A Message from Father Dan for the Feast of St. Anthony

A Message from Father Dan for the Feast of St. Anthony - June 13, 2015   On June 13 we celebrate the feast of St. Anthony of Padua, the patron of our magazine. St. Anthony, a native of Lisbon, Portugal, was ordained as an Augustinian, but was so inspired by the martyrdom of a group of Franciscan friars killed while preaching in Morocco, that he asked permission to join the Franciscans thinking that he, too, was called to be a martyr. God had other plans for Anthony. As he sailed for North Africa in order to preach the Gospel, his voyage ended when the ship in which he travelled was hit by a storm. He was shipwrecked on the Italian peninsula. Friars there cared for the wannabe martyr until they took him with them to a Pentecost assembly of all the friars in Assisi.  Anthony was assigned to a retiro, or retreat house where he worked and prayed with his new brothers. When the brothers discovered that Anthony was a skilled preacher and theologian, his ministry took a new turn. He was charged with teaching theology to the brothers in training and eventually he became an itinerant preacher working out of Padua. He gained a reputation as a staunch opponent of the Albigensians, a thirteenth century heretical group that denied the validity of the sacraments. In a short time Anthony became known for his concern to the poor and his powerful preaching. Today Anthony is one of the most popular Catholic saints. Frequently people ask his help when they lose things. I do that myself. But even if I don't find what was lost, it is my experience that just praying and asking the saint's help has a positive effect. If you'd like to read further about St. Anthony I would suggest St. Anthony of Padua by Fr. Jack Wintz, OFM. Franciscan Media exists to help spread the Word of God in the Spirit of St. Francis, St. Anthony and St. Clare. I invite you to become a partner in pursuing our mission because we need your prayers and your support to continue our mission. Please consider donating $50, $75, $100 or more to help us evangelize. Your tax-deductible gift in any amount helps us pay the costs of our web ministry, which touches many thousands with the Gospel message every day. Use our secure online donation form or mail a donation, payable to the Franciscans, to Franciscan Media, 28 W. Liberty St., Cincinnati, OH 45202. If you prefer, you may phone in a credit-card donation for our evangelization ministries at (513) 241-5615, ext. 3 or in the U.S., 800-488-0488, ext. 3.  Thank you for supporting our ministry. May God give you peace! Peace and every blessing,   Fr. Dan Kroger, O.F.M. Publisher, Franciscan Media Copyright © 2015 Franciscan Media, All rights reserved. You are receiving this email because you opted in at a Franciscan Media website. Our mailing address is: Franciscan Media 28 W Liberty Street Cincinnati, OH 45202 Add us to your address book unsubscribe from this list    update subscription preferences