Posted on 06/13/2006 8:30:25 PM PDT by Pyro7480
The great Anthony of Padua has a universal appeal in the Catholic Church (he is truly a "catholic" saint). His statue can be found in churches the world over. He is most famous as the patron of lost articles. God knows how many times I've invoked his intercession in that area. But he has earned another title for his gift of converting the "sheep who had wandered" with his preaching - malleus haereticorum - or "the hammer of heretics."
While he is known for being a saint of the Italian city of Padua, St. Anthony was actually from Portugal, and spent much of his priestly ministry traveling across France and Italy, offering Masses and preaching. He was literally a one-man crusade against the prevailing heresy in those countries at the time, which was Catharism (also known as Albigensianism). He was so effective in converting people back to the Church that in response, the Cathars of the town of Rimini tried to poison him. Though he knew their treachery, he nevertheless ate at the feast they had prepared for him, and was unharmed.
St. Anthony continued to preach in Rimini, but some of the Cathars still did not heed his words. He demonstrated their hardness of heart when he preached on the shore of a river there, and in response, fish in the water sticked their heads out and turned to attentively hear his words. At this miraculous sight, people fell at the saint's feet and listened. Many returned to the Church.
Due to this reputation, Dom Gueranger invoked St. Anthony's intercession in the struggle against the heresies of modern times, which often have many similiarites to the heresy of Catharism. He wrote, "O thou who dost daily fly to the aid of thy devoted clients in their private necessities, thou whose power is the same in heaven as heretofore upon earth, succour the Church, aid God's people have pity upon society, now more universally and deeply menaced than ever. O thou ark of the covenant, bring back our generation, so terribly devoid of love and faith, to the serious study of sacred letters, wherein is so energizing a power. O thou hammer of heretics, strike once more such blows as will make hell tremble and the heavenly powers thrill with joy" (The Liturgical Year, Vol. XII, June 13).
St. Anthony of Padua, Hammer of Heretics, pray for us!
St. Anthony of Padua, pray for us!
Seriously, he has come through for me many and many a time.
Saint Anthony of Padua is the saint I consider myself named after, even though my father may beg to differ (being he's the 1st and I'm the 2nd)! :)
Also, I've been praying for his intercession most every night for around a month. After my first night of asking for his intercession for a troubled friend of mine, I found out that my friend finally decided to seek help for his dilemma. I was both surprised, and thankful. I'm sure of St. Anthony's (and others) help while in grad school, and recently, a turn towards being more true to the faith has been happening to my girlfriend. Pretty cool!!!
Pray for us please, Saint Anthony of Padua, in whose arms the Infant Jesus loved to be held.
God Bless,
ARAD (Anthony)
He's the only saint that can be accused of extortion =). Every time I lose something, I have to promise Him that if he helps me find it I'll give a monetary contribution to the poor. I swear, sometimes find things in places I know I've looked in beforehand without finding anything. Only when I promise him that I will help a good cause will the object resurface again :).
This was an altar at the Franciscan Monastery in Kennebunk, Maine. The kind Monastery priests heard many of my confessions.
Thanks for the pic. Now THAT is what I call a church!
As is often the case, the picture doesn't do the beauty of the church justice. It is an exquisite high altar and the NO table can be moved out of the way. The Communion rail is still completely intact.
As Mike knows, this church is literally around the corner from the Italian parish, Holy Rosary Church, where the indult Mass is located.
Wow! Now THAT is a high altar! What a work of art!
More info on St. Anthony.
free dixie,sw
St. Anthony is one of my favorite saints.
Are you Catholic sw?
i have a REALLY good FRiend who IS though. (the older i get the more "ecumenical" i get. i can WORSHIP at ANY church or any other place as well.)
free dixie,sw
I have an interesting tidbit for you. I know a Greek and Latin teacher at a local high school. He graduated from Georgetown University in 1961, which the centennial year of the start of War Between the States. Apparently, most of the students at Georgetown in 1861 who decided to fight in the war fought for the Confederacy.
free dixie,sw
Absolutely gorgeous!
Holy Rosary in the 1960s
Does it still look like this?
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