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Feast ~
June 13th
Anthony was born
in Lisbon in 1195 and baptized Fernando.
Although born to wealth, he wanted to be
poor for the sake of Jesus Christ and
desired to be a missionary. In the
summer of 1220 he joined the
Franciscans, choosing the name
“Anthony.” Later it was St. Francis of
Assisi himself who confirmed Anthony’s
appointment to teach theology to the
friars at Bologna and Padua. He became
one of Francis’s favorite disciples and
closest friends.
He brought many
sinners back to God mostly by his good
example. He is considered one of the
greatest preachers in the history of the
Church and is known for his devotion to
the Holy Eucharist. He is best known as
the Saint to whom one prays to find a
lost article. God worked many miracles
through his intercession during his
lifetime. Even today he is called the
“wonder worker,” and is more popular
around the world than even St. Francis.
Pope Pius XII
named him a Doctor of the Church in his
apostolic letter of January 16, 1946,
Pope Pius XII saying: “It is because
Anthony so very often uses thoughts and
examples taken from the Gospel that he
clearly shows himself worthy and
deserving with full right the title,
Doctor of the Gospel.”
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