Dear Saint Anthony…

Fr. Livio Tonello, director

This is the way we turn to a friend, to a nice person... The requests that arrive to our Association and on our new web site (www.santodeimiracoli.org) express this confidence as Saint Anthony seems so familiar; People turn to him for a request, for a received grace, for a prayer of praise... they are expressions of intimacy and of confidence.

The name “Saint of miracles” invites us to turn to him with confidence for a petition or a prayer that do not only concern - health and a spiritual need. Federica writes to us from Torino: “Saint Anthony, you whom we never invoke in vain, I turn to you for you to obtain on my behalf the grace to save and to get my family back together”; then Antonella from Palermo: “I ask you to obtain the grace to give peace, love and joy to our heart”.

Because we do not see Saint Anthony only as a “dispenser” of material favours. He would not like to be considered as such either. There is much more that we can obtain from his intercession. Those who know his life know that he has much to teach. He is a perfect example of an accomplished Gospel style and it comforts us to see that it is possible to live the Gospel. From assiduous frequentation of the Word of God, Brother Anthony drew support and ideas for an upright, coherent, fraternal life, attentive to needs. His time was no different from ours, given due proportion. Oppression, lawlessness, violence and poverty were there even then. The saint of Padua remained strong always living and acting in accordance with the Gospel. This is an inspiration for us and for our times. Christians have a new vision of human coexistence. We cannot solve the problems with weapons, trials, intimidation that solve problems, but by following the way of Jesus and the way of his Word.

Dear Saint Anthony... on your feast, 13th June, we look to you for many reasons. Each one has its own. You sowed good seed in the world and cultivated the most beautiful virtues. Help us to gather the best fruits and, as you grant our petitions, make us restless so that we can live an evangelic life, the true miracle that alone can change the destiny of this humanity.