Charles Warren Stoddard - St. Anthony: The Wonder-Worker of Padua

SAINT ANTHONY

THE WONDER-WORKER
OF PADUA

SAINT ANTHONY

THE WONDER-WORKER
OF PADUA

By

Charles Warren Stoddard

The works that I do, he also shall do;
and greater than these shall he do.

TAN Books
Charlotte, North Carolina

Cum permissu superiorum

ISBN: 978-0-89555-039-2

Printed and bound in the United States of America.

TAN Books
Charlotte, North Carolina
2010

Table of Contents

The Five Friars

The afternoon shadows were lengthening under the walls of the monastery of Santa Cruz, a house of the Canons Regular of St. Augustine, at Coimbra. Life within that holy house stole on as slowly, as regularly, and for the most part as silently, as those deepening shadows. Each morning it was renewed as cheerfully as broke the dawn upon the waves that wash the shores of Portugal; each noon it was radiant with the fullness of spiritual joy; each evening it hushed itself to rest with prayer and praise; and these three epochs in the daily life of the cloister were heralded by the mellow peal of the Angelus as it was wafted over the embosoming hills, and throbbed into silence in far-off, fainting echoes.

Now and again something occurred in the monasterysomething slight in itself, but enough to break in upon the peaceful current of events and create an interest or excitement that fairly startled the gentle occupants. There were guests from time to timequite a number of them; for the worldly are ever curious concerning the inner life of those who though in the world are not of it. Therefore there was a guest-master at Santa Cruz, as there is always a guest-master in every monastery; and his office it is to receive those who desire to see the chapels, the relics, the cloisters. It is the duty and the pleasure of this guest-master to conduct visitors through the monastery and to entertain them; and thus relieve the friars from all distractions, such as sudden and unexpected calls from prayer or labor.

One day at Santa Cruz five stranger guests arrived three priests and two lay-brothers, disciples of St. Francis, whose Order was then but ten years old. These friars had been assigned to the mission in Morocco, and were on their way thither when they sought the hospitality of the Abbey of Santa Cruz. Who shall say that it was chance alone that brought them thither? They were Franciscans. Not far distant from Coimbra, the pious Queen of Portugal had established the Convent of St. Anthony of Olivares; it was situated in an olive grove, whence it derived its name. The house was small and poor, but it was large enough to shelter the five friars; and the Brother Questor, whose duty it was to ask alms for the needs of the brethren, would have gladly shared his frugal fare with these apostles who were on their way to martyrdom in Morocco. But they passed Olivares and sought the gates of Santa Cruz, and were there given heartfelt welcome.

Was it for this reason that, as the Franciscan chronicles tell us, Queen Urraca sent for and lovingly received the friars? For indeed she held their Order in great esteem, and inquired many things concerning their errand, most courteously offering to supply all their wants. Not content with the brief account of their Generals intention which they gave her, this lady, thirsting as the hart for the word of God, engaged them in spiritual discourse, drawing thence much sweetness and consolation; then, taking them apart, she besought them, for the love of Him for whose sweet name they were going to torments and death, to beg of Almighty God to reveal to them the day on which she should die. And, albeit the friars endeavored by all means to escape her importunity, saying that they were most unworthy to know the secrets of the Lord, and other words of like import, yet did she at length prevail with them to give her that promise which she craved. And so, after fervent prayer, they again came before the Queen and bade her be of good courage; for that it was the Will of God that her end should be very shortly, and before that of the King, her husband. Moreover, they gave her a sure sign; for, Know, lady, they said, that before many days we shall die by the sword for the Faith of Christ. Praised be His Divine Majesty, who has chosen us, poor men, to be in the number of His martyrs! Our bodies shall be brought into this city with great devotion by the Christians of Morocco, and you and your husband shall go to meet them. When these things shall come to pass, know that the time is come for you to leave this world and go to God.

The guest-master of Santa Cruz was a youth of four and twenty, who was already ordained. He had a marvellously beautiful countenance and was singularly engaging in manner. Naturally, he was thrown much in the society of the friars, and often conversed with them of the extraordinary history of Portiuncula and of the miracles wrought by their seraphic Father, St. Francis of Assisi. Certain it is that the five friars perished in their blood at the hands of the infidels. Their bodies were brought home in solemn state, attended by various supernatural manifestations calculated to inspire reverence and awe.

It was the Kings wish that these relics of the first Franciscan martyrs should rest in the principal church of the capital; but they were mysteriously guided or conveyed to the monastery of Santa Cruz, where they had lodged, and where His Majesty had a superb chapel erected, in which the relics were reposited.

Many marvels were witnessed at that shrine, and these deeply touched the heart and the spirit of the young guest-master. But a few months before he had held converse with these very friars, who were then joyously seeking the palm and the crown of martyrdom; now they were in paradise, and he was kneeling beside their holy dusta poor friar groping blindly after that light that should illumine him and make clear his path of life.