These words from John Newton seem to reflect a devotion similar to what many might pray to St. Anthony. We know Anthony as the saint to pray for lost items, yet he was gifted in many areas of life. It was by chance that Anthony was asked to preach for the friars at an ordination and it was then that they discovered one of his great gifts, that of preaching the Good News. Francis soon wrote to Anthony:
I Brother Francis send wishes of health to Brother Anthony, my bishop. It pleases me that you teach sacred theology to the brothers, as long as in the words of the Rule you "do not extinguish the Spirit of prayer and devotion" with study of this kind.“(N)ot to extinguish the Spirit of prayer and devotion with study”…within this admonishment comes the view that in everything we teach we present it fully in the Spirit of prayer and devotion. Boy, how we have lost that in our schools, universities and, I am afraid, in many of our families. Let us lift up our prayers to St. Anthony today asking for help to see and speak everything through the Spirit of prayer and devotion.
Guys check out the basilica of St. Anthony. Click here to see more on St. Anthony
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St Anthony of Padua is my "secondary patron saint," and I loved Padua when I visited it in 2000.
Now how did he become my secondary patron? Well, when I was chrismated, I took St Anthony of Egypt as my patron. St Anthony of Padua himself did the same thing when he became a Franciscan. However, most people when they hear St Anthony is my patron, assume it is St Anthony of Padua. I've got many statues and the like of St Anthony of Padua as a result -- which is great, and makes me believe St Anthony of Padua found something in me to generate a connection. This led me to visiting Padua in 2000, and making sure I got relics (and I picked up many while I was in Padua and have given them to many people throughout the years)
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