Life of St. Anthony of Padua ...

Front matter

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Chapter I

Birth of St. Anthony — His Education — Purity of His Life — His Tender Devotion to the Blessed Virgin Mary — Resolves to Abandon the World. Enters the Congregation of the Regular Canons of St. Augustine — His Novitiate and Perseverance — His Exemplary Conduct and Diligence in the Duties of a Novice — His Profession in the Monastery of St. Vincent— Passes to Another Monasterv ......

Chapter II

He Applies Himself to the Study of the Holy Scriptures and the Writings of the Holy Fathers — To this He Adds the Practice of Virtue — Sees the Soul of a Religious Going to Heaven — Conceives a Holy Envy of the Manner of Living of the Friars Minor — The Martyrdom of Five Friars Minor — Their Remains are Transported to Coimbra from Morocco — The Saint Resolves to Become a Friar Minor — Obtains Permission and Receives the Habit .....

11 CONTENTS.

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Chapter III

His Progress in Religious Perfection — He Asks and Obtains Permission to go to Africa — He Sails for Africa, Where He Became 111 — Resolves to Return to Portugal — By a Storm the Ship is Driven to Sicily — From Thence He Goes to the General Chapter at Assisi — Ignored by the Fathers of the Chapter, He is Considered Worthless — His Heroic Humilitv on this Occasion. The Provincial of Bologna Takes the Saint with

Chapter VIII

St. Anthony is Elected Superior of Puv — The Saint Foretells the Martyrdom of a Child Unborn. Preaching, He' is Heard at a Distance of Two Miles — He is Made Custos of the Limousin. He Preaches There 49~54

CONTENTS.

Chapter IX

St. Anthony Founds Convents in Limoges, Drives and Aquitania — He Restores the Hair of a Woman — Jesus Christ Appears to Him . . 55-59

Chapter X

From France Anthony Returns to Italy — By a Storm He is Driven Once More to Sicily — He Founds the Convents of Cefalu, Noto, Leontini and Prata — From Sicily He Goes to Rome — Anthony Preaches in the Consistory to the Cardinals 60-64

Chapter XVI

St. Anthony Preaches in Florence — In Preaching, He Reveals the Damnation of an Avaricious Man — Restores to Health a Woman HL-Treated by Her Husband — Preaches in Cremona — Admits Seven Young Men Into the Order — Goes to Milan - 94-99

Chapter XVII

Anthony Goes to the General Chapter — Singular Esteem of Gregory IX. Toward the Saint — He Goes to Alvernia — His Occupation in Alvernia 100-105

Chapter XVIII

He is Miraculously Transferred from Padua to Lisbon. Restored from Lisbon to Padua — The Saint Defends His Father — In Padua He Preaches the Last Lenten Sermons ...... 106-110

Chapter XIX

St. Anthony Continues His Lenten Sermons — Wonderful Concourse of People to Hear Him. Singular Devotion of the People Toward Him. With the Sign of the Cross He Cures a Little Girl — He Blesses a Child and Restores Him to Health — Efficacy of His Sermons . . '. 111-116

Chapter XX

The Saint Converts Twelve Assassins — He Foretells Great Honors to the City of Padua — Resolves to go to St. Pietro — An Angel His Messenger. He Goes Again to Verona — Returns to Padua . 1 17-122

CONTENTS. V

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Chapter XXI

The Saint is Received by Tisone, Lord of St. Pietro. He Retires to a Cell Formed in the Top of a Walnut Tree — His Last Illness .... 123-128

Chapter XXII

His Glorious Death — His Particular Gifts — His Natural Qualities — The Saint Appears to the Abbot of St. Andrew of Vercelli and Heals Him. His Death is Wonderfully Published by Children 129-134

Chapter XXIII

Strife About the Place of Anthony's Burial — The Bishop Decides that the Sacred Remains Should be Buried in the Church of the Friars Minor. Obstinacy of the Citizens of Capo di Ponte. The Body is Enclosed in a Coffin — The Body of the Saint is Transferred to Padua . . . 135-140

Chapter XXVII

The People of Padua Begin to Enlarge the Temple of St. Mary — Causes Which Delayed It — Alexander

CONTENTS.

IV. Publishes the Crusade Against Ezzelino, the Tyrant — Revelation of the Saint to Two Religious — Padua is Freed — The Tyrant Subdued. The Temple of St. Anthony .... 160-165

Chapter XXVIII

Translation of the Remains of the Saint — The Tongue of the Saint is Found Intact Thirty -Two Years After His Death — A Pole Punished by God for having Ridiculed the Saint . . . 166-170

Appendix. — Celebration of the Seventh Centenary of St. Anthony of Padua in St. Anthony's Church, Sullivan Street, New York, June 10-13, i895 • • • • I7I-I74

Preface

IX these times, when unbelievers and the enemies of the Church are using all their cunning to destroy and take away from the heart of man, if possible, the religion of Jesus Christ, and under its ruins bury every authority, both human and divine, by spreading dangerous books, newspapers, and pamphlets filled with calumnies against the Church, it seemed to me proper to bring into prominence a man who during his lifetime defended the Church of Jesus Christ, which was assailed on every side by powerful sectarians. The enemies of the Holv Catholic Church of the thirteenth century were perhaps as dangerous as those of our days. Thev used the same methods to deceive the simple, they adopted the same weapons to combat the Church, they were eager to obtain riches by despoiling churches, convents, monasteries, and charitable institutions; they

VI CONTENTS.

PAGE

IV. Publishes the Crusade Against Ezzelino, the Tyrant — Revelation of the Saint to Two Religious — Padua is Freed — The Tyrant Subdued. The Temple of St. Anthony .... 160-165

CHAPTER XXVIII.

Translation of the Remains of the Saint — The Tongue of the Saint is Found Intact Thirty -Two Years After His Death — A Pole Punished by God for having Ridiculed the Saint . . . 166-170

Appendix. — Celebration of the Seventh Centenary of St. Anthony of Padua in St. Anthony's Church, Sullivan Street, New York, June 10-13, 1895 i7i- x 74

PREFACE.

IX these times, when unbelievers and the enemies of the Church are using all their cunning to destroy and take away from the heart of man, if possible, the religion of Jesus Christ, and under its ruins bury every authority, both human and divine, by spreading dangerous books, newspapers, and pamphlets filled with calumnies against the Church, it seemed to me proper to bring into prominence a man who during his lifetime defended the Church of Jesus Christ, which was assailed on every side by powerful sectarians. The enemies of the Holv Catholic Church of the thirteenth century were perhaps as dangerous as those of our days. Thev used the same methods to deceive the simple, they adopted the same weapons to combat the Church, they were eager to obtain riches by despoiling churches, convents, monasteries, and charitable institutions; they

PREFACE.

recognized no authority, either temporal or spiritual, especially the Albigenses, who made terrible havoc of whatever was good and holy. It is true that at that time, although the authority of the Church was disregarded and the dogmas of our holy faith denied, still materialism did not take entire possession of the hearts of the majority, but faith was lively among them.

This man is St. Anthony of Padua, whose centennial is being celebrated this year. This privileged soul renounced everything for love of God, and dedicated his whole life to the service of God. In this saint shone all the divine virtues in the most eminent degree, united with a true apostolic zeal. In him we see a model of purity, profound humility, prompt obedience, heroic patience, fervent charity, an ardent zeal for the honor of God and the salvation of souls, with all the other virtues, which rendered him worthy of admiration before God and man.

This saint confirmed several dogmas of the Catholic Faith by the force of wonderful miracles, — the real presence of Jesus Christ in the most Holy Eucharist, the forgiveness of sins in the sacrament of Penance, the sufferings of hell, the glories of the blessed in heaven, the Divine Providence in our spiritual as well as temporal necessities, and the intercession of the saints. By this is seen the divine mercy in the amendment of sinners, the justice of God in punishing the wicked, and the

PREFACE. IX

wonderful effects of the omnipotent wisdom and goodness of God toward sinners.

Indeed, these were all powerful means to soften the hearts of the most obdurate sinners, inflame them with most holy affections, make them hate vice and love virtue, inspire them with a holy fear of the divine justice and so induce them to despise the vanities of this world and infuse a profound respect for holy things, and kindle in the hearts of the faithful the fire of charity toward God and their neighbor, so that, purified from whatever is worldly, they might wish only to please God, and in this way attend to their own sanctification.

In the course of this biography I have related many miracles wrought by God through St. Anthony. Unbelievers and rationalists will undoubtedly deny them, and others, perhaps, will doubt them. To the former we may say with the royal prophet: "Dixit insipiens in corde suo, non est Deus" (the fool hath said in his heart there is no God). If they deny the very existence of God it is not to be wondered that they do not admit the existence of miracles. To the latter we refer them to the Old and New Testaments, where they can read many miracles which, although they seem extravagant, yet they cannot be doubted bv any one. We read Hiat the serpent spoke to the woman (Genesis 3) ; that Jhe wife of Lot was suddenly changed into a statue of 3alt (Genesis 19:26) ; the ass spoke to Balaam (Num-

PREFACE.

bers zzizS); the water that issued from the j:iw-bone of an ass to quench the thir t oi: Samson (Judges 15 :io,) ; the money which St. Peter found in the mouth of a fish, and many other miracles. Moreover, we should reflect on the promise which our Holy Redeemer mad 5 to His faithful followers, saying: "Amen,, amei, I say to you, he that believeth in me, the works that I do, he shall do also, and greater, than these shall he do." In ecclesiastical history are also related many miracles wrought by God through His faithful servants.

No one, therefore, can with reason doubt the truth of the miracles that are recorded in the biographies of the saint. They are the work of God, who, from time to time, through the intercession of His faithful servants, operates according to the place, time, and person that He wishes to glorify, in order to manifest the glory of • His ineffable attributes, to show the excellence of virtue, to confound unbelievers, convert sinners, and confirm them in the Catholic Faith, Christian piety, and to fortify their hopes in eternal salvation.

The biographers of St. Anthony have been many. The first was John Pecham, an Englishman, who flourished in the thirteenth century, and was a disciple of St. Bonaventure ; he was afterward doctor in the University of Oxford, England, and finally Archbishop of Canterbury. Father John, Father Matthew, and Raimond, O. S. F., also wrote the life of the saint.

PREFACE. XI

Father Bartholomew, of Pisa, a celebrated theologian and preacher of the Friars Minor, in the fifteenth century ; Father Secco Polentoni, Father Eppolitusda Ponte- Paduano, O. S. F. ; Lawrence Snrius, a Carthusian ; Father Luke Wadding, of Wexford County, Ireland, a celebrated writer of the seventeenth century, author of " The Annals of the Friars Minor"; the Bollandists, who registered in their celebrated work the memorials which several writers of St. Anthony left to posterity ; in the last century Father Michael Pacheco and Father Damien Cornejo, and many others wrote the life of the saint. Father Lewis da Minaglia wrote the life of St. Anthony with great accuracy and erudition.

On the occasion of the centenary of the glorious apostle and thaumaturgus, which is being celebrated this year (1895), seeing that the devotion toward St. Anthony is spreading wonderfully throughout the United States, I have thought it proper to make known to the Catholics of this glorious republic the virtues and privileges of this thaumaturgus. I am sure that this humble work will be well received by the Catholics at large.

I protest that I do not intend to attribute in this little work the title of blessed or saint to those whom the Church does not recognize as such, but as far as the writers recognize them as such.

LIFE OF ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA.

Chapter I

BIRTH OF ST. ANTHONY — HIS EDUCATION — PURITY OF HIS

LIFE HIS TENDER DEVOTION TO THE BLESSED VIRGIN

MARY RESOLVES TO ABANDON THE WORLD ENTERS THE

CONGREGATION OF THE REGULAR CANONS OF ST. AUGUSTINE. HIS NOVITIATE AND PERSEVERANCE — HIS EXEMPLARY CON- DUCT AND DILIGENCE IN THE DUTIES OF A NOVICE HIS

PROFESSION IN THE MONASTERY OF ST. VINCENT PASSES

TO ANOTHER MONASTERY.

THE most merciful God, according to the order of His Divine Providence, sends, from time to time, extraordinary men, adorned with sublime sanctity, to revive virtue in the hearts of men, to induce sincere penance, to show the way of perfection to the just, and to render in this manner His Church more glorious. P'or this purpose He raised an extraordinary man in the thirteenth century. This privileged soul was St. Anthony, called the Thaumaturgus of Padua.

In the year 1195, under the pontificate of Celestine III., was born Anthony, in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. Eight days after his birth he was baptized in the Cathedral Church, called- St. Mary, and received the name of Ferdinand.

His parents were Martin de Bouillon and Theresa, or, as some authors called her, Mary de Tavera. Both of them descended from noble families, but they became more illustrious on account of their virtues and Christian piety, which they valued more than their nobility. They inspired in their child the fear of God, giving him a suitable training, and by their words and example making him a sincere Christian.

Arrived at the proper age, he was sent to school, there to be educated by a priest of the Church of St. Mary, a learned and holy man, in order that under the discipline of this priest he might acquire a knowledge of books and the science of the saints, in both of which he easily succeeded.

In his youth he gave signs of that sublime sanctity to which God was disposing him, for he frequented the churches and religious houses, heard with great delight and attention, the Word of God, and every day assisted devoutly at the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass. Full of compassion and charity toward the poor, he stretched out his hands to help them in their miseries. He was so sincere in his words that he never uttered the least falsehood. The enemy of idleness, he not only applied himself to study, but also to the exercise of piety. He avoided the vain amusements and enticing pleasures upon which his companions were so eagerly bent. Such was the wisdom, the gravity, the modesty of Ferdinand, who, though so young, already possessed the maturity of a much older and sensible man.

He chose as his particular patroness the Blessed Virgin Mary, beloved by him with tender affection, dedicating his studies and everything else to her, in order that he might avoid the dangers that beset the path of youth ; hence we have a strong motive to believe that for this special devotion of his to the Mother of God he merited the gift of original purity, whose lily he knew how to guard with jealousy till death.

Having reached the age of fifteen, and being well instructed in worldly knowledge, Ferdinand determined to abandon the paternal house, the world, which, from day to day became distasteful to him, and enter a cloister, where he could enjoy true peace of heart and avoid the dangers by which he was surrounded. He manifested to his parents this noble resolution, and obtained their approval, although it caused them much grief to give to religion a son so amiable.

ID LIFE OF ST. ANTHONY.

Outside the walls of Lisbon there was a monastery of the regular canons of St. Augustine, called St. Vincent, where discipline and observance nourished among the religious. It was that which induced Ferdinand to abandon the world. There the youth lied, and presented himself to the superior, who, seeing in him the signs of a true vocation, with the consent of the community received him. This was in the year 1210, about the end of January.

After Ferdinand received the habit of the regular canons of St. Augustine he became an object of contradiction and persecution. His friends and relatives could not bear to see him clothed with the religious habit; hence they did all they could to induce him to return to the world ; but the youth, faithful to God, and constant in his vocation, did not allow himself to be led by their worldly advice, preferring the eternal salvation of his immortal soul and the love of God to the honors and riches of this world.

Furnished with these salutary maxims, the novice, helped by the grace of God, soon became the model of the most observant of that community. In him shone a ereat modesty in his deportment, a maturity in his discourses, and a certain angelic air in his aspect, which attracted the hearts of all. He executed with diligence the obligations which the religious state imposes. Knowing how necessary obedience is, he abandoned himself to it, doing the will of his superiors. In the execution of menial offices he placed his greatest delight, because he was so penetrated with humility and obedience — those virtues which Jesus Christ practised himself and proposed as an examiDle to His faithful followers.

Having finished the year of his novitiate, he made his profession with great joy. He passed two years in that monastery in tranquillity and peace ; but his friends and relatives, on account of the affection they had for him, began to visit him. For this reason the young religious, fearing that he would lose the religious spirit and fervor, humbly asked his superiors to remove him to some other place, wishing to have more liberty to serve God. Having obtained permission he passed from .the Monastery of St. Vincent to that of the Holy Cross at Coimbra, a citv of Portugal, ninety-six miles from Lisbon.

Chapter II

HE APPLIES HIMSELF TO THE STUDY OF THE HOLY SCRIP- TURES AND THE WRITINGS OF THE HOLY FATHERS TO

THIS HE ADDS THE PRACTICE OF VIRTUE SEES THE SOUL

OF A RELIGIOUS GOING TO HEAVEN CONCEIVES A HOLY

ENVY OF THE MANNER OF LIVING OF THE FRIARS MINOR.

THE MARTYRDOM OF FIVE FRIARS MINOR THEIR REMAINS

ARE TRANSPORTED TO COIMBRA FROM MOROCCO THE

SAINT RESOLVES TO BECOME A FRIAR MINOR OBTAINS PER- MISSION AND RECEIVES THE HABIT.

THE saint, having arrived at Coimbra, at once began to give himself up to the study of the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the fathers of the Church, reflecting that a true servant of God is obliged not only to sanctify himself, but also to render himself useful to others ; and knowing that the source of true science is the Holy Scriptures and the writings of the holy fathers, he determined to cultivate his mind, and also to extirpate vice and foster virtue in its stead. He almost foresaw what was going to happen ; for this reason he searched into the true sense of the Sacred Scriptures, and had recourse to the writings of the holy fathers to interpret the most obscure passages, and in a short time, being young and endowed with much talent and a wonderful memory, he became a great theologian.

The saint, trained in the school of Jesus Christ by means of meditation, strove to put into practice the sacred text and conform his life to the teachings of the Divine Master by continual watching, mortification and abstinence. He was very meek in heart; in that monastery no religious was happier than he, more obedient, more ready for the divine office or any duty that was imposed on him. In his conversation there could be discovered neither vanity nor ostentation, but a singular modesty. He employed the time in such a manner that he was not idle for a single moment. He allowed to his body only what was purely and simply necessarv, occupying the remainder of his time in the divine service, in obeying the orders of his superiors, in spiritual exercises, and in the study of the Holy Scriptures.

To this kind of life the servant of God was faithful while he lived with the regular canons of the Holy Cross of Coimbra, who never ceased to admire his wisdom and holiness.

God, on account of the fidelity of His servant, granted him extraordinary favors and the power of working miracles. While Ferdinand dwelt in the monastery a Friar Minor of great sanctity died in the Convent of St. Anthony the Abbot, near Coimbra. God, wishing to manifest his singular merits, showed, in a vision to Ferdinand during the Sacrifice of the Mass, that blessed soul passing through purgatory and gloriously entering into heaven.

Oh, how wonderful are the ways of the Lord ! When He destines some one for His special purposes He gives all the means necessary to render him worthy of His favors. Ferdinand, while sojourning in the above monastery, became acquainted with the Friars Minor, who had a small convent near Coimbra. The regularity of their lives, the penances and mortifications they practised, made them very pleasing to this great servant of God.

About this time St. Francis sent many of his children all through the world to evangelize and convert sinners and unbelievers to the true faith. Five of them went to Morocco to preach the gospel in order to convert the followers of Mohammed. They were Berard dor Carbio, Peter and Otho, priests ; Ajustus and Accursius, lay brothers. Arrived at Morocco, they began to preach the true faith, and confirmed their preachings by many miracles. For this they suffered imprisonment, scourging and many other indignities, which they sustained with fortitude for love of Jesus and the welfare of their holy religion. Miramolinus, the king, endeavored to seduce them with promises of pleasures, honors, and riches, and, failing to conquer them, drew his sword and cut off their heads. This took place on the 16th of January, 1220. With reverence the Christians who were there gathered the remains of these heroes of the faith and gave them to Don Pedro, brother of Alphonsus, king of Portugal, who placed them in two silver caskets and brought them to Coimbra.

Ferdinand, when he beheld the solemn funeral of these five martyrs, and the prodigies which God performed through their intercession, became inflamed with ardent zeal to fight for the faith of Christ and shed his blood if need be. Though he was willing to put into execution his project, still he thought it best to obtain his superior's permission. The zealous religious supplicated God with fervor day and night to illumine him and show him the way to carry out his design. Almighty God heard his petition by inspiring him to embrace the Order of the Friars Minor. The saint responded to the call of God in the following manner : —

Two religious of the Convent of St. Anthony the Abbot went as usual to the Monastery of the Holy Cross to ask alms for the maintenance of their community. One day Ferdinand approached them secretly, and, among other things, said to them: "I ardently desire to become a member of your order, provided you will allow me to go among the Saracens, and thereby have an opportunity to shed my blood for the faith of Christ." The joy that the two religious felt on hearing this cannot be expressed ; for they perceived that one who was so virtuous and learned would honor their order, and the next day was fixed for the execution of the project.

Meanwhile Ferdinand went to his superior and asked his permission to join the Order of St. Francis, but met with many objections from him and the other regular canons, who did all they could to keep him. Nevertheless, the superior gave his consent, knowing that such was the will of God. The next day Ferdinand received the habit of St. Francis from the superior of the Franciscans, in the Monastery of the Holy Cross. One of the canons, who felt the loss of his confrere, said to him: "Go, go! Perhaps you will become a saint." Ferdinand modestly answered : "When you know that I am a saint you will praise God for it." Then he was taken by the Friars Minor to their Convent of St. Anthony the Abbot. He was not satisfied in having only changed the habit of St. Augustine to that of St. Francis, but wished to change his name also, and make himself unknown to his friends and relatives, in order that he might lead a hidden life in Jesus Christ; and he was no longer called Ferdinand, but Anthony.

Chapter III

HIS PROGRESS IN RELIGIOUS PERFECTION" HE ASKS AND OB- TAINS PERMISSION TO GO TO AFRICA — HE SAILS FOR AFRICA. WHERE HE BECAME ILL RESOLVES TO RETURN TO PORTU- GAL—BY A STORM THE SHIP IS DRIVEN TO SICILY FROM

THENCE HE GOES TO THE GENERAL CHAPTER AT ASSISE IGNORED BY THE FATHERS OF THE CHAPTER HE IS CONSID- ERED WORTHLESS HIS HEROIC HUMILITY ON THIS OCCA- SION — THE PROVINCIAL OF BOLOGNA TAKES THE SAINT WITH HIM.

GOD so disposed, for the greater glory of His Church and the profit of many souls redeemed by Him, that the passing of Anthony from the Order of St. Augustine to that of St. Francis should be effected by a special vocation from heaven. Anthony, when he found himself enrolled among the children of the Seraphic Father, became more desirous of attaining greater perfection, since it is the maxim of heroic virtue to aspire more and more to the service of God. In this convent he practised humility and all the other virtues proper to a perfect religious, in which he was encour aged by the example of those first followers of St. Francis living there, who, though few in number; were held in great veneration by the people for their good conduct and for the practice of mortification, by which they showed to men the true way to eternal salvation. Meanwhile the thirst of martyrdom was increasing in Anthony, and he was so animated by the desire to bring the true faith to unbelievers that he found no rest. Since the principal object which induced him to embrace the Order of St. Francis was to have an opportunity to give his life for love of Jesus, he made no delay in asking permission from the superior of the convent to go among the Saracens, according to the promise made to him on entering the order. The prelate, on account of the experience he had of the fervent religious, and knowing his true vocation for an undertaking so arduous, granted him permission to go, hoping one day to hear the glorious news of the valor of this soldier of Jesus in fighting error and infidelity.

Full of the love of God, and already a martyr of desire, Anthony bade his brothers farewell, and sailed for Africa. But God, who had already destined him for the apostolic life, wished to make him an instrument for the conversion of many in France and Italy, and so did not permit Anthony to spend his life in Africa ; for as soon as he arrived there he was overtaken by an illness which afflicted him all through the winter. Early in the spring, feeling somewhat better, he determined to return to his native land to recover his health ; but God decreed otherwise, for a violent storm drove the vessel as far as the coast of Sicily. The saint was most charitably received by the Friars Minor of that island, and being greatly fatigued by the long and dangerous voyage, and still weak from his illness, he remained there until he became stronger.

He heard that in that year (1221) a General Chapter was going to take place at Assisi, on the Feast of Pentecost, May 30, and, though still feeble, he sailed from Messina with Brother Castigliano, a young lay brother, and other Sicilian friars, and went to Assisi, where he met the Patriarch Francis, whom he had the happiness of embracing, and assisted at the General Chapter, at which Brother Elias was elected vicar-general of the order.

The provincials and custos, according to custom, chose for their provinces those friars who were known and acceptable to them. Among the religious there was no one who had not a convent to go to, and all left Assisi for their destination. Anthony alone remained, and he knew not what to do ; being unknown, no one chose him. Though so well versed in the Holy Scriptures, and fitted for the apostolic ministry, on account of his prudence, talents and learning, yet, so great was his humility, he kept carefully concealed these noble prerogatives. Hence, none of the provincials wanted him-, in fact, seeing him so weak and delicate, they considered him unfit for religious duties. However, this did not trouble Anthony, who put his trust in God, the only object of his contemplations, waiting to go whither duty called him.