St Anthony's Novena of the Missionaries of Africa (known as the White Fathers)

St Anthony's Novena.

13th - 21st June 2008

Now over for this year! Many thanks to the many people who prayed the Novena and contributed to our work through the Novena.

Every year for nine days, starting with the feast of St Anthony on June 13th, the White Fathers of Sutton Coldfield give thanks to God for the blessings received in the past year through our generous benefactors. We pray for them and all the intentions sent to us for the Novena which is under the patronage of St Anthony of Padua. Envelopes for the purpose are sent to over 32,000 subscribers to our magazine and the response is overwhelming. The prayer intentions sent to us are placed on the altar of our chapel and destroyed, unread, known to God alone, at the end of the Novena. Those who send donations for our work along with their prayer petitions will receive acknowledgements in due time: please be patient.

Novena Prayer

Novena Patron, St. Anthony of Padua.

Anthony was born in Lisbon, 1195, and was baptised Ferdinand. Educated at the Lisbon Cathedral school he joined the Canons Regular of St. Augustine and stayed in the St. Vincent Convent (1210-12). He then went to the Santa Croce Convent, Cóimbra, (1212-20) where he devoted himself to the study of the Scriptures, the works of the Fathers and prayer. Ferdinand was inspired by the Franciscan martyrs who died in Morocco in January, 1220, and resolved to become a Friar Minor so that he might preach the Faith. When he received the habit he took the name of Anthony. The same year he went to Morocco but fell seriously ill and had to return to Europe in 1221. Anthony went to stay at the hermitage of Montepaolo (near Forli) where he continued his studies and life of prayer. It was here that Anthony’s preaching talents were first noticed. Anthony was then asked by St. Francis, in 1224, to teach theology at Bologna, Montpellier and Toulouse. Anthony continued to gain a reputation as an orator and he preached against various heresies, such as the Cathares, the Patarines and the Albigenses. Through the later he gained the title of Malleus hereticorum (Hammer of the Heretics) and he helped many to convert. After St. Francis died on the 3rd. October, 1226, Anthony returned to Italy and was elected the Minister Provincial of Emilia. He resigned in May, 1230, and moved to the Convent of Padua. Anthony preached his last Lenten sermons in 1231. His influence on both Church and civil affairs was great. Anthony retired to the village of Camposanpiero, near Padua, where he became seriously ill and died on the 13th. June, 1231. He was known for his holiness and miracles which led to his canonization on the 30th. May, 1232. Anthony’s relics were transferred to a church in Padua, built by the people, in 1263, the place which he is associated with most.