Saint Anthony of Padua (1195-1231)
My Facebook memories “On this day” reminded me that it was two years ago when I first called for shared stories about the intercession of Saint Anthony, the patron saint of finding lost and stolen items.
Many Catholics recall the familiar jingle used to call upon his assistance:
“Saint Anthony, Saint Anthony, please come around:
Something is lost and needs to be found!”
When I published my first tribute to his intercession in January of 2014, I had no idea that it would bring about so much interest. I included a number of stories about items found through Saint Anthony’s intercession, as well as the prayer so often used by those who seek his aid, “Unfailing Prayer to Saint Anthony.”
My first tribute has had thousands of readers over the past 24 months. And I have received more than three thousand emails from people all over the world both calling for prayers for items they have lost or had stolen, as well as testimonies and words of thanks for Saint Anthony’s intercession for items found.
The most common requests come from those seeking prayers for things lost, usually of great value, both sentimental and monetary. This includes lost jewelry, purses, laptops, keys, wallets, and passports.
The stories of items found and credited to Saint Anthony’s intercession have been fascinating. I had received so many stories of gratitude that I published a follow-up on his feast day of June 13.
A new testimony to Saint Anthony: A wintery lost and found story:
Just last week I received an email from Stacey Sheets of Stevens Point, Wisconsin with a shout-out to Saint Anthony:
“I have an amazing Saint Anthony story for you!
I lost my wedding and engagements rings this past Monday. I was pretty sure I had left them at the gym that I belong to. As soon as I realized it, I went back to the gym and searched everywhere for my rings, including the parking lot.
To explain, I usually take off my rings and put them in my coat pocket there.
No luck, I couldn’t find them. We live in Wisconsin and that afternoon we were hit by a big snowstorm, about eight inches of snow.
I looked everywhere, I even went back to the store I had gone to on Sunday thinking maybe I had lost my rings there.
After a while, I just could not remember when I last had my rings on. So I just started looking everywhere imaginable, even my ice box in the freezer.
I told the ladies at the gym yesterday what had happened, and one of them said to me “Say a prayer to Saint Anthony” and I said “No, isn’t it Saint Jude?”
I had been praying to Saint Jude, but I decided to google Saint Anthony and I found your website. I started praying to Saint Anthony yesterday evening, into the night and first thing this morning.
And can you believe what happened? I got a call at 12:45 today that a Good Samaritan had found my rings buried in the ice outside in the parking lot, even after snow plows went through!!
I sincerely believe that it was Saint Anthony who made it possible for my rings to be found. My little boy was with me when I got the phone call that my rings had been found. I have explained to him that miracles do really happen and that there are good people in the world.
I am so glad that I found your website. I just can’t believe that in less than 24 hours after looking on your website, I am writing you a letter with my rings back on my hand!
Sincerely,
Stacey Sheets
(Photo courtesy of Stacey Sheets)
Gratitude:
I was so thrilled for Stacey and her family when I read this email. What an amazing story of her rings being found in the ice after that big snowstorm!
I had initially thought that her email was from a young woman with the same name who went to school with my children in the 1980’s at Saint Margaret’s in Bel Air.
Stacey and I emailed back and forth several times. Born and raised in Wisconsin, she is a parishioner at Saint Bronislava Catholic Church in Plover, Wisconsin. She was happy to have her story shared in one of my “God is in the Clouds” follow-ups about the powerful intercession of Saint Anthony.
Stacey told me, “I am still in awe of what happened, I just can’t stop smiling!”
I cannot stop smiling either!
Thanks, Saint Anthony, for coming around.
Something was lost and now it has been found!
God is good… All the time.
Amen.
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Unfailing Prayer to St. Anthony:
“Blessed be God in His Angels and in His Saints”
O Holy St. Anthony, gentlest of Saints, your love for God and Charity for His creatures, made you worthy, when on earth, to possess miraculous powers. Encouraged by this thought, I implore you to obtain for me (request). O gentle and loving St. Anthony, whose heart was ever full of human sympathy, whisper my petition into the ears of the sweet Infant Jesus, who loved to be folded in your arms; and the gratitude of my heart will ever be yours.
Amen.
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Do you have any stories about the intercession of Saint Anthony?
Email your stories to me at: pattimurphydohn@gmail.com.
Read more on St. Anthony’s intercession: