ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA (195-1251) By Auce Conrave Jn UNIVERSALITY and peninence of the cult of St ‘Anthony of Padua is such a true of paradox that ie constitutes one ofthe great psychological es of bagioe traply. T do noe pretend ¢o tle the problem here nly to put the terms oft betore you. The xine of his ie suc lysates the pardon. He was born in 1195 probably near Lisbon and wa given the name Ferdinand. He is sid to have been a descendant of Godley de Bouillon, Duke of Lorraine, hero of the Fist Crastde and fist king of Jerusalem. However that may be, Ferdnane!s fate way 8 knight atthe cour of Alfaso I, king of Prius, where he held a cofce ia conncetion with teenie. The boy was thus brought up ‘on the fringes of royalty. “He was sent tothe cathedral scat, his ule was «canon ofthe Lisbon chapter and could keep sn eye onthe student. Ferdinand developed eligi vocition but showed an early independence of mind, One would ave thought that his Uunele’s influence would fave fed hin t0 the sscuar lrg), But instead, at the ag of fiteen, he entered the Lisbon monastery ofthe (Canons Regular of St, Auputne, ‘When he had complcted two years ere, he asked to be transfered tothe house ofthe Order at Coimbra, days journey tothe north ‘of Lisbon, ‘He sd he found the visits fom relations in Liston too disturbing. He was accordingly sent to Coimbra and oedsined there in due cours, ‘This monsserycondicted a shoal famous for Sexiptual studies. Here Ferdinand sed with intense application fo eight years, and i was during this period he acquired the to. logical and biblical peoiency ‘which wus Inter to asonsth the world ‘One day, in the capcity of guest master, it devolved on him to tend to ve Franian friars, who bad applied tt the monastery fo hospitality. They were on thet way to” Moroes to found aision here. While he attended to their needs in the refectory tnd dormitory, Ferdinand talked with the pacts, whom he found ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA 1s ry interesting. Tk was ot his fit acsuintance with the Fran- cans. Tere was lite group of them inthe niga ho Frequently came tothe Augustinian monastery for alms ‘Tho five who went fo Moroceo became marys in srt ‘wil, having been butchered in eiteumstances of wbuel feo, Thee remains were brought back to Coimbra where they were give the honours of Chureh and state, The king and queen slended he ‘obsess. ‘Thealfair made a deep impression on Ferdinand, wi now found himself ieesistiby attracted to th Francscns, But it was not sy mater fr im co jusiy this new font of his vocation to is sollesgues. ‘The Canons Regular of Snint Aupsntine were an eld Onder, deservedly honoured; the monastery at Cota had boon Founded bya sunt. On the otber hand, tie Fronescan stove as sil onl ints infancy and was viewed with suspicion imo pen hostility bythe old established religious onder Ferdinand had 2 through a pail passage before he put mide the white hat snd rocet ofthe Canons Regular in favout ofthe Frans habit And cord. He took new name, Anthony ‘The next tae we have x clear view of him, hes in Tay, the home ‘of the new movement. He probably atended the famous Chapter ‘of Mats in Assis in 2. This was che lst genera ehaper of tie Franciscan held during the founder's itn sind more than thice thousand fics were present. Te was one of the most amazing ‘etings in. Christian history. The county people. of Umble brouaht carloads of bread, wioe, ces ad other edi, as nell 8 drinking weal and plates, while the nobility of the dst competed to sre the fics a Weir meals. At the concson of the haplr, there was a re-ordering of al the Francicen group, td the ovie, Anthony, was sent to s small hospice for fay Bee ot ‘Monte Piolo, near Foti, in Emit, Being an owsind press he as usefil Ree to say Mats for the brethren. His eer des sem have hen chilly mens. Tt would look though, hualy ‘seaking, he was extngished Twas quite by accident tht his ral ability came to ight. Nine months alter he had been seat to. Monte Piolo, an onto seremony took place at For. I was usual to engage 9 spel breicher for such an occasion. ‘Thi tine tere was setioushichy the special preacher filed to appear atthe appointed hour, There ere a number of Dominicans atthe ceremony and, ene fer the ‘oer they were invited to oblige, but they al deticed on the ground of not Tsing prepied. The Father Provincial was it realy1 SAINTS ARE NOT SAD awkward predicament when hiseye met Anthonys, He signalled him trey tol the gap. Here was tomeane anybow who could not refuse bonus he was unprepared. Te was bound to obey “Anthony came eowiy forward and ave his thom, Obeonce, ‘a theme into which his fe at Monte Polo ad eetaiay given him 44 deep insight. His Rares looked and linened with. growing {stonishment, After second or two of hesitation, Anthony hid Derfcdiy recovered himself and. was completely at his eae. Tt ould be seen tones tht oad all the requisites ofa most succes {ul preacher: poise, a good delivery, passionate conviction, personal ‘weaht a profound kaowlede of theology and scripture, a wondcr- fl memory. There vas most a comimocion when he ended that ‘extempore sermon. There wee er few goed peaches sion the FFranchcuns, yt the Church never hid such aco of preachers athe ‘ertcal sees could always provide them. Anthony was mmeditly appointed preicer tothe province of Romagna, and word to that fect was sent Francs, who returned a msgs to the Provincial {hat Anthony was to be appinted preacher to the whole of aly. ‘Anthony from that hour belonged no more 10 the hospice of| ‘Monte Paolo. He became a nomad and travel ceaslestly forthe ‘exten years from the north of France tothe south of Keay, devo {ng all hs time, talets and energy tothe sole work of preaching He discovered within hime the power of enkndling che mases with his ov fe, ‘The people's response was immediate, ‘The Churches filled to hear him to the poiat that windows and doors ‘would be packed with faces and al the spaces outside throngs, 9, vith people He then bean taking platform ou into the ste the beter fo command his audiences. When ety sireets and squares could no longer accommodate the crowds, the platform had to be furiod out of te toyns toa meadow, ora bare hillside, and thier {hat spectacular mus of peoplo~twenty, thirty, or forty thousand— ‘would uudg to ear Antony, waking for miles through the beat sd dust of sunmer, orn the most inclement winter weathc. ‘Anthonys fume as a aint has sified focus. His posthumous sory has concentrated most solaly on his miracles. Tt then, Sprig to ind what smal pare marvels payed in is real ie ‘work. Teis an error to read his story backwatd, ort imagine that the splendour surrounding his ame tnce hs canonsation radiated also the shabby figure of the preaching fra He was not always ‘tanning tention with misculows contol of the clement of the ial kingdom, of disease Iis worth noting that wien the aces ‘ecorded for his canonisation were sited, out of the fory-six ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA us accepted onty one hid ousted before his death. His ame in ie ‘ras not duet the prodigies he worked. He earned that sous in 8 ‘ery hunaa way epea tall. ‘One must not, However, goto the oer extreme and deny him all contact with miracles If he was notin the habit of making 2 ‘spectacular diplay of prodigious power, marvels were certainly told ‘Of him. One curious factor must be noted about the miracles he ‘worked isi. Tes foe the realy amazing events thatthe strongest ‘videnos exits, For instance, wo are compelled to acxpt the two ‘ores ofthe sermon (othe hos and Bouvll’s mul, whether we happen to like them or no, for they have bee certied hy the ers ofthe scares of hi is ‘Neither thes episodes nor his suoes asa preacher ean be unde: stood without reference to the forces againt which Anthony engaged in combat, Thice groups of heretics were then disturbing ‘Christendom the Cathars, the Albngenses and the Waldess. "The all worked from within the Church, calling thomscles Catholic reformers, of aposolie oF priv, Catholics, and they Wad 10 fe up a hierarchy withia Marehy- The Waldenses were artic ‘larly suble and dangerous. ‘They supported the Church in every parila and resived llth Cathoi Sacraments, excep Pensa, Ive they roupt from Waldetian preachers ony These groupe of Betetcs were therefore not so much ike dtsned im that cam be amputated fuisly cleanly as an internal malady which has to be {rudually eliminated from the blood. "They all dev hes theris from the Bila, so that only 2 Biblical expen could refue thom. ‘This is where Anthony’ cight years’ preparation in Coimbea was such n advantage. He vaso thoroughly grounded in the Seripues that Pope Gregory IX, when ho heard him preach, called him “Living Ack ofthe Covenant” “Anthony's sermon to the fhe ook place probably at Rimini and is elated ois fp gait the Waldenses, Me had been preaching tw an audience ofthese, all profesedly Catholic, The ist dificaly ‘wast convince them they were not the ream ofthe Catholic Hock, ‘This audience had become so outraged at Anthony's ouspokennes tha they docampod in a body, eaving him taking to the ai. Aor ‘his, ho wont fr a walk along by th Marechia. The more sight of the ocean brought foi nd ina ash every reference to fishes in the Oldand New Testament, fom Jonah and the whale othe mira ‘lous draught offen and ao tothe early Christian symbol of & fish scratched on sone. He spoke his meditations aloud snd ress the ite of the sea roe in seve rings tothe wrt oF186 SAINTS ARE NOT SAD the water o listen to him. They were sen by numbers of witeses, foople who hid fst gathered in surprite behind a free who was Spperenly talking to the wave. The story of Bonvillo’ mule is also connected with his bate with heretics, Albiganes tis tim, Bappened in Toulouse, 8 place so Toten with Albigesian ideas that Anthony, while there, farried his ie in his hands, Tt was the oaly place in Europe where fhe heresy was fostered by evil power, Tor the government of thi fat had favoured i now for more than & oneraon. Aman named Bonvilo argued publicly with Anthony aguinst the Real Presence and ended up by demanding a sgn. He said be would te up his ml in the matketpace an lave i there without food for tise days. At the end ofthat period, Anthony was to bring the Blessed Sacrament info the market and Boavilo would bring eats atthe ‘same time: ifthe mule ignored the food and adored the Host thes ‘Bonvll would besome a bulive, “The populace egeod with Bonvillo in demanding this est and Anthony's protests were shouted down. The eicunstances mist hae been Both pelle end formidable when the preacher wis forced to assent. Atay rte, Anthony seems to hive mide up his mind to stake a great deal on the power of prayer, AC the end of {veo days, acomspaniod by lighted candles nd singing ener, he tarred the Host into the market plaee, where the tarving mule was ‘ving the ground n the mide of an immense crowd, Bono st {he sme tine thrust his oat under the animals nore. But the mule tmed from the food and kept his head onthe ground ia an une mistakable posture of adoration, Hp didnt rise until Anthony fad retire. ‘oth these stores are the theme for innumerable pustings and drawings Tt sa human impulse to sof at them, ay impoxing to feat a strin upon credulity. Yet the evidence Tor them is such that ICeannot be dismissed ab worthls, “Anthony's sermons, then, were apologetic rather than devotional ‘This makes ther appeal greater wonder to the modern mind whieh finds i difiett to understand the medieval preoeapation with apologetics, AI the Iaity of that age who aspired to culture ‘tied (0 make it include mastery ofthe cote ofthe Faith. He did not actually preach from nots, but he relied almost wholly upon ‘preliminary preparation with nts. Tis we know fiom one ofthe ngumerble mace stories: how once in France novice sole hit precious manuscript and Anthony was in acute dstess over the {os Itisan llumipaing incident, The prodigious crowds that were & ST. ANTHONY OF PADUA a7 the tlk of Europe assembling to hear him—the Hamner of the “eros "a he welled and in he background he was wringing his hands because he could not Sind his notsbook, “There was an element of Surprise in his preaching which conveys, fous today, neros the centuries, some dim ea of what his personal ‘magnetism must have been. He had uemendous moral courage. ‘When twas necesary 9 attack an abuse, he dk not know fear Te is sid that famous preachers who came to lien to him shivered at his boldness On one oceasion he was fvited to proach at synod at Bourges and the archbishop, Simon de Soll, presided atthe ouncl.”Anthony opened it sermon wih bl laguar corte (You, there, withthe mitre"), «public denurciation ofthe ache [shop who had insted him which slmost paralysed his bearers. A feature of his sermons was the vialeaceof his attacks onthe acl elergy. He pitted himself also. with extaordinary” yehemence ‘guns he prevalent vices of his age, which wore var, lay and ‘granny in government. His sucess asa preacher wat 8 to tht oncentration on realities. He knew the eds of his iy and met them, He eschewed abstractions, is effect was such that a the umou of hs coming, shops were shutored up and the lav courts loted. ‘The people's demonstrative fnthuslasm became sich & physical danger to him, he had to be ‘rotted by a bodyguard of young mea, who drew a cordon around the platform while he was preaching and eld off the onvush of reople aermards. Eyewitnesses have eft on record vei detail: fone sd that the crows cresting a distant hillon tel wa to one of these sermons Tooke like a dense Mock of bieds ring in Hit; another sid the lights Miting across the dark countryside the ‘revous night renindd him ofa strange concours of species or rows usod to gather around the platform te night before a serson ‘was announced, sos to make sure of «good place; Jet anther sid {hat when Anthony paused ia his speaking the crowd would sgh in ‘unison and the sound was like hat of rent wind soughing "The last Lent he preached in Padua wat remenbered for genera tions afterwards beesos of the furore it ened inthe cis The Padan could find neither food nor accommodation enough forthe crowds that invaded them. When Anthony Was not actually preach: ing o preparing nots for his next sermon, he ws working like @ ‘Titan to cope wth the enormous eft fe was producing endlessly ‘earing confesions, econeling enemies, enforcing juste, arbitra Ing feuds, helping to close the afals of usures, even revising the socal code and elpiag to fame the laws ofthe commune. He wes