The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1897-08-14
OF THE FRANCISCAN ORDER
Taught Divinity With Success in
Several Places.
DEEPLY VERSED IN THE BIBLE
His Eloquent Preaching Attracted
Great MultitudeS.

The popular devotion of which the
great wonder worker of the Francis
can Order has for centuries been the
object has of recent years been much
increased by that exercise of the theo~
logical virtues known under the name
of ''St. Antony's Bread" says the Lon
don Monitor. This is essentially q;
Franciscan devotion, both in it's spirit
and practice, as it has the suocor of
the poor and needy, who were so dear
to the heart of the Saint of Assist and
his followers, for it's special end and
aim. st. Antony, though identified with
the Italian city of Padua, was not an
italian, but Portuguese, having been
born at Lisbon in 1876. He was bap-
tized Ferdinand, but took the name of
Antony when he received the Francis
can habit, out of devotion to the IA
nous hermit who was the patron saint
of the little chapel in which his re-
ception took place. His father was
Martin de Bullones, an officer in the
army of Alphonsus l., and his mother
Mary of Tevesa, both distinguished
as much by their virtues as by their
nobility. He was first placed under
the care of the Canons of the Cathed-
raj of Lisbon, according to the pious
custom of christian parents in the
middle ages, who were wont to send
their sons to a religious house, Or to
give them clergy for their tutors. The
close connection between religion and
education was then universally recog-
nized. AT fifteen he Joined the Angus
tinan Canons Regular at Lisbon, and
two years afterwards was at his own
request sent to their convent at Coim-
bra, where he had spent eight years
when Don Pedro Of Portugal brought
from Morocco the relics of the five
Franciscans who had been lately mar
tyred there. 1t was said by Tertul-
lian of the early martyrs that the blood
-of martyrs was the seed of confessors
and the saying received on this occas-
ion very remarkable verifcation. Fer
dinand was so moved that shortly after
when some Franciscan friars come beg
ging to the monastry he told them he
had a strong desire to join their order
and they encouraged him to do so. The
Canons at first tried to dissuade him
but the prior gave his consent, and he
received the ashen gray habit of the
Frairs Minor in 1921. Thirsting for
martyrdom, he got his obedience to go
to Africa to preach the gospel to the
Moors, but hardly arrived there when
he was stricken down with an illness
which compelled him to return to Por.
tugal for the restoration Of his health.
But the vessel in which he sailed was
by contrary winds driven to Sicily and
touched at Messina, where he was told
st. Francis was holding general Chap.
ter of the Order at Assist. In order
to be near the founder, he offered him
self to the Provincials Of Italy st
Francis approved of his spirit of sacri-
fee in renouncing his friends and coun-
try to labor among and for strangers
but none of the Minister'S Provincial OF
Italy would accept him, he looked such
sickly and unpromising subject At
last the Father Guardian of convent
in the Province of Romagne, named
Fra Gratiani, took him and sent him
to the hermitage of Monte Paolo, a
small convent near Bologna Soon
after an assembly Of the neigh.
boring DOminicans and Francis
cans was held at Forli at
which the former were pressed to
deliver an exhortation to those present
but excused themselves, each one plead.
ing his unpreparedness. Then An.
tony's guardian ordered him to speak
and to say whatever the Holy Spirit
should prompt him to say. The saint
first modestly protested that he was
only accustomed to wash the dishes in
the kitchen and sweep the convent;
but the superior insisting, he spoke with
such eloquence, erudition, and JUNCTION
as to astonish the whole assemblage.
He was then about 26. When apprised
of the discovery of this hidden treas.
ure in his order, st. Francis sent Kim
to Vercelli to study theology and teach
but In such a way as mot to extinguish
in himself or them the spirit Of holy
prayer" by too great earnestness in
studies" He taught divinity with
great success at Bologna, Toulouse
Montpelier, and Padau, and was ap-
pointed Guardian at Limoges. He If
terwards devoted himself wholly to
missionary work. going about preaching
from place to place, the crowds at times
who flocked to hear him being so great
that no church could be found large
enough to contain them. He brough,
to bear in illustrating his subject, but