A Message from Father Nathan
My dearest people closest to my heart!
God bless you and your generous heart
June 13 – We celebrate the Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua
This week on the 13th, we will celebrate the Memorial of St. Anthony of Padua (1195-1231), born in Lisbon Portugal.
He is the patron saint of my village. I have such a great admiration for this saint. He became a canon regular and then a Franciscan, preaching the Gospel everywhere in Portugal and Italy. Both as a theologian and a popular preacher, he fought vigorously against heresy. His preaching was inspired by his love of God and of souls and had an extraordinary power of conviction; it was filled with the penetrating power of the Bible.
“Arca Testamenti”, meaning the living repository of the Holy Scriptures
Pope Gregory IX, who heard him preach, called his during his lifetime the: “Arca Testamenti”, meaning “the living repository of the Holy Scriptures”. Pope Pius XII, when he proclaimed him a Doctor of the Church, declared that he based all that he said on the texts of the Gospels, and could justly be called the Evangelical Doctor.
Life, death & Miracles
St. Anthony lived for a time in France, but chiefly in Italy, and died near Padua in 1231 at the age of 36, with the reputation of great sanctity. From the day of his death, innumerable miracles caused the faithful to invoke him as a wonderworker of untiring benevolence.
An Accidental Preacher
the “Hammer of Heretics”
He became a preacher by accident. When a scheduled preacher did not show up for an ordination ceremony at Forli, the Franciscan superior told Anthony to go into the pulpit. His eloquence stirred everyone, and he was assigned to preach throughout northern Italy. Because of his success in converting heretics, he was called the “Hammer of Heretics” and because of his learning, St. Francis appointed him a teacher of theology.
St. Anthony of Padua was such a forceful preacher that shops closed when he came to town, and people stayed all night in church to be present for his sermons. He became associated with Padua because he made this city his residence and the center of his great preaching mission. After a series of Lenten sermons in 1231, Anthony’s strength gave out and he went into seclusion at Camposanpiero but soon had to be carried back to Padua. He did not reach the city but was taken to the Poor Clare convent at Arcella where he died. He was thirty-six years old, and the whole city of Padua turned out in mourning for his passing.
Saint Anthony, pray for us, that we may also live to be faithful to the church and to you.
Amen
With lots of love and blessings,
Ever wanting to be faithful to your service,
— Fr. Sahayanathan Nathan
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Past Messages from Father Nathan
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | January 10, 2021
Together, We Are the Church. A universal body of believers, delivering God’s message of hope and love to everyone, everywhere. Your generosity to the Archbishop’s Charity and Development Drive, ABCD, serves the Church so that the Church can serve you.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | January 3, 2021
Happy New Year. Goodbye, 2020. Hello, 2021. We have all experienced a most unusual year. Our lives have had to adjust to never-ending uncertainties that shake our personal and public lives. We have witnessed a shutdown in our thoughts and actions all over the world…
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | December 20, 2020
Merry Christmas to You! “JOY TO THE WORLD” Fourth Advent of Sunday. In this season…when the people were all tired, worried, concerned, and waiting with lots of perplexities, the Lord incarnated Himself and opened up a new world of love to His people.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | November 15, 2020
Peace and happiness are like a light within each of our hearts. I believe and trust that It’s ONE of the gifts from God. It’s purely a gift from the Holy Spirit. It is light – that always glows and intensifies.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | November 1, 2020
On November 2nd we are going to celebrate All Souls Day. This is a holy day set aside for honoring the dead. The day is primarily celebrated in the Catholic Church, but it is also celebrated in the Eastern Orthodox Church as well as a few other denominations of Christianity.
From The Desk Of Father Nathan | October 25, 2020
Every week as we profess our faith, we express… “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Catholic
Church and THE COMMUNION OF SAINTS.” The author of this letter to the Hebrews wrote. “Therefore since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us rid ourselves of every burden and sin that clings to us and persevere in running the race that lies before us while keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the leader and the perfecter of faith.” (12.1-2)