St. Anthony’s Relics at Cathedral 8 April!
Saint Anthony’s Relics
Visit The Cathedral
Sunday, April 8
Veneration all day
Masses: 9 AM, 11:15 AM & 6 PM
The Franciscan Friars from Padua, Italy, invite you to join them in welcoming Saint Anthony of Padua to The Cathedral. St. Anthony will be visiting us in the form of “two precious and first class” relics from the Pontifical Basilica in Padua, Italy.
The relics will be accompanied by Fr. Bortolino Maistrello, a Franciscan Friar from Padua, Italy, where the Saint is buried. According to Fr Mario Conte, who is Editor of the Messenger of St Anthony, “There is nothing superstitious about relics. The real meaning of a relic is love – they are a link of love between the person who venerates and the saint.” St Anthony intercedes with those trying to find a job, housing, faith, love, hope, harmony within the family, good health, peace of mind and mercy.
Pope Benedict Emeritus said of relics “By inviting us to venerate the mortal remains of the martyrs and saints, the Church does not forget that, in the end, these are indeed just human bones, but they are bones that belonged to individuals touched by the living power of God. The relics of the saints are traces of that invisible but real presence which sheds light upon the shadows of the world and reveals the Kingdom of Heaven in our midst.”
Prayer petitions with holy cards will be distributed by Friar Bortolino and volunteers to allow parishioners to write their prayer petition to the saint. The writing of a prayer petition is a worldwide tradition when venerating a relic of
a saint. Father Bortolino will bring the petitions back to the Basilica in Padua and place them at the tomb of Saint Anthony. The tour officially ends back at the Tomb of Saint Anthony where the Friars will gather to pray for the saint’s intercession upon our intentions and petitions.
To learn more about St. Anthony of Padua, please visit: www.saintanthonyofpadua.net
