St. Anthony of Padua & a note on Fatima

June 13 is the feast day of a much beloved saint. Anthony was born in Lisbon, Portugal, of noble parents. He gave up all riches and followed the Franciscan way of life, inspired by St. Francis of Assisi. He wanted to fight for the faith, ready to die as his brother Franciscans did, while preaching to the Saracens. That was not to be his fate. He was a marvelous preacher, so eloquent he was called the Ark of the Testament and the Hammer of Heretics. A year before his death he went to Padua and died there at age 36 in 1231. He is called upon to find lost articles. Besides recovering lost souls during his lifetime, by divine intervention he recovered a sacred book that had been stolen from him. He is also a saint of healing, physical and spiritual. He is usually pictured with the Christ Child in his arms. A brother Franciscan once saw that in reality  as he passed by Anthony's room.

A note on Fatima.  June 13 marks the second apparition of the Blessed Mother to the three children in Fatima in 1917. The first was May 13, and every month through October 13 she appeared with her message from heaven. She warned of coming wars, destruction of nations,of the spread of communism, the punishment of mankind for all the transgressions that were to come, even mentioning fashions that would offend God. The warnings included the spiritual turmoil that would affect the church. Our Lady predicted five scourges.  The first was the coming of the second World War. The second was the rise and spread of communism. The third and fourth involve the Catholic Church. The faithful shall be persecuted and even martyred (happening now in muslim and hindu countries), the pope will have much to suffer, even, perhaps, martyrdom. The fifth is probably the worst, that several entire nations will be annihilated. This could be a nuclear war, natural disasters or both. In 1917 these things were told to three unlearned children, who were also given a vision of hell and offered themselves to suffer for souls. The whole story is a fascinating one. Some things are yet to be known, but much affects the Church and the  infiltration by anti-Christ forces. 

Be Thou unto me a God, a protector, and a place of refuge, to save me.
Psalm 30: 3