Ygnacia’s Own Stories - I Went Through EVERYTHING

I visited my friend H.K. in her shop recently to bring her some homemade jam - in the course of our conversation she mentioned she had lost her only car key. Of course I mentioned prayer to St. Anthony for lost things, here is her story. ~Ygnacia

How propitious it was that you came through my door today. You arrived, only to learn that I was nervously looking for my misplaced one-and-only car key. Yesterday, it rained heavily. Getting home from grocery shopping, I knew I had to rush to get things in the house. With stuff now in the fridge, etcetera, I sat in my office, consolidating bills and receipts, putting away my house keys and uh oh, my car key...where's my car key?? Not in my purse, bag, or anywhere in my home. I went through EVERYTHING and more than once, indoors and out. 

Today, I came to work a bit rattled, but had the pleasure of seeing you and sharing my upsetting day's experience. As the untouted exceptional ambassador of his works and miracles, you reencouraged my prayerfulness with the lovely story of your friend, whom you'd witnessed fretting over misplaced money. By sharing the focus of praying to St. Anthony to aid her in finding the cash, it was discovered moments later, in a most unexpected place. Saying that prayer soundly one more time, I once again looked everywhere, indoors and out. Apparently in the throes of unpacking, I hadn't remembered putting on my raincoat when I got home, to unload the car. Today, I'd carried it to work in case of rain. So, there's that raincoat, now hanging on the shop door. Lightbulb moment: Look in the pocket! There was the key... Thank you lovely friend for your help and advice to reconnect with dear St. Anthony. With lots of love and heart felt prayers for your generous jam making self, your fortunate family, and dear Saint Tony.

Have a story of your own of Saint Anthony’s help in your life? Email it to us and we will post it on the blog to inspire others to pray for the intercession of good Saint Anthony~

Ygnacia’s Own Stories - Maybe There Is Something To This St. Anthony Thing

 

Once again Saint Anthony comes to my rescue - I purchased Mother’s Day cards for both my sister and my mother and put them in some ‘safe place’. Big mistake. I started looking for them the day before Mother’s Day, no luck. I looked again Mother’s Day morning right before I needed to leave, still no luck. As I was giving up hope I prayed to Saint Anthony once again in desperation, “Saint Anthony please help me find those cards!” After praying that prayer I immediately looked down as I leaned against the counter in my kitchen and there they were the two cards, right in a place I thought I’d looked before. What would I do without him? Saint Anthony has come to my assistance  so many times my husband said, “maybe there is something to this Saint Anthony thing.” I would say to that a wholehearted yes! Not only do I depend on Saint Anthony’s help for my more than occasional lapses in memory, but I ask for his help and guidance in so many other things too - help for my family, for spiritual direction, for so many things I turn to him as a big brother in the Faith with complete trust. Once again, thank you Saint Anthony~

Have a story of Saint Anthony’s help in your own life that you would like to share? Email it to us and we will post it on the blog~

Sometimes There Is A Reason - Ygnacia’s Own Stories

I have a file with some of my most important papers that I keep in a file cabinet at home, it contains birth certificates, passports, things of that sort. I always keep that special file in the same place, I never move it. Just yesterday right before I had to leave for an appointment I went to get some paperwork I needed from that file, but the file wasn’t there. Impossible, I never, ever move it, how could this be? I spent hours looking for it, enlisting the help of my son too, but no luck. I of course prayed many times for St. Anthony’s help, still no luck. I finally had to give up looking and change my plans for the day, so I canceled the appointment. I even reproved St. Anthony, “You know right where that file is, why no help?!” With the change in plans I decided to visit an elderly friend of mine, a shut-in that I hadn’t visited for a couple of weeks. As I was driving to her home I was telling my son how hard it is to not be able to trust your own memory sometimes, and just as I turned into her driveway the location of the file popped into my mind. I had put the file in a safe months ago because of fire danger in our area. As I visited my friend I saw that she had deteriorated emotionally and was in a very bad way since I had last seen her, she was clearly depressed and in such great need of a visit. I had thought to visit her that day once I was done with my errands, but most likely I would’ve gotten too busy and not had time if I had gone to my appointment. I am very concerned for my friend and so now I will visit a lot more often and I will see about getting other friends to visit her too. So sometimes there is an important reason why we don’t find things right when we think we need to, in my case the reason was that a good friend was in a bad situation and needed me. My friend is normally a joyful, vibrant person that loves to be around people, I pray that through the intercession of Good Saint Anthony she and other isolated people will find the emotional support that they need~

Have a story of Saint Anthony of your own that you would like to share? Please email it to us and we will post it on our blog~

PS - For me it wasn’t how did I forget where I put that file, but more of how did I ever remember where I put it! I have since apologized to Saint Anthony for being so short with him, but knowing him he probably just smiled and laughed; we are family after all and family understands and forgives.

Images Of St. Anthony - Ygnacia's Trip To Omaha, Nebraska

My youngest son and I had the great privilege of attending the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter's priestly ordinations in Omaha, Nebraska this past May. A young man we know and attended Mass with from our Diocese was being Ordained, so we made the trip from California per his invitation. Along the way of our trip we stopped at some beautiful churches, always on the lookout for a picture, stained glass window, or statue of our beloved St. Anthony. Here are some pictures of St. Anthony from Immaculate Conception Catholic Church where this new priest celebrated his first Mass. There will be more pictures to come from our 10 state trip, we hope you enjoy them~







Do you have any pictures of Saint Anthony that you would like to share on the blog? Let us know where your pictures comes from~ Click here to email them to us.

Ygnacia's Own Stories - He's Not Too Big To Help

In the past few of weeks I have experienced a couple of my own St. Anthony stories that I would like to share with you readers.
The first one involved my husband - I was gone part of the day, and when I came home in the evening I found my husband frantically searching our home for a lost key. He said that he had been searching for over two hours and that it was the only key to one of his tractors. He had already gone through all of the drawers in the house, the washroom, all of his pants, etc. He asked for my help so I looked where he asked me to, but with no luck. It was late so he headed off to bed, anxious and upset over his loss. I decided to go into my washroom, and while there I said the Saint Anthony prayer. I looked up after my prayer, and there was a large key on top of a statue box I have that holds the image of Our Lady. I brought it in to him and sure enough, it was the tractor key. He was astounded. I told him that he owed a prayer of thanks to St. Anthony, and he replied that maybe there is something to this St. Anthony business after all. I have since put a medal of St. Anthony on the tractor key ring as a reminder.
My second story happened just last week. On the spur of the moment I went into a store to pick up a couple of things I needed. While I was walking in I noticed a bagger outside looking around on the ground. She greeted me kindly, and mentioned that she had lost an earring somewhere around there the day before. I looked around a little too, then she moved on and I did too to start shopping. I said a quick prayer to Saint Anthony as I moved away, and not a second later I heard her exclaim. She walked over with the now found earring in her hand to show to me. I took that opportunity to let her know that I was a Catholic, and that we ask our friends the Saints to help us with their prayers, just like we ask our friends here on earth to pray for things for us too. I told her that St. Anthony was the patron saint of lost things, and so I had said a prayer to him to help her just before she found her earring. She gave me a hug, and went back to work. I heard her tell a customer a few minutes later, when she asked how she was today, that she was blessed.
Blessed indeed, we all are, to have Saint Anthony ready and waiting to help with his intersession whenever we ask. Though one of the greatest and most famous Saints of the Church, he's not to big to help, no matter how small the task. Ask him today to intercede for you with whatever losses you may have~

Mass At Mission San Antonio In Honor Of St. Junipero Serra

  Statue of St. Junipero Serra at Mission San Antonio

On October 9th., 2015, just three weeks after the canonization of Fr. Junipero Serra, the first Traditional Latin Mass in over 40 years at Mission San Antonio (St. Anthony Mission) was celebrated in honor of this great Apostle of California. The Mass was heard by all the pilgrims in attendance with joy and thanksgiving, among which were direct descendants of the first immigrants to California from Mexico that arrived with the Anza Expedition in 1776. All agreed that it was fitting that St. Serra was honored at Mission San Antonio, the third of the California Mission he established, with the very Latin Mass he himself said daily.

  Mission San Antonio's altar readied for the first 
Traditional Latin Mass there in over 40 years

The following is an excerpt from the book 'San Antonio de Padua, the Mission in the Sierras' by Fr. Engelhardt, O.F.M.: "After traveling twenty-five leagues to the South of Monterey, here, close to a river forthwith named San Antonio, Fr. Serra had the goods unpacked... The bells brought along were suspended from a branch of a live oak tree. The sight of them caused his enthusiasm. He ran up to them, grasped the cords and rang them in a lively manner. Then he shouted: 'Hear, Oh Gentiles! Come! Oh come to the holy Church of God! Come, Oh come, and receive the Faith of Christ!...let me give vent to my heart's desires; for I would that these bells were heard all over the world.' A large cross was then constructed, raised, blessed and venerated in keeping with the Roman Ritual. Here the venerable Father Serra celebrated the first holy Mass in honor of Saint Anthony, the patron of the new Mission, on July 14, 1770...The ringing of the bells had attracted the attention of at least one Native American, and had caused him to approach cautiously while holy Mass was in progress...The sight of the man filled St. Serra with joy which he expressed during his sermon in these words: 'I trust in God and in the favor of St. Anthony that this Mission will become a great settlement of many Christians, because we see here what has not been observed in any of the other Missions founded before, that at the very first holy Mass the first fruits from the local gentiles has been present.' Such, in brief, was the beginning of Mission San Antonio."

    Statue of St. Anthony holding the Child Jesus, 
above the altar at Mission San Antonio

St. Anthony's Email Bag - Little Answered Prayers 1

We receive many brief stories of gratitude for Saint Anthony's help sent to us, here a few of the more recent ones:

'I was introduced to St. Anthony midway through my difficult study and I was sure I would flunk the test. But through my continuous request to St. Anthony, I was able to answer even the questions that I found difficult. Thank you, St Anthony.' -J.P.

'Two items recovered in two days after short prayer to St. Anthony. Many many thanks.' -M.H.

'I lost my ring after Mother's Day, so I prayed to St. Anthony for his help every day. Today I found my ring inside my jacket. Thank you so much my patron powerful St. Anthony for your help. God bless.' -S.S.

'I thank my husband for introducing St. Anthony to me. St. Anthony is my best friend! Tuesday becomes my lucky day, always, since I started my devotion to St. Anthony!!! We got some amazing graces from him on Tuesdays! He is our great advocate. I am now praying for my sister and myself to heal the rift. We have not seen each other for more than ten years. I am praying to St. Anthony for his support and I will let you know if I get this difficult grace.' -M.C.
Update: M.C.'s prayer for a 'difficult grace' has been answered, click here to read the story.

'Today, after many times going to court, my daughter won 50/50 custody of her daughter. Thanks be to God, St. Anthony for answering my prayers...nine day novena which ended yesterday...day before trial.' -B.M.

'I had misplaced my driver's license. I prayed this novena for 9 consecutive hours today and after an hour, I called up an office mate and he confirmed it was just on my office table. Thank you, St. Anthony, I need not go through the hassle of applying and lining up for a replacement card.' -D.T.

'My other daughter got a job offer on "Tuesday" after I went to Mass to honor St. Anthony on Tuesday for her. It is just a Christmas job but she gained some confidence from her nice bosses who encouraged her. I will be finishing on ninth Tuesday on 9th. of December for my daughter and I know St. Anthony won't let me down. I put "Thank you" card under his feet at the Church. I hope it will encourage others in distress to pray to St. Anthony for help. My heart, He is too amazing! The training tutor told my daughter that she was lucky because she was being picked out of 2,500 applicants for this Christmas job. I think they hired about less or more than 200 Christmas staff for three months. From this valuable training and experience, she may get another job in any retail easily. It was St Anthony’s doing ! Praise be to God.' -M.C.

'Thank you Saint Anthony for answering my prayers in finding my lost wrist watch. Always grateful to you.' -S.M.

And finally, from Ygnacia's youngest son: "I know I put my travel bag in the hotel drawer, and I looked there over and over and couldn't find it. I said a prayer to St. Anthony, and then I found it in the drawer, right where I had already looked so many times before."

Many people, perhaps most, will say these are all little coincidences, chance happenings. But when they happen to you personally, you know they aren't just a coincidence, you can tell the difference. So, say this popular prayer to St. Anthony the next time you can't find something: 'Good St. Anthony look around, something's lost and must be found'. And then, when you find what you were looking for, don't forget to say a little prayer of thanks, and then drop us a line here with your story to share~

Images Of St. Anthony - St. Cyprian Roman Catholic Church, Washington D.C.

Some of my family and I were visiting Washington D.C. this past week. While visiting we saw many grand and interesting things, but one that I personally enjoyed very much was the beautiful little church where we went to Mass, Holy Comforter St. Cyprian Roman Catholic Church. To my great pleasure there was a lovely statue of our beloved St. Anthony. Here is a picture of the statue, in the form of St. Anthony's Bread.

St. Anthony's Relics Visit California - Ygnacia's Experience

On All Saints Day I had the very great fortune to be able to attend the veneration of St. Anthony relics that were on tour near my home in California. To be in the presence of Saint Anthony's relics was a deeply moving experience for me, a great joy and blessing that I never thought I would be able to experience. God is so good. I was also blessed to meet Franciscan Friar Fr. Mario Conte who brought the relics from the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua, and Tom Muscatello of the Vatican Anthonian Association. The following are my pictures of those two relics of our beloved St. Anthony~

The first class relic of St. Anthony - skin from his blessed face is in the glass section of the reliquary, on top of the book held by the statue.

Franciscan Friar Fr. Mario Conte, who took the relic of St. Anthony on this tour of California and Cananda. The basket on the table next to the reliquary holds prayer intentions that Fr. Conte will take back home with him to the Basilica of St. Anthony in Padua.

Veneration of the relic of Saint Anthony by one of the many good people that made time to visit the tour.

The other first class relic on tour is a 'floating rib' from our beloved Saint. This is the very same reliquary that was kissed by Sister Lucia of Fatima.

If you have had the good fortune to visit any of the worldwide tours of Saint Anthony's relics, please email us your reflections and experience to post on our blog. May these blessed tours continue~

Thank You St. Anthony Blog Readers

As we approach the 3rd. anniversary of our blogs first post, we thank our blog readers for giving over 100,000 hits to our blog to date. As time goes on, we continue to experience more and more interest in the prayers, novenas, and stories that our blog provides. Thank you Lord, may You be glorified, thank you St. Anthony, may you be asked for more prayers~~

Ygnacia's Own Stories - We Both Got Goosebumps

My youngest son takes piano lessons from a wonderful Russian lady. Entering her home this last week for class we found that she had had a very unfortunate loss - payment from earlier students in the amount of $200.00 had been lost. We helped her search her house for it before class, and we continued searching after class. We were about to give up and leave, when I thought I might go out on a limb a bit and say a prayer to St. Anthony.
She is an open person and has a connection with the Russian Orthodox faith, so she is familiar with saints. I told her, "This is what I do when I really can't find something, I pray to St. Anthony, 'Good St. Anthony look around, something's lost and can't be found.' I then do the best I can to retrace my steps, staying open to any feelings that may come to me as to where to look."
Just as I was giving these instructions, she moved toward her kitchen, walked right up to a drawer, pulled it open, and there was the money. We both got goosebumps. She said, "I have never put money in that drawer before, I don't know why I did that."
She is so grateful for having found her money, and I am so grateful that she was shown loving God's care for her, working through the intercession of Good St. Anthony~

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~

Ygnacia's Own Stories - From Ygnacia's Daughter

Hello there readers. I'm the daughter of Ygnacia, the lady who runs this blog, and I have a little story to tell you all. It all would not have happened if my mom did not have this blog about St. Anthony. Because ever since she started it, she's had a new catch-phrase, "Just pray to St. Anthony!" I guess it's because she's been getting all of these crazy stories about all these people who find stuff, like long lost purses or tiny diamond rings, after praying to St. Anthony. It's kinda hard to believe in all truth. But I've always been cool about it, nodding and smiling while thinking to myself that these people have got to be making 60% of this stuff up. But hey, if you say it happened, who am I to say otherwise? Anyways, down to my story.

The other day, I lost my bag that has everything I need in it for this class that I take, about five minutes before I had to go to the class. I was freaking out! Running up and down the stairs, tearing things off of shelves and counters, and in general, searching frantically for my bag. But, it was no where to be found. I ask my mom if she has seen it, but she had not. Then, lo and behold, her favorite catch-phrase came out. "Just pray to St. Anthony!" she said. I rolled my eyes, but just in case, I did say a little prayer to myself. Something along the lines of 'Tony, Tony come around, something's lost and can't be found.' Then, I dashed back upstairs one more time to search the computer room for my bag. As I looked atop of my chinchilla's cage for the tenth time, I put my hand on the back of a swivel chair. It's swiveled around and boom, there was my bag! It had been on the chair the whole time, but I only found it after my prayer. Whether this was just plain luck, or whether it was something more, is up for debate. But hey, who knows, right?

A big 'thank you' to my teenage daughter for writing up this story for us to post. Have a St. Anthony story of your own you would like to share? Email it to us and we will post it on our blog~

Ygnacia's Own Stories - A Math Book Found

The stories that I read on our blog, whether a little victory or an impressive find, thanks to the intersession of St. Anthony, continue to inspire me to ask for and believe more in his assistance. So, I will occationally add my own personal stories, here is a recent one:

I was about to give my homeschooling daughter a math test, so I went to the crate that I keep all of my curriculum, lesson plans, and school books in to get the test book. I searched the crate over and over, looking at every book and binder - no luck. I tried to retrace my steps, looking at other places in the house - not found. I looked for a week, off and on - nope, nothing, nada. Finally, as I was thinking about the irony of having a St. Anthony lost and found blog and not being able to find something myself, I said to St. Anthony, 'Please St. Anthony, I have this blog about you, show me personally how powerful your intersession can be, help me find the book." I said this prayer, and then walked into the room where I keep my homeschool crate - I casually looked into the crate, and immediately found the book, inside a binder. How many times had I looked in that crate over the past week, and then to find it so fast??

Now you can say that it was just coincidence, luck, I need to get my eyes checked, whatever, but I know in my heart that St. Anthony heard me and generously interceded for me. Thank you, St. Anthony.

God in His goodness is showing me in this and in many other ways to trust and rely on Him more. And in the future, keeping better track of where I put things can't hurt either~