes or other places, or devoutly carried on one's person, they may serve to drive out evil spirits, safeguard holy chastity, and turn away illness--all this through the prayers of St. Anthony--and finally impart to Thy servants grace and peace; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
Then he sprinkles the lilies with holy water, saying:

P: Sprinkle me with hyssop, Lord, and I shall be clean of sin. Wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Pray for us, St. Anthony.
All: That we may be worthy of the promises of Christ.
P: Let us pray. We beg Thee, O Lord, that Thy people may be helped by the constant and devout intercession of Blessed Anthony, Thy illustrious confessor. May he assist us to be worthy of Thy grace in this life, and to attain everlasting joys in the life to come; through Christ our Lord.
All: Amen.
After this the lilies are distributed to the people.

Source: http://www.st-anthony-medal.com/

I Was So Amazed

The following email is from a reader in the Philippines:

I am sharing an answered prayer a long time ago and two again recently.
7 years ago the strap of my sandal shoes was missing. I looked everywhere yet I couldn't find it. I have read in my novena booklet that St. Anthony is the patron of lost things. Silently, I asked St. Anthony to help me find it. After a few days I went inside the kitchen and I just found it on the floor. I was so amazed. I never thought I'd find it again.

My cellphone's sim card had been missing. I know it fell somewhere near the chair where I sat. I looked and lifted things around me and even swept the floor. I couldn't find it. Then one day I was wiping dust in the chair, when I lifted it I found it underneath. I swept the floor on that side before but did not find it. Now that's a miracle.

Today June 4, 2013 is the start of the Novena to St Anthony - I was looking again for my Sim card which I placed inside the pocket of my walking shorts. I couldn't find it. I asked St. Anthony to help me. Later in the afternoon, for the second time, I checked the pockets of my walking shorts. There it was! Wow, St. Anthony never fails in helping me find lost articles.
I always say a Novena to St. Anthony every Tuesday. Thanks, and may the website of St. Anthony help many people in need.

Thank you J.M. for your faith-filled stories. Do you have a story of St. Anthony's assistance in your life to share? Email it to us and we will post your story on our St. Anthony blog too~

Article On Relics Of Saint Anthony's Visit To California

The following is from Messenger of Saint Anthony's June Newsletter, an article about the relic of Saint Anthony's visit to California:
Southern California was drizzling and cloudy when it welcomed the relics of Saint Anthony in mid-April, but the glow and joy of visitors certainly provided the warmth and spiritual sunshine on the first stops of the 8-day tour of the region. Indeed, the reverence and outpouring of adoration by the visiting faithful mirrored a deep love for the Saint who has touched, inspired and influenced so many for so long.
The Southern California stopover was part of a larger nationwide tour of Saint Anthony’s relics organized by the Messenger of Saint Anthony and directed by the Franciscan Friars of the Basilica of Saint Anthony in Padua, Italy.
Locally, Father Ray Mallet, pastor at Our Lady of Guadalupe in Hermosa Beach, was instrumental in facilitating the relics into and around the Greater Los Angeles area. It was a yearlong process of coordination and planning, he said, but the end result was a powerful, prayerful experience for many. “So many things in this life we are told not to touch,” he said, “but we want people to touch – respectfully of course – these relics. This is our connection to our faith.”
Click here to read the rest of this inspiring article.

St. Anthony Relics To Visit Chicago, Australia, and Canada

After the astounding success of the visits of Saint Anthony's Relics to the New York tri-state area in February and to California in April, Fr. Mario Conte, Fr. Riccardo Giacon, and Fr. Paolo Floretta, from the Messenger of Saint Anthony in Padua will mark the 750th Anniversary of the Discovery of Saint Anthony's Relics by Saint Bonaventure in 1263 by visiting Chicago, South Australia and Canada in June, bringing each a precious relic from his Basilica in Padua.
The Eucharistic and Veneration Services will be celebrated as follows in Chicago (Il, U.S.A.), South Australia and Canada.

Not Once Has St. Anthony Failed Me

A St. Anthony story from AmericanCatholic.org:

When I was a small child I had roller skates (the old-fashioned kind with a key). We could roller skate in the basement in the winter and streets in the summer. One day they were gone. I was so sad. I prayed to St. Anthony every day for 3 months. One day I went outside and there they were. Maybe someone stole them and felt guilty, but I did get them back. All my life when I lose things or misplace things (often lately) NOT ONCE has St. Anthony failed me in finding the item! He was with me as a child as Jesus was, and they both have stayed with me all my adult life.

St. Anthony Quote - If You Want To See The Face Of Christ

"The Lord manifests Himself to those who stop for some time in peace and humility of heart. If you look in murky and turbulent waters, you cannot see the reflection of your face. If you want to see the face of Christ, stop and collect your thoughts in silence, and close the door of your soul to the noise of external things."
~St. Anthony of Padua

Some Things Don't Change With Time

As a strong Christian believer (and the closer that I get to the gate, the more I believe), I prayed for a favor this weekend. I had serviced a party for someone at their home. Needless to say, 80 people were there and the crowd, especially the children, where everywhere. My client needed 3 or 4 staff but only hired me, so I really didn't get much time to see anything at all.

Anyway, being the only stranger in the home, and the only hired help, I felt awful when the owner nicely asked me if I happened to see her camera before the breakfast buffet began. I hadn't seen anything I told her, I was just trampled by 80 people and couldn't identify anything at all. The following day she called me to say thanks for the great job I did (it turned out to be a triple amount of people) and how well I handled it. Could I possibly have seen that camera was the same question again. I felt awful, I was a little disturbed that she mentioned it to me again, but I told her that it would show up. Too many people have the same camera, probably an error and too much mess. I said I would pray to St. Anthony on it. I told her who St. Anthony was, but she thanked me and hung up. As I lay in bed today, thinking and praying that it would surface, she sent me a text. The camera showed up in the cellar of her gigantic home, the place that harbored those 50 kids after they ate. I was so relieved! Thank you St. Anthony, some things don't change with time...you are still #1!

Thank you C. for sending us your great St. Anthony story. Have a story of St. Anthony's help in your own life? Email it to us and we will post it on the blog~

St. Anthony Found My Brother A Job

We just received this encouraging email from one of our readers - thank you S.A. for sharing your story of prayers for employment answered through the intersession of Good Saint Anthony~

I have been praying to Saint Anthony to find my brother a job. He has been out of a job for months and his situation was becoming desperate. He has 2 young children and there was not enough money coming in. I have been praying to Saint Anthony and requesting prayers on his behalf on this blog. Today, my prayers were answered. St. Anthony found my brother a job. Words can not express my relief and gratitude. St. Anthony never let's me down.

Are you or a loved one having trouble finding work? Click here for the Prayer To St. Anthony To Find Employment.

It Was Truly A Miracle To Me

I’ve had several things St. Anthony has found for me over the years, but the most recent one was last week. I’m a musician, and about 18 years ago, I had a pair of hypo-allergenic musician’s earplugs made for me. I’ve used them “religiously” over the past 18 years while performing in jazz bands and other groups. I was starting to have a problem with ringing in my ears years ago, when I had these earplugs made. I have never lost them, and have been EXTREMELY careful to always keep them in the same place so that I don’t lose them and can always find them.

Well, a few months ago, after using them at Pipe Band practice, I thought I had put them away in my usual place in my purse, but when I went to look for them a few days later, they were nowhere to be found. I searched my purse over and over again, looked in my cars in case they had fallen out, checked all my clothing in case I had put them in a pocket, called the Lost & Found at the church we practiced at, and still no earplugs…. They are not easy to replace, and I’ve been very distraught over losing them. I have a skin allergy to the over the counter type plugs that you can get, plus they don’t work as well. I didn’t know what to do, so I called on St. Anthony more than once over the past few months to try and help.

I had pretty much given up, then one week ago at Jazz Band practice (I play in a community group), I set my purse down next to my case while I put my instrument together, and staring straight at me were my earplugs in their normal red case! There was a small zipper compartment on the lower inside of the purse that was open, and the earplugs were in that compartment and had “floated” to the top where I could see them with my purse open. It was truly a miracle to me, as I’m sure I looked in EVERY compartment in my purse, more than once. Thank you, St. Anthony!

Thank you K.H. for your great St. Anthony story. Have a St. Anthony story of your own to share? Email it to us and we will post it on our blog~

St. Anthony’s Relics To Visit California

From April 14 through April 21, 2013, two precious relics of St. Anthony will be brought to California from the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua, to mark the 750th. Anniversary of the Discovery of St. Anthony’s relics by Saint Bonaventure in 1263. The Franciscan Friars invite you to join them in the following places:

SUNDAY, APRIL 14
SAN DIEGO
Good Shepherd Parish
8200 Gold Coast Drive, CA 92126
12:15 PM Mass

MONDAY, APRIL 15
LOS ANGELES
Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels
555 W Temple St., CA 90012
11:00 AM Veneration
12:10 PM Mass followed by Veneration

TUESDAY, APRIL 16
LOS ANGELES
St. Peter’s Italian Church
1039 N Broadway, CA 90012
6:00 PM Mass

WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17
SANTA BARBARA
St. Barbara Parish
2201 Laguna Street, CA 93105
7:00 PM Mass

THURSDAY, APRIL 18
MANHATTAN BEACH
American Martyrs Church
624 15th St., CA 90266
5:00 PM Mass

FRIDAY, APRIL 19
TORRANCE
St. Francis Korean Catholic Church
2040 Artesia Blvd, CA 90504
7:30 PM Mass

SATURDAY, APRIL 20
HERMOSA BEACH
Our Lady of Guadalupe Church
244 Prospect Avenue, CA 90254
5:00 PM Vigil Mass

SUNDAY, APRIL 21
GARDENA
St. Anthony of Padua Church
1050 West 163rd St., CA 90247
11:00 AM Mass

St. Anthony Never Left Me Unaided

I have way too many stories! Stories upon stories! St. Anthony never left me unaided, personally speaking.

My recent story was that I lost my wedding ring for over a week. I thought it was lost in a parking lot somewhere and in these difficult financial times that someone would take it and cash it in. I got that ring at 21 and am 26 years into marriage in a time when 50 percent of everyone divorces. It held no monetary value to me, just pure sentimental and it was blessed at my Church wedding. I appealed to St. Anthony and resigned to never seeing it again unless a miracle. Within a day or two, my husband found the ring on the floor to our home at the entrance (we certainly would have seen it for the over week it was missing and we were looking!) right underneath a picture bunch that I have on our entrance wall that is full of ALL our family wedding pictures, way back to my great-great-grandparents. They are all in black and white and none have ever been divorced thus far. In the middle is a frame that has in calligraphy "Families are Forever." RIGHT under this "shrine to marriage" you can call it, was my wedding
band. Thank you, St. Anthony! :)

Thank you K.P. for sharing your heartning St. Anthony story with us. Have a St. Anthony story of your own to share? Email it to us and we will share it on the blog~

I Was The Doubting Thomas

My wife was sitting on the sofa when her engagement ring got caught in the sofa cover. The diamond had gotten lost from the ring leaving only the protruding fingers. We had no idea how long the diamond had been missing. Needless to say, she was very upset and wanted me to find it.
I knew that it was not possible. We didn't know when it was lost or where, but to console her I got a flashlight and suggested she pray to St. Anthony, while I searched for something impossible to find. She finally said she remembered bumping her hand against a door frame and maybe that's when it happened. So I searched around all the doors and wanted to give up many times, but when I got to the garage door where we have a freezer, I shined the flashlight behind the freezer where there was a lot of dust and dead leaves and a slight sparkle of the diamond.
I was the doubting Thomas but St. Anthony came through anyway.

Thank you E.K. for sharing your amazing St. Anthony story with us~

A Terrible Sense Of Direction

I have always had a terrible sense of direction and over the years I have always prayed to St. Anthony to help me find my way when I get lost. You see as a young girl I equated lost to meaning not only items, but me losing my way as well.

Here are a couple of my favorite times that St. Anthony assisted me when I was lost while traveling. These times took place before the electronic navigation devices existed. On one journey I was taking my daughter and some of her friends to an away football game that was 2 hours from our home. The directions were on paper and given to us by her teacher. I thought I followed them perfectly, but we could not find the high school where the football game was to be played. It was getting close to the time of the game to start and we had ridden around for a few minutes when I told the girls to join me in our prayer to St. Anthony. We all prayed and at the end of the prayer I saw a shoe store and I decided to run in and see if anyone has heard of this school where the football game was to be played. A woman in the store said she was actually going to the game and we could follow her. We ended up following her for at least a half hour. I must have really been lost and I would have never found this school. What was the chance of finding someone going to the game at that very moment? We ended up at the game in plenty of time.

The second one was some years prior to this time. My daughter and I flew half way across the country to attend a friend’s ordination. My husband was away in the military and could not attend so we decided my young 7 year old daughter and I would go alone. When we got there I had quite a hard time trying to find my way around with maps and written directions. On the morning of the ordination I really got lost and my daughter and I stopped and prayed to St. Anthony again. I told her we can run into this small store and see if anyone knew where the Cathedral was located. Sure enough there was a man there and he too was attending the ordination. He offered to have us follow him. We did and made the ordination in plenty of time.

There are countless other times that good St. Anthony has come to my assistance, but there is so another amazing thing that happened to me in 2000 when I went on a family trip to visit Italy for the first time. My mother had given each of us this special trip as a present a year after my father passed away. I was a little sad when I saw the itinerary and knew that we would not visit Padua to see the place that St. Anthony had been laid to rest. Imagine my surprise when along our tour we were told there was an adjustment to our itinerary and sure enough we were in fact going to Padua. I was able to visit St. Anthony’s resting place after all. I considered this another answer to one of my St. Anthony petitions. I had prayed and asked if he could assist me in visiting his home while I was in Italy.

Thank you for allowing me to tell you of my great love of St. Anthony and how he really does come to the assistance of anyone who calls upon him to help them.

Thank you J.S. for sharing your inspiring lost and found stories with us. Have a story of your own to share? Email it to us and we will post it on the blog~

Even More Than I Had Asked For

I lost my very small medal of St Anthony when I was 24 years old in my front garden, near the footpath, whilst gardening. It was a particularly small, elaborately worked gold medal and on a very fine chain and sent to me from Italy as a special gift, as I am Christened Antonietta after San Antonio. I was devastated and looked for hours and even weeks afterwards for this unique medal. Every time I did gardening or walked to the front garden, I hoped and indeed, I searched for weeks. I had saved the chain as it broke but the medal flew off to unknown destinations. I prayed to St. Anthony and in the end, I gave up and prayed that St. Anthony would bless the finder. About 6 years later, whilst gardening out the front (again), I saw something glisten and shine, right in my eye, on the footpath outside my home. I investigated and found a very small, delicate, gold medal of St. Anthony lying on the footpath next to a little solid gold, 3 dimensional heart. It was not my medal but equally beautiful and valuable. I could not find the owner and investigated the lost and found papers for a couple of weeks before I decided that somehow, someway, St. Anthony got back to me with even more than I had asked for.
Imagine, in front of my house, a different medal plus a lovely little heart, in broad daylight. What are the odds? I love St Anthony for many things and for his wonderful example of a well spent life. I am 80 years old in two months and I still remember that glistening gift on my footpath as though it were yesterday.

Thank you to A.D for emailing us this amazing St. Anthony story. Have your own testimony to share about St. Anthony and answered prayer? Email us to have it posted on our blog~

God Bless His Holiness Benedict XVI

We send prayers of gratitude to God for our beloved Pope Emeritus, His Holiness Benedict XVI, on this day that he leaves the Throne of Peter. We thank the Pope Emeritus for all of his sacrifices, and for the holy guidance he has given the Church these past 8 years; but most of all we thank him for Summorum Pontificum, freeing the use of the Traditional Latin Mass, the Holy Mass of Saint Anthony of Padua and countless other Saints and faithful throughout the ages.

Please join us in preparation for the upcoming election of a new Sovereign Pontiff, as we beseech heavenly graces via the following novena of prayers, to take place from March 1st. to March 9th.

Veni Creator Spiritus

Come, Holy Ghost, Creator, come. From Your bright heavenly throne! Come, take possession of our souls. And make them all Your Own!
You who are called the Paraclete, Best gift of God above, The Living Spring, The Living Fire, Sweet Unction, and True Love!
You who are sevenfold in Your grace, Finger of God’s right hand,
His Promise, teaching little ones
To speak and understand!
O guide our minds with Your blessed light, With love our hearts inflame, And with your strength, which never decays, Confirm our mortal frame.
Far from us drive our hellish foe, True peace unto us bring, And through all perils guide us safe Beneath Your sacred wing.
Through You may we the Father know, Through You the Eternal Son, And You the Spirit of them both Thrice blessed Three in One.
Now to the Father, and the Son Who rose from death, be glory given, With You, O Holy Comforter, Henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen.
V/ Send forth Your Spirit, and they shall be created:
R/ An You shall renew the face of the earth.

O Lord, with suppliant humility, we entreat You, that in Your boundless mercy You will grant the most holy Roman Church a pontiff, who by his zeal for us, may be pleasing to You, and by his good government may ever be honored by Your people for the glory of Your name. Through Our Lord Jesus Christ.
V/ Most Sorrowful and Immaculate Heart of Mary,
R/ pray for us who have recourse to Thee!
V/ Saint Anthony of Padua
R/ pray for us.

You can download the novena in pdf format here

I Credit Saint Anthony

I have written you several stories in the past. St. Anthony has helped me so many times, it's astounding. But now I have a new story, very incredible.
About 14 years ago my brother bought me a pearl necklace for Christmas. We are both single, and I never had a pearl necklace, and so I treasured this piece as something very precious from his heart. The following year my mother asked to wear my necklace for a wedding. Of course I said yes. I recall her giving it back to me and it being on her kitchen table, but the next time I wanted to wear it I could not find it. I prayed to St. Anthony, but nothing. I looked everywhere in my house for it, but could not find it. I prayed to St. Anthony every time I would think about it over these past 13 years. Last summer I was cleaning out a cabinet, and saw I had several bottles of vitamins I had not used in a long time, and I decided to throw them out since they were old. As I began to throw them away, I stopped and decided I would empty the bottles and dispose of the pills separately, because I didn't want children to find the bottles and perhaps take the pills. I opened the first bottle, and much to my shock and surprise, there were my pearls!!!!! I had apparently put them in the bottle because I was going out of town and wanted them not to be stolen, then I forgot they were there.
I credit St. Anthony for inspiring me to stop and decide to empty the bottles before throwing them away. If I had not, I would have thrown away my pearls and not even known it, so thank you again, wonderful, wonderful, St. Anthony!

Thank you B.B. for another great St. Anthony story. Need to find something that is lost? With prayer, patients, perseverance, and Saint Anthony's help, you will find what you need most - ask for his help today~

To Bombard Saint Anthony With Prayers

I have a doozie of a story of how Saint Anthony found an object very dear to me...My mom gave me her Graduation ring from High School (1926 vintage) when I was twelve. I am nearly 70. Last week it was gone! I looked again and again, especially where I normally keep it, but nothing...My students helped clean the shelves(I am a private piano teacher) yet NOTHING>>> So, I gave up and asked all my friends and students to bombard Saint Anthony with prayers, and on Saturday there was the ring EXACTLY where I always kept it.. We looked in that very place alllll week..Thank you, Saint Anthony.

A great 'thank you!' to one of our readers for emailing us this inspiring St. Anthony story. Have a St. Anthony story of your own to share? Email it to us and we will post it on our blog~

750 Year Anniversary Of The Feast Of St. Anthony's Tongue

The 15th. of February, 2013, will be the ‘Feast of St. Anthony’s Tongue’. This expression may sound a bit strange to modern ears, but it recalls a truly extraordinary event which took place in 1263 – thirty-two years after the Saint’s death.

St. Anthony’s remains were transferred from the Church of Sancta Maria Mater Domini, where he had originally been interred, to the adjacent and newly constructed Basilica of St. Anthony. Present at this ceremony was St. Bonaventure in his capacity as the Minister General of the Friars Minor. St. Anthony’s coffin was opened, and it was found to contain only bones and ashes with one exception: the Saint’s vocal apparatus was found to be intact, and in particular his tongue was still red and soft. At the sight of this miracle, St. Bonaventure exclaimed in awe “Oh blessed tongue, that ever praised the Lord, and led others to praise Him! Now it is clear how great are your merits before God!”

As a preacher and writer, Anthony had continuously praised the Lord with his tongue or with his pen. The first biography of St. Anthony written soon after his death, refers to the Saint’s tongue as “the writing reed of the Holy Spirit,” because it was with his tongue that he converted so many people through the operation of the Holy Spirit: “His powerful words and salutary doctrine so rooted themselves in the hearts of his listeners that large crowds of believers adhered faithfully to the Lord.”

This year marks exactly 750 years that have elapsed since that first recognition. Over the centuries, this precious relic has suffered some of the ravages of time, but it is still on display in the Chapel of Relics in the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua, Italy.
Source: St. Anthony's Messenger

Click here if you would like prayers in honor of St. Anthony's blessed tongue on this momentous Feast day~

A Lost Car And A Lost Necklace

The first story was not mine but a dear friend of my Grandmother's, Josephine. Both are from back East and Catholic. Josephine had her only car stolen at a friend's home she was visiting. She thought she would never be able to buy another car, living on a fixed income, so she prayed to St. Anthony day after day. About three weeks or so go by and she is in her kitchen doing dishes and happens to look out the window, and there is her car driving by, parking 5 doors down from her home. She called the police and got her car back. I always remembered her story.

So my story - my Grandmother had given me a diamond necklace on a long chain. Somehow I lost it for over two years. I looked and looked, and thought about St. Anthony - I began praying for his help. Weeks go by and I was going on a trip, I took my luggage out of the closet and in one of the zippers I found the diamond necklace. Thank you St Anthony - I named my son after you.

Thank you G.T.L. for both of those great stories of St. Anthony's help, they are priceless. Have a St. Anthony story of your own to share with our readers? Email us to have it posted on our blog~

Prayers In Honor Of The Blessed Tongue Of St. Anthony

Prayers in Honor of the Blessed Tongue of Saint Anthony of Padua

(They can be recited for an exercise of thirteen Tuesdays in his honor, or during thirteen days in succession, or the first nine can be used for a nine day Novena.)


First Day

O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue did always bless the Lord and cause others to bless Him! To reward thee God has glorified thy tongue by granting to it upon this earth the favor of incorruptibility which has continued for seven centuries. I bless thy tongue, I venerate it with the same sentiments of faith, devotion and love that animated Saint Bonaventure when he kissed it, praised it, blessed it and venerated it. I thank the Lord Who has sanctified thy tongue, rendering it miraculous and glorious on earth, and I beg Him to grant a true devotion toward thee, that I may merit thy protection during this life, in all my spiritual and corporal needs, and merit also to rise again with all the Saints.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Sancte Antoni, ora pro nobis


Second Day

O Blessed Tongue, which always did bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, now does it appear plainly how highly thou were esteemed by God. O marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue did always bless the Lord and cause others to bless, praise, thank and pray to Him, I bless and venerate thee, I thank God Who created thy tongue and sanctified it by His grace, and I implore Him, through thy merits, to purify and sanctify my tongue, that by it I may continually praise, bless and thank the Lord, and never offend Him.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Sancte Antoni, ora pro nobis


Third Day

O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue did always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, without ever offending Him, by words or guilty conversations, I bless and venerate thee, and thanking God Who preserved thee from all sins of the tongue implore Him through thy merits, to preserve my tongue from every sinful word and discourse.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Sancte Antoni, ora pro nobis


Fourth Day

O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue did always receive Jesus in His Sacrament worthily, I bless and venerate thee, thanking God Who has sanctified thee by His graces and His Most Holy Sacrament, I implore Him to pardon me for having so often profaned by sin my tongue, sanctified and consecrated so many times by contact with the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ in my communions. O great Saint, obtain for me the grace to preserve my tongue pure and spotless from sin, that I may henceforth merit to receive Jesus Christ worthily in the Sacrament of His love.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Sancte Antoni, ora pro nobis


Fifth Day

O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue did always bless the Lord, praying and singing to Him with devotion and attention, I bless and venerate thee. I thank God for giving thee the spirit of prayer and gift of contemplation, and through thy merits, I implore Him to grant me the grace that all the prayers my tongue shall recite may spring from an attentive and recollected heart.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Sancte Antoni, ora pro nobis


Sixth Day

O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue did always bless the Lord, with Whom thou didst hold familiar conversation when He appeared to thee under the form of a graceful Child, I bless and venerate thee, and thanking God for the sweet apparitions and tender conversations with which He favored thee, I implore thee to obtain for me the grace to always converse devoutly and affectionately with Jesus in His Sacrament after Holy Communion.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Sancte Antoni, ora pro nobis


Seventh Day

O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue did always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, by teaching men the knowledge of their faith and duties by converting so many sinners, I bless and venerate thee. I thank God Who has given thee so much charity, wisdom and zeal, and I implore you to obtain from Him the same gifts for me, and for all, that we may labor, by our examples and words, to procure the glory of God, and the conversion of sinners.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Sancte Antoni, ora pro nobis


Eighth Day

O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue did always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, when in preaching and speaking in one language, thou were, by a miracle, heard, at a distance, and understood by people of every nation and language, I bless and venerate thee, and, thanking God for making of thee such a zealous workman and so admirable in the conversion of sinners, I implore thee, to attract the blessings of divine goodness on my tongue, that it may never do harm, and may always promote the glory of God and my neighbor's welfare.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Sancte Antoni, ora pro nobis


Ninth Day

O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue did always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, when they saw the fish themselves obey thee, and raise their heads from the water to listen to thy words, when they saw a common horse prostrate itself to adore Jesus Christ in the Most Holy Sacrament, I bless and venerate thee, I thank God for having worked such prodigies to confirm thy faith, thy sanctity and thy teachings; I implore thee to obtain for me the grace to hear with fruit, the word of God, and to be devout to the Holy Sacrament of the altar.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Sancte Antoni, ora pro nobis


Tenth Day

O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue did always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, even to obliging the infernal spirits to obey thee, and to quit the bodies which they possessed, by saying to them, "Behold the cross of the Lord! Fly, ye powers of darkness, the Lion of the tribe of Juda, the Root of David, has conquered. Alleluia." I bless, praise and venerate thee, and, thanking God for giving thee such power over hell, beseech thee to cause me to be delivered and preserved from the snares and temptation of the devil, as well as all those who recite with faith, and carry with confidence the words pronounced by thy tongue.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Sancte Antoni, ora pro nobis


Eleventh Day

O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue did always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, by reconciling enemies, converting malefactors and robbers, humbling a tyrant at thy feet, and humiliating hardened heretics, I bless, praise and venerate thee, I thank God for giving such strength and persuasion to thy words, and I implore thee to obtain for me grace and zeal to exercise fraternal correction with prudence and meekness, so as to prevent evil and effect good.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Sancte Antoni, ora pro nobis


Twelfth Day

O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue did always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, who has commanded with authority and faith, the unchained elements, disease and death itself, while God has worked through you as an instrument of so many astounding prodigies, prodigies which He still continues from day to day, I bless and venerate thee. I thank God for granting thee the privilege of distributing so many graces and working such wondrous miracles, and I implore thee to use it in my favor, and in favor of all those who have devotion to thee.

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Sancte Antoni, ora pro nobis


Thirteenth Day

O Marvelous Saint, whose Blessed Tongue did always bless the Lord, and cause others to bless Him, thanks to all thy prerogatives, thanks to the veneration in which thou hast ever been held, thanks to thy powerful intercession, all can clearly see how great is thy merit before God, Who gives thee such glory in heaven, so much power and veneration on earth, I rejoice with thee, I venerate thee, and, thanking God for all thy virtues, merits and the glory which He gives thee, and will give thee in heaven and on earth, I promise to be truly devout to thee by imitating thy virtues as far as I am able, especially by keeping my tongue from sin, by employing it in praising and thanking God, and praying never more to offend Him. Obtain for me from our Lord, with the pardon of all the faults which my tongue has committed, or made others commit, the grace never more to make use of it to offend Him. For this intention, I will recite every day, or at least every Tuesday, the Our Father, Hail Mary and Glory be to the Father, thirteen times, to thank the Most Holy Trinity for the graces, glory and privileges which have been granted to thee, in order to be worthy of thy protection during this life, of thy assistance at the hour of my death, and of thy blessed company in heaven. Amen

Our Father, Hail Mary, Glory Be
Sancte Antoni, ora pro nobis

Comment Box Quotes About St. Anthony's Help

The following are some recent comment box quotes regarding St. Anthony's assistance after praying the prayer, 'Good Saint Anthony look around, something's lost and must be found'. These little stories are a good reminder that St. Anthony is always willing to help us whenever we want to ask. Thank you Lord Jesus for giving us such a faithful friend to intercede for us in all areas of our lives, big or small~

Thanks St. Anthony I prayed this prayer and instantly found my 300 dollar phone.
~K.T.

Actually, I had $1000 in an envelope, scooped it up with mail trash, and thought I lost it. I said this prayer over and over after looking for it half the morning, fearing that it was long gone at the garbage dump, almost breaking down. Then, just for the heck of it, I went through the trash and there it was! God bless for the advice! And thank you St. Anthony.
~K.B.

I found it. We could not find the tree stand for the Christmas Tree. It is for an artificial tree. We looked EVERYWHERE, actually rearranged the basement storage area, checked upstairs closet, bedrooms. Ready to go buy a new one and I remembered this prayer. Said it and went back upstairs saying it to myself and literally went right to it!
~J.F.G.

Growing up, my 85 year old Italian mother was constantly asking St Anthony to help her find things. I kind of blew it off while I was growing up but now, here I am at 55 years old constantly asking him to help me, lol. It may not work instantly but those "misplaced" items DO show up. Thanks for reminding me of what I take for granted.
~C.C.C.

First time I prayed to St. Anthony, I had lost a favorite doll (I was maybe 10). I found her the next day in a bag of cloth! St Anthony has never let me down.
~W.A.A

Join me in giving thanks to God that by the intercession of St Anthony, we found my daughter's passport which got lost for more than a year. Thank you St Anthony. Best regards.
~F.M.

Have a St. Anthony story, big or small, that you would like to share? Email us to have it posted on our blog~