Why is St. Anthony’s Help Sought in Finding Lost Things?

Have you ever prayed to St. Anthony to help you find a lost item? This is a practice I learned from my mother when I was a little girl. Whenever something was missing, she encouraged me to seek his intercession. Over the years, St. Anthony has helped me find many, many things.

He hears from me on a nearly daily basis, not only to help me find things I’ve misplaced, but the toys, books, and mittens that my children have lost somewhere in the house and must be found and found quickly. He always helps me. If the item is there to be found, I usually find it pretty quickly, sometimes in some very unexpected places.

How did this tradition start? First, let us learn some basics about the life of St. Anthony. He was born in 1195 in Lisbon and given the name of Fernando. At the age of 15 he entered the religious order of St. Augustine. He would then spend nine years studying Augustinian theology.

The life of the young priest took a radical turn when the bodies of the first five Franciscan martyrs were returned from Morocco and carried in solemn procession to his monastery. He was so moved by the experience, Fernando decided that he wanted to be a Franciscan, go to Morocco and become a martyr himself. As a Franciscan, he took the name Anthony.

Despite his desire, he never made it to Morocco. He became sick and needed to return home. His ship ran into storms and high winds and was blown to the east coast of Sicily, where he was cared for by the friars in Messina.

Anthony might have lived a quiet life as an unknown friar if he hadn’t gone to an ordination of Dominicans and Franciscans in 1222. While he was there, Anthony was asked to give a “simple” sermon. When Anthony began to speak, his holiness and knowledge impressed everyone. St. Francis heard of Anthony’s previously hidden gifts, and assigned Anthony to preach in northern Italy. Eventually, he was asked to also teach other friars.

In Padua, Anthony preached his last and most famous Lenten sermons. As many as 30,000 people would crowd to hear him. He would sometimes hear confessions all day. He was exhausted and knew that he would die soon. He died in 1231 at age 36. The following year, his friend, Pope Gregory IX, moved by the many miracles that occurred at Anthony’s tomb, declared him a saint.

How did St. Anthony, most known for his skill at preaching, become associated with finding lost things? When he was teaching friars, Anthony had a book of psalms that was very important to him. This was before the advent of the printing press, so the book itself was extremely valuable, but more importantly, it also had his notes for teaching which were irreplaceable.

A disgruntled novice decided to leave the community and took Anthony’s psalter with him! Upon realizing it was missing, Anthony prayed it would be found or returned to him. The novice saw a vision which compelled him to return the psalter to Anthony and return to the Order which accepted him back. The stolen book is said to be preserved in the Franciscan friary in Bologna. Shortly after his death people began asking St. Anthony’s help to find or recover lost and stolen articles.

The following is a traditional prayer to St. Anthony:

Dear St. Anthony,
You are the patron of the poor and the helper of all who seek lost articles. Help me to find the object I have lost so that I will be able to make better use of the time I will gain for God’s greater honor and glory. Grant your gracious aid to all people who seek what they have lost – especially those who seek to regain God’s grace.

It's Time to Vote in the About.com Catholicism Awards

The finalists have been selected and it is time to vote:

About.com Catholic awards Finalists

I didn't make the cut, but I do appreciate the people who nominated my blog, and there are some great choices to pick from!

Book Review: "Pausing to Pray: Lenten Meditations for Busy People"

Pausing To Pray Lenten Meditations for Busy People
With Excerpts from the Diary of St. Faustina and Meditations by Marian Fathers of the Immaculate Conception
Compiled and arranged by Sarah M. Chichester
Stockbridge, MA: Marian Press, 2010

Lent is right around the corner. "Pausing to Pray: Lenten Meditations for Busy People" offers short reflections for each day from Ash Wednesday through Divine Mercy Sunday. Each day features an excerpt from St. Faustina's Diary which focuses on Divine Mercy and then a short meditation from one of the Marian Fathers. The contributing Fathers include such notables as Fr. Donald Calloway, MIC, author of "No Turning Back: A Witness to Mercy," Fr. Michael Gaitley, MIC, Director of the Association of Marian Helpers and author of the "Consoling the Heart of Jesus," and Fr. Seraphim Michalenko, MIC, world-renowned authority on the Divine Mercy Message and the life of St. Faustina.

The reflections are short and thought-provoking and will aid in devotion during the spiritual season of Lent. The booklet can be used year after year. It also features an examination of conscience, St. Faustina's Way of the Cross, the Novena to Divine Mercy, and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy.

This is the reflection for the First Saturday of Lent:

Jesus, I accept everything that You wish to send me; I trust in your goodness. (Diary, 190)

Meditation

Dear Jesus, I am afraid of what I would have to give up if I gave You my unconditional 'Yes.' I guess I don't trust you enough. How did St. Faustina come to a complete surrender to You? She knew You better than I do. Help me to come to know You more deeply, Lord. I don't want to be afraid of the path that You have picked out for me. Help me to believe that You will be with me every step of the way and that my surrender to You won't lead to misery, but is the key to my happiness.

On the New Translation of the Mass

Here is one of the best articles I have seen on the reasons behind the new English translation of the Catholic Mass.

Understanding the Reasons for the Changes

For Valentine's Day - Christian Love and Valentines

Valentine's Day can celebrate all sorts of Christian love, not just the romantic variety. Our Sunday Visitor has a great craft for small children that focuses on that fact. With a little adaptation, it could work just as well for bigger kids also:

Christian Love and Valentines

Book Review: Exposed

 Exposed: Inexcusable Me...Irreplaceable Him

by Shannon M. Dietz
Hopeful Hearts Ministry, 2012

At World Youth Day 2005 in Kolin, Germany, Shannon Dietz was approached by a stranger with a startling message. "God is using you and wants you to be bold. He wants you to tell your story - all of it. Some people may not believe you, and some will come against you, telling you not to share what you have always kept secret. But he knows they need to hear you and witness what he's done for you." A priest in the confessional told her that she has a gift of the Spirit - the ability to discern what is evil and what is of God.

"Exposed" is Shannon's story of that good and evil in her own life. It is a pain-filled tale. She has experienced far more than any one person should ever have to - including two rapes, emotional abuse, and seeing physical manifestations of evil. She made her share of poor decisions and struggled with her Catholic faith for many years. Through it all, even when she thought He had, God never abandoned her. It wasn't until she was a mother struggling with the challenges of parenting that she fully turned her life over to God and experienced a life-changing conversion.

God led her to become a youth minister in her local parish and to share her story about God's presence in our lives. As Shannon states, her story "exposes the truth that, no matter how deeply our wounds may run, we will always be worthy of God's healing grace."

It took great courage for Shannon to share her story. It is an important one for young people who are struggling with addiction or abuse and those who question whether God still cares for them in spite of their sin.

You can learn more about Shannon and her ministry at http://www.shannonmdeitz.com.

You can purchase the book at http://store.believerspress.com/Exposed/

A Biblical Quote on Work

Each week, I put up a Bible quote in our kitchen for us all to reflect on. This is the quote for this week:

"In all the work you are doing, work the best you can. Work like you are working for the Lord, not for people." Colossians 3:23

That's a good reminder to always put good effort into our work, even if it seems unimportant or uninspiring. Do all we do for the glory of God. That automatically infuses it with meaning and purpose.