Lives of the Saints: 

St. Anthony of Padua, patron saint of harvests, the poor and lost items (1195–1231)

“St. Anthony, St. Anthony, please come around. Something is lost which cannot be found!” How often have we said this short prayer when we’ve misplaced our car keys, a favorite toy or a piece of jewelry? We often ask for St. Anthony’s intercession, maybe even without realizing that we’re praying! But when we invoke St. Anthony, we do so with good cause-St. Anthony of Padua serves as a holy example of what it means to allow God to work in our lives, often in surprising ways!

Though he joined the Augustinians when he was 15, giving up wealth and power to better serve God, Anthony later felt called to follow the Franciscan path, so inspired was he to learn of the martyrdom of five Franciscan priests in North Africa. He, too, wanted to give his life totally to God. But when he tried to go to Morocco to preach the Gospel, he became very sick and was sent to Italy to recover.

One day, when attending an ordination of Dominicans and Franciscans, his life took another turn-no one had planned a homily, and Anthony was asked to preach! The Holy Spirit moved through him that day, and he became known as a great preacher and teacher. St. Francis of Assisi himself asked Anthony to teach theology to other Franciscans.

We are told that St. Anthony once visited a town where no one would listen to the Good News he had to share. Rather than despair that no one would hear God’s word, Anthony went and preached to the fish in the river-so passionate was he to express the love and mercy of God! St. Anthony was canonized less than a year after his death, and in 1946, Pope Pius XII named St. Anthony a Doctor of the Church