Born in 1195, Anthony became a Franciscan at 26, when he beheld the bodies of the first Franciscan martyrs and felt a desire to be a martyr like them.
St. Anthony is called the “Hammer of Heretics”, and his secret was simply to repeat the holy name of Mary when speaking to them. Saint Anthony attracted huge crowds, and was sensationally successful. One day, after preaching to heretics who would not listen, he went to preach to the fish, who gathered at the banks of the lake and listened attentively, not for their necessity, but for the glory of God.
Known as the Wonder Worker, Saint Anthony was miraculously visited by the Infant Jesus, and is commonly referred to today as the “finder of lost articles.” He was only 36 when he died.
Prayer of Saint Bonaventure to Saint Anthony of Padua