Believe Me – Saint Anthony Always Answers

I was raised in St. Anthony Parish, Louisville, Kentucky. When I made my novitiate, it was at St. Anthony in Angola, Indiana. When I was to write a thesis, my Dominican professor suggested that I write about St. Anthony. 

One of my early and vivid memories is celebrating the Feast of St. Anthony on June 13 in Padua.  Tens of thousands of people from all over the world came to receive Holy Communion. They prayed and St. Anthony answered.

At the age of 65 I was stationed at the Friary of St. Anthony when I received a call from Africa asking me to come and be the regional custos or superior. That was to be for six years. I stayed on in Africa for 21 years. I prayed to St. Anthony that we might unite two different groups of Friars into one entity. It was no simple task, but through the intercession of St. Anthony, the two groups united, and we have now a province in Zambia, Africa.

Since I was a child I have continued to call on St. Anthony for any need, and I have found out that he always answers even if it is not at the time and in a way that I expected. 

We Conventual Franciscans have the care not only of the Tomb of St. Francis in Assisi, but also the Tomb of St. Anthony in Padua. These places of privilege are prayerful places and prayers are always answered. Also in Istanbul (once Constantinople) we have a Basilica of St. Anthony where not only Catholics come to pray to and with the Saint, but also Muslim people come to pray.

If you need or want something very much, you ask St. Anthony persistently and you will find out for yourself that St. Anthony always answers. When you get to heaven and you see how your prayers were always answered. I will say, “We told you so, St. Anthony always answers.”

 – +friar Juniper Cummings OFM Conv.