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.
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.
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.
