13th June, St Antony of Padua, Confessor

St. Anthony of Padua, Confessor

"Always present and living in the Church, the Holy Ghost raised up, in the thirteenth century, the sons of Dominic and of Francis" writes Dom Gueranger. "These new hosts, organized for new needs, threw themselves into the arena, pursuing heretics, thundering against vice, mixing with the people whom they enrolled in crowds in their third orders, the assured refuge of Christian life. Of all the sons of the patriarch of Assisi, the best known, the most powerful before God and men, is Anthony, whose feast we are celebrating."

Born at Lisbon, of noble parents, he despised all riches (Gospel). Full of the Holy Ghost, who transformed the apostles, he entered the religious host so as to be able to fight for the faith and to be ready when the Master came (Gospel).

Living a retired life in Tuscany, he gave himself up to divine contemplation (Introit); he then received the mission to preach the Gospel. The wisdom of his doctrine and his eloquence caused him to be called the Ark of the Testament and the Hammer of Heretics. A year before his death he came to Padua where, loaded with merits, he died at the age of thirty five in 1231, and was established by Jesus over all His riches (Communion).

Remembering how Anthony recovered, by divine intervention, a sacred book that had been stolen from him, let us ask this saint not only to make us recover earthly and perishable things, but also to obtain for us the spiritual help by which we may deserve to enjoy eternal riches (Collect).

Os justi meditabitur sapientiam, et lingua ejus loquetur judicium; lex Dei ejus in corde ipsius. * Noli aemulari in malignantibus: neque zelaveris facientes iniquitatem.

The mouth of the just shall meditate wisdom, and his tongue shall speak judgement: the law of his God is in his heart. * Be not emulous of evildoers: nor envy them that work iniquity.

(Psalm 36:30-31,1 from the Introit of Mass)

Ecclesiam tuam, Deus, beati Antonii Confessoris tui solemnitas votiva laetificet: ut spiritualibus semper muniatur auxiliis, et gaudiis perfrui mereatur aeternis. 
May the votive solemnity of blessed Anthony, Thy confessor, give joy to Thy Church, O God; that it may be ever defended by spiritual assistance and deserve to possess eternal joys.
(Collect)

From the Catholic Encyclopaedia: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/01556a.htm