Of all the soaps in all of London… St Anthony found this one for me…


St Anthony found soap for me? You must think that I’ve lost it. You might think that I’m a Sense and Sensibility short of a whole set of Jane Austen novels. First St Anthony finds me tea during the holiday season and now soap?  But bear with me, while I explain this astounding chain of events.
Looking for Christmas presents and shopping for treats for my godchild  - is my excuse and pretext for going into TK Maxx on Kensington High Street. And TK Maxx is always full of manic shoppers who bruise each other as five of them frantically root in bargain bins, rifle through shelves and scour rail after rail of designer polyester. Then there’s the toiletry department where you can buy Armani perfume, and smell the same as though you had paid a fortune in Knightsbridge Armani central. The heavy-lidded sales assisstants stagger under the piles of clothes that they dump onto plastic shelves. They may get good peace-keeping training when they beg the customers not to gouge each other’s eyes out when several pairs of manicured claws grip a red hand bag at once. I’m sure you could get a job as a peace-keeper in any war zone on earth by merely saying; I managed to keep the ladies who were fighting over the purple shoes apart… There is a shop-in-Manhattan atmosphere in TK Maxx: everyone is searching every corner, and crawling on their hands and knees trying to find the right gear so they may look like the rich, sophisticated, label-designer dressed chic lady or gent for a fraction of the cost.
So during December, the height of shopping-fever, I found myself being jostled along by the elbows of my fellow shoppers in TK Maxx. Of all the cheap, glitzy evening dresses and of all the killer, spiky black heels – the one thing that really caught my attention was a box of rose soaps. I lifted the box to my face and inhaled the delicate but overpowering smell; like being in a rose garden in the middle of spring. I turned away from the tray of soaps; I’ve got to buy other presents and it doesn’t feel ‘right’ to buy a present pour moi when I have a ‘proper’ list of needed items. I turned back and smelled the box of soaps once more; there was something about the crazy flowery, butterfly-obsessed packaging that I loved too.
Another day, I carried the box of soaps to the till, but lost my nerve and returned them to their shelf. It’s ridiculous to buy fancy soaps as a selfish treat; this is 2011, not the Victorian era when soaps were all the rage.
But the smell of roses lingered, and I asked St Anthony; I’m not going to buy them for myself, but is there any way that I could get the rose-soaps?
The advertisers love telling us to buy gifts for ourselves, but it still feels lonely to buy oneself gifts at Christmas.  And I made myself forget the soaps and never thought to mention this love-for-a-box-of-rose-soaps to anyone, not least the girls that I live with or my dearest friends.
Then a friend of mine, M L, gave me a gift-bag laden with wrapped gifts and goodies to be opened over Christmas. On St Stephen’s day I started merrily opening the packages; and to my utter amazement found the Exact same soaps that I had longed for.
I had to close my eyes and open them again to look at the box of soaps; were they really the soaps that I asked St Anthony for? Yes, they were. A hidden feature is that when you take out the soaps; you have a desk caddy, a gorgeously smelling tray that holds post-its and staples. Now, there must be hundreds of thousands of different soaps in London; why of all the soaps in all of London, England did my friend pick out this very set?
Some New Atheist friends of mine might say that it is a very intriguing coincidence and that because my friend knows me so well that she would have picked out rose soap for girly, over-feminine me. But look at the packaging; it doesn’t look like rose soap and I never told my friend that I like rose soaps or that I’d prayed to St Anthony for this one.
I used to think that it was perhaps coincidental that I’d prayed to St Anthony for HP printer full-of-ink: St Anthony, there must be someone out there who has a HP printer that they don’t need.  Then I became friends with E R when she moved into my neighbourhood, and when she was moving away, she asked me ‘I’ve a HP printer with good ink supplies, want it?’
As for my lapsed Catholic friends who think this is just another one of my eccentric experiences, why not give St Anthony a try? ‘Taste and see that the Lord is good’ is a Bible truism, and it aptly applies to St Anthony as well, he won’t mind if you ‘taste’ him and invite him too find tea, soap, a printer or whatever your necessity. You might be pleasantly surprised by St Anthony’s efficiency.  And here’s a promise; I won’t smile triumphantly if you tell me that I was right about St Anthony…

Comments

  1. You obviously have an in-road with St Anthony. I am glad someone has. He never does anything for me but that does not stop me praying to him and I still consider him a friend,,,...he helps my friends!

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    1. St Anthony is so kind to me -- my old brain can't remember things too well, but when I misplace my bus pass or my purse I ask him to locate them for me, and he always does; even when I have forgotten them in really odd places. (Thanks St. A -- you're a friend indeed to this "friend in need."! )

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  2. Aplogies...I meant to add Happy New Year!

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  3. I'll ask St Anthony to interceed for you too EFpastor Emeritus :-)

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  4. this is neat, I pray to St. Anthony every time I lose something... I think I'll pray to him now when I 'want' something :)

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  5. Hello Mary, what a great blog, I'm so glad I found it! I, too, have always been devoted to St. Anthony, he's truly a wonderworker! (I, too, could tell some tales about him!) Here's a wonderful prayer by him which I found years ago that I think could really apply to writers (or anyone, for that matter):

    "O Light of the world, Infinite God, Father of eternity, giver of wisdom and knowledge, and ineffable Dispenser of every spiritual grace; Who knows all things before they are made, Who makes the darkness and light; put forth Your hand and touch my mouth, and make it as a sharp sword to utter eloquently Your words.

    "Make my tongue, O Lord, as a chosen arrow, to declare faithfully Your wonders. Put Your Spirit, O Lord, in my heart, that I may perceive; in my soul, that I may retain; and in my conscience, that I may meditate.

    "Do You lovingly, holily, mercifully, clemently and gently inspire me with Your grace. Do you teach, guide and strengthen the comings in and goings out of my senses and my thoughts. And let Your discipline instruct me even to the end, and the counsel of the Most High help me through Your infinite wisdom and mercy. Amen."

    Keep up the good work, Mary; may God continue to bless and strengthen you in your faith, and may you be filled with all the gifts of the Holy Spirit!

    Blessings,

    Theresa

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  6. Thank you so much Theresa for the prayer and your words of encouragement; may God reward you a million fold for your good works.

    Mary

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  7. I have a special devotion to St.Anthony; I try to ask his intercession every day. He has obtained many favors for me. There is one, though, that he hasn't obtained for me yet. I lost my special Miraculous Medal and gold chain several years ago and would like to have it back. Would you please ask St. Anthony to pray that my medal and chain would be found? I love St. Anthony and consider him very close to me. I know, too, that he prays for lost souls. I have many dear ones that need to find their way again. St. Anthony please pray for us!

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  8. I enjoyed your post. I too am a St. Anthony advocate... I've prayed to him for large petitions and for lost or sought items, and he's helped me tremendously. I will say I'm always filled with amusement when St. Anthony delivers or helps me find an item. I have had numerous experiences that were simply out of the ordinary -- I've prayed to find something that was lost for quite a while and seemed to "magically" appear in the most unusual places or seemingly in front of my eyes.

    Saints were real people in the flesh and blood and are now heavenly intercessors. St. Anthony is a great saint, try him.

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  9. I will pray tonight at 5.30pm UK time that St Anthony finds your special Miraculous Medal and gold chain. I'd love to hear from you if St Anthony finds this blessed possession.

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  10. I was in the second grade when I lost my milk money. I was very upset. My three pennies were no were to be found. Through tears I told the nun who was my teacher. She had the entire class get up and march around the classroom repeating over and over,
    "Dear St. Anthony please come around
    somethings lost and can't be found."
    I was amazed to find my three pennies in the fold of my uniform. I guess they had jumped out of my uniform blouse pocket when we were jumping rope. This was my first experience with St. Anthony. He has helped me many many other times since then. I say if it can be found he will find it. Joan

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  11. St Anthony has always helped me find what I was looking for! I lost my keys once and could not find them in any of the places I'd found them before. Rather than get angry about it, I asked for help from St. Anthony. I get this thought in my head to check the couch cushions - wierd, but I tried everywhere else. Well... the first cushion I turned up - there were my keys. I have never doubted since! God bless St. Anthony and God Bless you!

    Joe

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  12. Saw your blog by link from spiritdaily.com. Very nice!

    You can tell your new atheist friend that, of course, it's a coincidence. A coincidence is God's way of remaining anyonymous.

    My aunt relies heavily upon St. Anthony -- and, actually, so do my wife and I -- for help in finding things. However, my aunt long ago promised to drop a gift into the "poor box" when St. Anthony helped her. Her cousin, meanwhile, told her that she never had to "bribe" St. Anthony -- that he would help just at her asking. So, my aunt decided to ask for help without the promise of helping the poor. Sure enough, St. Anthony didn't respond until she added the 'I'll drop a gift in the poor box' to her petition. As you would guess, St. Anthony came through immediately.

    I will be visiting again, as this looks like a nice place to stop every once in a while.

    God bless and have a healthy, happy, blessed new year.

    Dan

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  13. Is is ok to pray to St. Anthony that I find a girl that I want to ask out? She's no longer working at the local grocery store.

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  14. I was at a grocery checkout and lost my car keys. We went through the whole store, the parking lot, everything...they were gone. Husband (rather annoyed) had to walk up to the store to bring spare keys.

    But St. Anthony came through. Just when I am thinking I will have to change the locks on the car now, the keys fall out of the grocery bag. I could only guess that they slid off the counter, into one of the bags while it was being packed.

    Or St. Anthony slipped them in while I wasn't looking...

    He's found more than one lost item...but that's one I still laugh about.

    Deb

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  15. A few days ago I asked St. Anthony to find a missing TV remote, but requested he find it, "tomorrow afternoon". He did just that!

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  16. St Anthony does work miracles! Many times we've prayed to him and lost items suddenly turn up in the most amazing places - the middle of the floor in a room we'd searched or on a table right where someone always sits! I will pray also for the lost miraculous medal, but I would like to add that sometimes we aren't meant to get something back and in that case I pray that St Anthony will direct it to someone who needs it more than I do. God bless you all in the New Year!

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  17. I'm just back from Mass at the London Oratory and I prayed for the Miraculous Medal - that even if you don't find it - that perhaps St Anthony would replace it. And I agree; maybe someone who needs a special grace from the Miraculous Medal will find it.

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  18. Good story! Here's what happened to me. When I first met my husband, it was my Birthday and he gave me a gift in a jewelers box, it was not a ring, but a beautiful expensive diamond pendant as that is my birthstone. I wore it and treasured it for many years until I became a 3rd order Carmelite and started wearing my brown scapular along with it. One morning I woke up and although I found the chain on the floor, the pendant was missing. It must have flew off while I was changing clothes in my upstairs bedroom. For a whole YEAR I searched, never throwing away any vacuum cleaner bags even after I went through them. I was heartsick and after a year finally decided it was gone and threw away the closit full of vacuum cleaner bags. My mom told me to pray to St Anthony and though I had given up all hope, I did. Within an HOUR I was walking to my kitchen in the downstairs when something on the floor glinted up at me.... and as I picked up my pendant I started crying. What a blessing to know that even in little earthly things God cares about us! Thank you St Anthony!!

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  19. I can't afford to put much money in the 'poor box' by St Anthony's statue in my nearby Church, but I give change on a regular basis, thinking that it's better to give small amounts consistently. I've promised St Anthony a cut from the donations that I get from this blog, but I haven't had any donations recently.

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  20. Great Article!

    St. Anthony is the greatest isn't he. I am truly blessed and pleased that he is my Patron Saint. Whenever a family member has lost something and cannot find it even after praying to him, they ask me to pray to St. Tony and he usually responds, not because of my prayers but because he is my name sake. Hip Hip Hooray for St. Anthony!!!

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  21. St. Anthony has been my favorite saint and he always help me find lost things and lost friends. I named one of my sons after St. Anthony.

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  22. my friend lost her gold jewelry. Checked twice in her bank locker, did not find.She fervently prayed to St. Antony and miraculously found them in her bank locker
    praise the Lord and thank St. Antony

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  23. Although I am Protestant, I have a very good friend who is a devout Catholic and has explained some to me about Saints interceding for us when we are in need. So, being unorganized, I frequently misplace items. Recently, I was desperately searching for something (probably my keys because I was probably going to be late if I didn't find them) and I was having no luck. Finally, I said, "God, and/or whoever the patron Saint of lost items is, PLEASE help me find what I am looking for." Just then, the item appeared right in front of me! I called my Catholic friend and told her and she just giggled and said "St. Anthony! He always comes through!" How right she is!

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  24. St. Anthony has come through many times for me and my daughters. One instance.... my husband had given me a diamond pendant after the birth of one of my daughters. I could not find it and searched through all the drawers and cabinets, then one day I opened a dresser draw and there it was, just as plain as day. Right now I have misplaced my prayer card of St. Bridgets prayers which I try to say everyday. Help please

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  25. Timothy Goodrich Maier29 December 2011 at 15:06

    Aloha from Hawaii! What a joy to "find" your blog, Mary! I love St. Anthony, too. When I was in Italy in 2005 with a choir I used to sing with, I just HAD to "spend my afternoon shopping time" taking the train from Venice so that I could "visit" St. Anthony; attend Mass and pray with his relics at his tomb in Padua. Generally speaking, I also have not had much success of his answered prayers, yet, I still ask him to help me find things. My prayer currently is that he will find me a job (I have been unemployed for over a year); the right job for me at the right time in God's will. He has already found me the patience and faith for this.

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  26. Dear Elena,

    Thank you so much for stopping by my blog. I will pray to St Anthony that you find your prayer card.

    God bless always,

    Mary

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  27. Dear Timothy,

    Wow, you have more devotion to St Anthony than me, travelling to Padua to spend time with him. He won't forget that, and I'm sure he will interceed for you to find a job. I will bring this intention to St Anthony's statue in the London Oratory tomorrow, either before or after Mass.

    God bless you and yours in Hawaii,
    Mary

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  28. Great post. Two examples of the good things, joyful things, big or small, that come with faith and prayer. May your post find many new readers for the glory of God, through the intercession of St. Anthony!

    I was blessed in 2006 to visit Padua, Italy where St Anthony's relics and Basilica are. A beautiful town and wonderful time. Priests offer confession there in many languages...of course I went for the English speaking priest.

    There is also a wonderful Abbazia di Santa Giustina there, with relics of St. Luke and a beautiful image of Mary and the Baby Jesus that is said to be miraculous.

    The university there, said to be Europe's first, also runs the centuries old botanical garden which is steps away from the Basilica and is open to the public.

    If you can " find" the time and a way, it is truly a wonderful town.

    A friend from Texas.

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  29. A priest friend, who's first name is Anthony, taught us to pray to Saint Anthony for lost items. He said to say, "Tony,Tony, look around. Somethings lost and must be found. " Then Father said to say 15 Glory Be's in thanksgiving, and the lost item will be found.
    God Bless!

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  30. I liked your story for two reasons. First, I work at a TJMAXX in Walker, Michigan (15 yrs. now. As a worker, it is still my favorite place to shop and secondly, I'm a huge fan of St. Anthony. He never lets me down - I always manage to find what I'm looking for!

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  31. My 45 yo sister, who has Downs Syndrome, is absolutely best friends with St. Anthony. Whenever anyone in the family misplaces or loses something, Donna gets a phone call. "Sister, I lost such and such. Could you pray to St. Anthony for me?" St. Anthony has *never*failed us. Absolutely love this article and all the comments. Also, Donna told us once that St. Anthony also finds lost souls. Awesome!!!

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  32. J.M.J.+++ Hello there all you St. Anthony friends!! Did you know that St. Anthony STILL interceeds in 13 MIRACLES A DAY..STILL! THANK YOU ST. ANTHONY FOR ALL THE FAVOURS YOU HELPED FOR ME!!!!.....I take His statue with me when I go & pray at the abortion mill prayer vigil! He always 'shows up'!!! GOD BLESS EVERYONE ESPECIALLY FOR THE NEW YEAR!! Rhoda Ann from CANADA!

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  33. i ask st anthony more important needs...to find a missing child...a lost alzheimers person...people lost spiritually...finding things is too easy ...it's not about things, it's more about the invisible that truly matters...

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  34. I agree that there are more important prayer requests such as praying for a missing child. But St Anthony may interceed for both invisible and visible things such as the soaps. Real-life accounts of St Anthony intercession can spark an interest in Catholicism. I took a Hindu friend of mine to the statue and she said 'he looks lovely', then I told her the story about how St Anthony 'found' me the soaps, and she said, 'I'm going to pray to him.'

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  35. What a joy to read your post! I am from San Antonio, TX, named for St. Anthony, but I never new that he is a patron saint of lost or desired objects. We have a department store here in the states that is similar to T.K. Maxx, called T.J. Maxx, and it is the same kind of designer-for-discount concept. It's also my favorite place to shop, and so I was able to readily identify with your treasure-hunting for beautiful things. The T.J. Maxx in my neighborhood is located in a quiet area, and so fortunately, I've never experienced any bruising. Thank you for sharing your experience with St. Anthony, and may God bless you abundantly in 2012!

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  36. Elena:

    Here are three sites that have the prayers of St. Bridget of Sweden. Just Google that and you'll come up with several sites! If you miss a day, just say the prayers twice!

    http://www.marypages.com/BrigittaEnglish.htm
    http://fisheaters.com/15prayersofstbridget.html
    http://www.dailycatholic.org/oct8sos.htm

    J. C. Tzos

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  37. Dear J.C. Tzos,

    You are a messenger of St Anthony - thank you so much for posting the sites with the St Bridget of Sweden prayers. It will be of benefit to Elena and all the other readers.

    God bless you and may God reward you,

    Mary

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  38. St. Anthony has been a great friend to myself and my family! I've counted on him to help me find a lost item since I was very young. Now, my daughter (she's 18) has come to rely on him heavily! She always jokes how St. Anthony is her "homeboy" and helps her find lost things (if you saw her room you would understand!!) She even took St. Anthony as her confirmation saint! You should have seen the bishop's face when he confirmed Cuillen Therese Anthony Hunt!! It was great!!

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  39. I have a Protestant friend who lives in Konstanz in Germany. He told my on one of my visits that when he loses something he goes to the beautiful Catholic Church in the city and asks St Anthony or as he says Heilige Antonius to help him find it. He then makes a donation as he leaves the church. He assures me that St Anthony has always come through for him. Once he lost his key ring that contained his car keys, house keys and the keys to the little motor boat he kept on Lake Constance. He looked everywhere but couldn't find them. He went to the church and asked St Anthony for help, made his donation on the way out and went to his boat to go over it once again. As he approached the boat the harbormaster asked what he was looking for when my friend told him, he suggested that he borrow the marina's metal detector and look under his boat. My friend refused at first because he "knew" that the keys could not be under his boat. Reluctantly he borrowed the detector and much to his surprise there was a sharp klink and his keys were attached to the device.

    Jim

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  40. I love St. Anthony and the child Jesus in his arms. Like Blessed Mother I feel he whispers our requests into the Lord ears and He simply cannot denied St. Anthony.

    My daughter and I have lost our hair due to illnesses and much stress and just this week it occurred to ask St. Anthony for help! I am so happy because St. Anthony has never failed me. It breaks my heart to lost anything blessed and he is so kind to me. Just this morning he returned a rosary I had lost.

    But I would like to you to join in my prayer which this article has just now placed in my heart. It is for a couple I know who have lost their love for each other. Please pray that St. Anthony can find the love that they once had for each other.

    Lastly, I am so pleased happy Mr Brown chose this blog's article to share with his friends. And to someone in Texas who share her beautiful prayer. It touched my heart and will ask St. Anthony to help me memorize - thank you!

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  41. hello every one.
    St Antony is for "lost" souls too. Please pray to him to regain all the lost souls. This will be very pleasing to God almighty
    have a wonderful 2012

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  42. Thank you for this blog! St. Anthony probably wanted me to "find you and read it," because now I am inspired to ask him for a house for our apostolate that would help us in our work/prayer/mission-building! I've been wanting a place for just this reason for several years, but always find it financially out of our reach. I NEVER thought to ask him for it! You've inspired me to really think/pray bigger!

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  43. J.C.Tzos

    Thank you so much for your kindness

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  44. Dear St Anthony, I have loved and relied on, him ever since becoming Catholic in 1998 and he has always come, through for my lost items. But this year I misplaced a lovely handmade cross given to me by my son and daughter-in-law and all my prayers to St Anthony for it have, for some reason, failed to turn it up. Please put in a word for me! It was blessed and so dear to me since Christmas of 2008. ,

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  45. Today at the statue of St Anthony, I will pray for the return of the handmade cross. And I will also pray that you find a house for the apostolate that would help one reader.

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  46. My name is Michael Anthony....and YES St. Anthony has done so many amazing...YES MIRACULOUS things for me...I can not help but graciously thank the Lord for St. Anthony's intercession and works! Praise God for His beautiful saints that have pleased Him and glorious angels that guide us!

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  47. What a joy to find your refreshing blog on Spirit Daily! St. Anthony has helped me more than once to find lost articles. A few years go, a pair of my ruby/diamond earring went missing. I finally gave up hope of finding them. They were, of course, only tangible thing of this world. Many months later, I decided to clean behind my Hope chest which was in front of my bed...should have done it sooner:). There laying side by side were my two earrings! I always pray to St. Anthony for lost things. Right now, it's for the lost cradle Catholics in my family...not in any way to take away this powerful saint's intercession for us, a while back a friend told me of a little prayer that has never let her down. Since then, it has never let me down, either. It goes: Infant Jesus, lost and found, tell me where to look around! With the help of the Infant and St. Anthony, hope springs eternal!

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  48. I can't get through the day without St. Anthony. He finds everything I misplace. He even helped me find my wife. I'm not kidding. More people should ask him for help. No job is too big or too small for this Saint.

    Thank you Mary, for spreading devotion to St. Anthony!

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  49. WHAT INSPIRING STORIES! I'M NOT ONE TO TURN TO ST. ANTHONY FOR LOST ITEMS, BUT I AM NOW! I USUALLY ASK THE BLESSED MOTHER...AND SHE OF COURSE, HAS BEEN WONDERFUL.

    AN INTERESTING NOTE...WE HAVE A BEAUTIFUL STATUE OF SAINT ANTHONY AT OUR CHURCH, AND ONE DAY, I WAS CHANGING THE HOLY WATER DISHES, WHEN IN COMES OUR PASTOR AND 2 OTHER PRIESTS, ALL IN A PANIC. I ASKED WHAT WAS WRONG, AND ONE OF THE PRIESTS SAID HE HAD LOST AN IMPORTANT DOCUMENT, AND THEY HAD COME TO ASK SAINT ANTHONY FOR HELP. AND, THERE, IN FRONT OF HIS STATUE, WERE ALL THREE PRIESTS PRAYING TOGETHER. IT WAS VERY INSPIRING TO WATCH. SURE ENOUGH, THE DOCUMENT WAS FOUND. I, FOR ONE, AM NOW GOING TO PRAY FOR LOST SOULS. I KNOW MANY, AND THANK YOU FOR REMINDING ME OF THIS GREAT SAINT, AND THOSE PRIEST'S FAITH IN HIS ABILITY TO HELP...

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  50. +J.M.J+

    Dear Mary,

    Happy New Year. My birthday is on 6/13, St. Anthony's feast day. Would you please ask him to help me find a good spiritual direction? How would I know if he is my patron saint? I am a convert to the Catholic faith of almost 14 yrs. Thanks for any help or insight that you can provide.

    God Bless,

    Todd

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  51. Hi Todd,

    I will pray for your intentions and those of all the readers who asked for prayers at Mass today.

    As far as I know, you may invite St Anthony to be your patron saint. Great to hear that your birthday is his feast day.

    Mary

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  52. St. Anthony has found everything for me from a green-tinted contact in the grass to our youngest son!
    We had adopted our first son from a girl at our parish at the time, St. Patrick's. Since I'd found out about him and talked to his birthmother on the feast of St. Joseph, I considered him a gift of the saint. When he was born on the Feast of St. George, his Confirmation patron, we named him Patrick Joseph. When he was about 18 months, I asked God if He might give us another child. And then I asked St. Anthony to find the baby for our family. A few months and financial troubles passed when my husband, who'd said "no more babies", received a call on the Feast of the immaculate conception from a friend asking if we were interested
    in adopting his pregnant neice's baby. He said "yes". I knew she was Hispanic, and I had thought another "mix" baby would be good, but whatever God wanted. When we learned the baby was a boy, and that the birthfather was black, I knew that was "my baby". It took over a month before we were contacted by the birthfamily. I knew St. Anthony had answered my prayer when I realized that the birthmother was in San Antonio (St. Anthony), my husband's friend who told us about him was "Anthony", and when we picked our fathers' middle names for him, it was obvious. Ever since the boys were "babies", people have thought they were twins at times, and always shocked to learn they weren't even biologically related (not to mention different races:).

    I LOVE St. Anthony!!

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  53. So many interventions by dear St Anthony. So many 'coincidences' - he truly derives his moniker of miracle worker.
    For lost items:
    Tony, Tony, turn around. Somethings lost and must be found. This is best said by a class roomful of six year olds, complete with actions.
    St Anthony, pray for us!

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  54. Wow...can't believe I found this article in the blog-o-shpere. We often pray to St. Anthony when things are lost. He's found a wedding ring, money, even a bin of our clothes and books that fell out of a back of a truck on a lonely road hundreds of miles from our house.

    I'll be "asking" him to intercede for a little more than lost items now. Maybe even to find faith for our atheist and protestant friends. Who knows?

    From one Catholic Blogger to another,
    God Bless
    Sharon ~ mrsmomx6
    http://sharon-moms-madhouse.com/

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  55. After my adult son had been missing for almost 2 months, at Mass I promised out Lord that I would give a large amount of money to the needy if St. Anthony would find my son. As soon a I arrived home from Mass the phone was ringing.The voice on the phone said, "Your son has been found. He is safe."

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  56. St. Anthony greatly impacted my relationship with a Buddhist family from Vietnam who moved next to us in late 2003. Their 5 year old little girl befriended me first, by peeking out the door at me and coyly waving goodbye every morning as I left for work. Finally, one cold morning in early 2004, she boldly came out the door in her pajamas and robe and introduced herself to me, before I could get into my car, and she grabbed me by the hand and introduced me to her family, translating for everybody!

    As I got to know the family and to befriend them more and more, I told them about St. Anthony and how he very reliably helps to find things lost. They thought that the concept was ridiculous Catholic superstition. I said, "No! It's not superstition at all! It's not MAGIC, of course. And the prayers to St. Anthony have to be made by one sincerely seeking friendship with God. But it works. In fact, it works so well, I usually find the lost thing within 20 minutes or so!"

    The mother was looking for her cell phone at the time. I said the prayer in front of them. They found it -- in 20 minutes. The Vietnamese family all laughed at the "coincidence."

    After that incident, after I prayed to St. Anthony the family found the wad of cash from the father's paycheck, a wedding ring, car keys, the cell phone again.

    And, as if to verify my words to my Buddhist friends, they always found each item within 20 minutes.

    My Buddhist friends became "spooked" by these events. At one point they asked me to please STOP praying to St. Anthony, because it FRIGHTENED them!

    One day the Vietnamese wife tried it on her own. She had misplaced a document she HAD to have, at that moment, so that her grandmother from Vietnam could visit the United States. She called me on the telephone to tell me that St. Anthony had not answered her sincere prayer. I said, "That's not possible." I asked her what she HAD found. She said, "My daughter's homework folder from school." I asked, "Did you LOOK in it?"

    She yelled to her daughter in Vietnamese. A few seconds later, I heard the daughter yelling in English, "Mommy! Mommy! Mr. Peter was right! I accidentally put the paper in my homework folder!"

    I heard the mother whispering, "I can't believe it! I can't believe it! I can't believe it!" and she hung up the phone.

    Peter J. Dawson

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  57. I LOVE St. Anthony! Next to Jesus and the Blessed Mother, I ask him for favors ALL the time and he never disappoints me. I am very forgetful and lose things all the time and he always helps me. He is very powerful!

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  58. St. Anthony is wonderful. He has come through for me numerous times. My brother even named his son after St. Anthony as a promise, if he'd find something for him.~~~Rita

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  59. I feel as though I'm writing in as a member of the St. Anthony fan club, a good thing. Over the past 15 years or so I have referred to the following story as my "favorite" St. Anthony story. It was in the early part of the summer of 1993, I was at home in New Orleans, La. and my mother in law (Mami) was in town visiting. My mother and father in law are from Cuba. Ani, my wife, was upstairs taking a shower (my oldest son would have been 3 years old at the time and my new born infant daughter was just weeks old) and I was alone in the den sitting next to Mami when I began the conversation. The tv wasn't on and it was quiet. I remember I began by telling Mami how I believed in prayer and I related a story or two of things that had happened in my life and how it seemed to me that my prayers were answered. After telling Mami of my belief, she looked at me and said : "Mike, it was in early 1962 and Papi and I were trying to leave Cuba. My oldest 3 children (all teenagers) were able to get out of the country and were at a Catholic home in Miami since the previous October. I knew at the time that I was pregnant with Ani. Castro's government at that time had a policy that they wouldn't let you leave the country if they knew you were pregnant and with child. One day, it was in late March or early April, when I went to Havana to visit my brother. Upon entering his home I noticed a statue of St. Anthony in the den. When I saw the St. Anthony statue, I immediately started praying ....'St. Anthony, you have to get together with St. Jude and find us a way out of Cuba. We need to leave the country soon before they know I'm pregnant. Please intercede for us and help us get out.' She told me that she prayed fervently for weeks and weeks and nothing happened, but she kept praying. And then: "the next thing we knew paperwork started going back and forth sometime in late May and early June and the next thing we knew we were leaving Cuba." With a twinkle in her eye, Mami looked at me and said, "Mike, do you know what day we left Cuba?" I answered her, "no, Mami, what day did you leave Cuba?" Mami answered, "we left Cuba on June 13, 1962." She looked at me and said, “Mike, do you know what day June 13th is?" I answered: "no Mami, I don't." Mami: "June 13th is St. Anthony's feast day." The last part of the story is the icing on the cake. The next morning, early, Mami was drinking her dark black coffee and she said to me, "Mike, you remember how I told you the story of our leaving Cuba yesterday," Of course I remembered! She said: "yesterday was June 13, 1993, 30 years to the day we left Cuba." What a story, eh, ...now you know why I call it "my favorite St. Anthony story."

    Mike Kline

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  60. I am a 75 year old nun and prefer to write anonymously.
    In the mid-1940s I and my younger sister and brother were inside our village house sitting on the floor cleaning some uncooked rice. Then we heard the drones of planes in a "dogfight". We stood up and ran to watch near the window. The neighbors who saw us were screaming, telling us to go back inside. Just at that moment a big shrapnel fell through the roof and landed on the place where we were sitting. Some of the rice got stuck on the shrapel, badly burned.
    When people rushed in to check on us our parents also arrived from the fields.
    Daddy who was a devotee of St. Anthony (he named the first son Antonio) exclaimed and proclaimed loudly to all: "St. Anthony saved my children! Look at him, he is just there!" On the wall near to where we were seated was a framed picture of St. Anthony.
    This incident is a treasured story that is passed on. My brother Antonio's first son has also been named Anthony.
    So St. Anthony is not only the patron of lost things. Long may his name be honored!

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  61. Anonymous said

    I love St Anthony and always pray to him . Now I need more people to pray for the conversion of my son stephen. Thank you St Anthony for your intercession and bless all who come to you with their needs.

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  62. St. Anthony has sought me out more than I've sought him...you wouldn't believe it if I told you. Good stuff!

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  63. Two weeks ago I been wanting to pray a Novena and I was searching for some odd reason I kept bringin up St. Anthony. I read some of his information and I left it at that.

    After 3 months my husband who is unfaithful informed me he has been desperatarely find our office keeys and his motorcycle keys. I said let me search there is a Saint we can pray to and we will find the keys.

    Well i landed to St Anthony again. So, I told my husband that is not even willing to step in the church etc. for him to say a prayer to him and I will pray the Novena.

    Well on the exact 9th day, guess what??? we found one pair of keys ;)... all I could do is smile and thank ST Anthony. I couldn't stop laughing.

    My prayer was to find faith for my husband by finding the keys and restore our marriage.

    Well, I don't know if it did anything for my husband but I did for me. Defenately restore my faitha and I am continuing to pray for St Anthony with FAITH!

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  64. Hello Mary,

    I am also a fan of St. Anthony. My story has two miraculous events.

    Many years ago, on our a way home from a summer vacation in Canada, I noticed my diamond had fallen out of my engagement ring. I mentioned it to my husband who stated that I probably lost it somewhere in the ocean and I won't ever find it again. The diamond was the original stone he gave me when he asked me to marry him. I prayed to St. Anthony in hopes my husband was wrong and the stone was somwhere in our vehicle.

    The follwoing morning, as we were unpacking the trunk, there on the floor of the trunk was my stone! Praise God, I thought! Thank you St. Anthony.

    Several years later I once again lost the daimond out of my engagemnet ring....again St. Anthony was beckoned to help me. Something told me to look in the driveway near the grill. There sparkling in the afternoon sunlight was my stone...once again found. I have always seen this as a sign from God. I am so blessed and have a wonderful man to share my life with and have now for 26 years. Thanks again to St. Anthony for finding the stone!!

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  65. Please help me pray for a mother of four.....she lost her job....then her house.....now she has pnemonia. Please ST.Anthony help her get her health back and find a job and a reasionable place to live! THANKS BE TO GOD & ST.Anthony!

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  66. I, too, am a big fan of St. Anthony. Years ago a friend of mine called frantic because she couldn't find a photo album. The album belonged to a mutual friend (Yvonne) of ours and contained photos of her deceased friend, the only photos she had of her. Yvonne was requesting her album back but my friend could not find it, nor remembered even having it. We bought some time over the weekend but by Monday, all hope was lost. And then I said, have you ever heard of St. Anthony? her quick response was, I'm Baptist!! I quickly responded with you don't have to be Catholic, just have faith. I gave her a quick overview and told her she had to promise to remember his "poor!" She began praying, but could not find it. Later that night Yvonne called one last time, and she realized she could no longer screen her calls and answered. On the line Yvonne was so excited and told her, guess what we found the album!! Lorraine had borrowed it!!! My friend sent a generous donation to the Little Sisters of the Poor!!

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  67. New St Anthont story:

    http://thepathlesstaken7.blogspot.com/2012/01/i-was-going-to-keep-quiet-about-st.html

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  68. My family (dad,mom, sis, her husband, brother & his wife) pray a lot to St. Anthony & we manage to get everything we pray for. In fact, even my colleagues at office manage to get lost items when I pray for them to St. Anthony. My mama used to pray a lot to St. Anthony since she was very small & the greates miracle is that she got married to my dad - whose name is Anthony & his parish Church is St. Anthony's Church. I always manage to get everything I pray for & am currently praying to St. Anthony to get me a wonderful boy in my life as my life partner. There's a Hindu boy with whom I had an affair for almost 6 years & we ended d relation as he was not able to talk abt us & our relationship at his home. Please pray for me to St. Anthony that St. Anthony works a miracle in my life & brings this boy I love back in my life forever & dat he talks abt us in his house & we get married to each other at the earliest. He's a boy who used to go to Church on Tuesdays wid his Christian friends & knows a bit abt St. Anthony. Thank you for your prayers.

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  69. This blog and these stories are so amazing and awesome! I was directed here from "Spirit Daily" as I'm sure thousands more will be. Your story about Lent is featured. I will continue reading your blog!

    God bless the 75 year old Nun who was saved by St. Anthony from certain death in the war! What an amazing story. All the testimonials are amazing, actually, but that one is beyond words. I wonder if that incident influenced her decision to join an order.

    My sister-in-law's story is amazing too, though no lives were saved. She and my brother were on their honeymoon back in the early 1990's--hotel room keys were still keys, not plastic cards. At their hotel, losing a key meant a hefty fine--$500 maybe? She lost hers on the first day and they searched everywhere--you see where this is going, that a prayer to St. Anthony produced the key. What's truly amazing though is where it was found. As my brother was wading in the ATLANTIC OCEAN, about 30 feet from shore, he felt something under his foot. Waves were crashing all around him and he trapped the item with his foot until he had a chance to reach down. Yes, his wife's key was found.

    God Bless you all!

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  70. Mary

    My friend Ernesto was working for me about a week ago, on a Saturday. I gave him a cheque for his help around 1 pm so he could cash $40 of it and have some change for the rest of the weekend.

    Some time on Saturday evening he went to a grocery store and managed to lose his wallet with the remains of that $40. It had a state id card etc inside and was going to be a pain to replace. I told him to pray several times to St Antony. Three days later the wallet turned up. Alas missing the money but at least St Antony heard his prayers!

    JM

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  71. This is a great story :) I never pray to st Antony....not sure why...maybe it is about the connection, with some saints you have more connection than with the other. However, my grandma always prayed to Him when she lost something and as far as I remember it almost always worked.

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  72. I just came across your blog, and because St. Anthony has been a friend of mine for a LONG time (since I was a girl some 50 years ago) I have many wonderful stories to tell of his friendship and assistance.

    But I will only say one that just happened today. Just today! My kitchen faucet has begun to leak around the handle and base, and I don't know how to fix such a thing. I was wondering what to do. Now, I pray to my friend St. Anthony every night asking for his assistance in all my spiritual and temporal needs. This morning I noticed my cat had disheveled some papers I had in a pile on my table, and when I went to pick them up and restack them, there, open and unfolded, was the warranty for my kitchen faucet, opened to where it said there is a lifetime warranty against leakage, and the phone number to call the manufacturer who will supply replacement parts free!

    I knew immediately who did this! My wonderful friend, St. Anthony. Thank you my dear friend, St. Anthony, solicitous in our smallest needs.

    So yes, I absolutely believe he was behind getting you those soaps.

    Praise God for St. Anthony, wonder worker and helper of hapless girls!

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