Finding St. Anthony

Jun 10

Tomorrow is the feast of St. Anthony of Padua. Anthony is one of the great followers of St. Francis of Assisi and one of the most popular saints in the Church. He has been an inspiration for millions of Christians for hundreds of years and is one of the saints who has played a significant role in my life.

Many people – even those who are not Catholic – are familiar with the tradition of praying to St. Anthony for the return of a lost item. I recently learned that this practice originated with the story of Friar Anthony’s book of Psalms being taken by a novice when he left the Franciscan community. When he realized that the prayer book was missing, Anthony prayed fervently for the return of his Psalter, as it also contained many notes he used for preaching and teaching. A few weeks later, the novice returned to the fold and gave the prayer book back to the future saint.

Fr. Jack Kolodziej, OSFS, and fellow Oblates celebrating St. Anthony of Padua Parish’s 100th Anniversary Mass.

Following a tradition in my father’s family, I was baptized “John Anthony.” My mother’s Irish background turned “John” into “Jack,” so I rarely used my “official” first or middle name. However, I still have family members who will call me “John Anthony” when they are stressing the seriousness of a situation.

Growing up, my grandmother and aunts taught me to ask St. Anthony to “please come around” when something was lost “and can’t be found.” I have continued to call upon the Franciscan friar into my adulthood, and the older I get, the more I find myself seeking his intercession.

Anthony cemented his role in my life when I entered the Oblate community and found out that the oldest Oblate parish in the U.S. is named after St. Anthony of Padua. In my own pursuit of religious life, my patron saint took on a new role as he influenced my Salesian Spirituality with some Franciscan virtues.

When my official formation program was complete, I was ordained a priest in that same church. Throughout my twenty-six years as a priest, I have been privileged to celebrate many masses, weddings, baptisms, and funerals at St. Anthony’s. Last fall, I was honored to celebrate the opening Mass for the 100th anniversary of this great parish. Last week, I was back at St. Anthony's Church preaching the Baccalaureate Mass for Padua Academy, the high school sponsored by the parish.

Looking over my life, St. Anthony has always been a part of my story. Like many priests and religious sisters and brothers, he has often been in the background, offering encouragement and support. More important than helping me find lost toys or keys, St. Anthony has taught me to reach out to God’s people.

His example helps me to teach, preach, and search for those who are lost. His life inspires me to continue my own pursuit of holiness. May his feast be an opportunity for all of us to learn about his life, study his teachings, seek his intercession, and find joy in following our own vocation.