ALWAYS AND EVERYWHERE

Fr. Livio Tonello, director

There is a beautiful prayer attributed to saint Francis that says: “Our Lord Jesus Christ, we adore you here and in all the churches of the world” (F.S.110-111). If we transpose this invocation we can refer it to Saint Anthony because probably his image is in all the churches and because worshippers invoke him everywhere. Many statues, frescoes, paintings represent him and they recall his life and his works. It is really amazing to note how much his fame has spread all over and how much his devotees invoke him everywhere.

For this reason our 2024 calendar recalls this devotion spread across the world. So we have chosen some statues placed in different places of worship in the five continents. There are so many works of art representing him to be spoiled by choice! But apart from the aesthetic we want to underline how the devotion to the Thaumaturgist has no borders. This is maybe his greater miracle: to be invoked always and everywhere by Christians. On the Youth Day in Lisbon to a roar of laughter the Pope said that St. Anthony was born in Lisbon but “was stolen by those of Padua”.

In reality Saint Anthony let his heart be taken away by the citizens of Padua who are still proud of it. But in holiness there is no jealousy: holiness is a God’s gift that must be protected and cherished Indeed the gift of such a great Saint helps us to recognize God’s presence who acts through his faithful disciples. Anthony is the Saint for all the people and he gives his intercession and his grace to all the people. He is called “The saint of miracles” because of the many miracles he performed in his life, a sign of God’s fruitful grace in him.

He answered with generosity to God’s call committing himself to living the Gospel. His fame should be mostly due to his faithful witness to the Gospel that encourages and supports each worshipper to live by faith. Many symbols are associated to him and they recall his holiness, his virtues and his instruments to follow God. These signs are a call to aspire to holiness by the light of the Holy Spirit’s gifts we received with baptism. To discover our gifts and to put them at the service of the kingdom is the Evangelic way even without extraordinary miracles.

Wishing you and your families serene days for 2024 I want to entrust you all to Saint Anthony’s protection; he is the Saint of Padua but not exclusively: he is the Saint for all people, the Saint of miracles, the Saint!