My mother passed away early in the month of November, and I would like to tell you a little about a woman who was deeply devoted to St. Anthony just as you are. My Mom was a caring wife and mother of 6 boys and was deeply devoted to praying the Rosary and her personal relationship with her friend St. Anthony.
At 95 years old, she was still very active and lived alone, still baking and speaking to her sons and family and friends located all around the country.
She was a member of St. Anthony’s Guild and prayed for all of us in her many daily prayers and Rosaries. She felt a real part of our St. Anthony’s Guild Family, and among the many things we found among her possessions was her St. Anthony’s Guild Membership Card. She always used to say, “I never leave home without it!”
I wanted to share the story of my Mom’s passing from life to life because of the importance of St. Anthony’s Guild in her life of prayer, devotion, and her way of helping the poor that the Franciscan Friars serve every day.
Over 700 Franciscan Friars joined in praying for my Mom as a member of the Guild Family. You can be a part of this same extraordinary St. Anthony’s Guild Family, all joined together in prayer to St. Anthony for each other and our various needs and prayer requests.
• The Franciscan Friars are praying DAILY for you and your intentions.
• You and your intentions will be remembered at DAILY Mass with the Friars.
• Membership in St. Anthony’s Guild means it’s not just you, it’s all of us together – Friars and thousands of other Guild Family members.
• We all have struggles in our lives in one way or another, but in our Guild Family, always know that we are St. Anthony’s Guild, and we are with you in life together.
Thank you for being a part of St. Anthony’s Guild Family as we honor our dear friend, St. Anthony of Padua, the Great Wonder-Worker!
Together, let us pray for and work to:
• care for our elderly Friars who have served so many for so long.
• educate our young men for ministry in our Church.
• care for the poor and desperate children, women, and men who need our help.
Standing together also means being concerned for each other – for those we know and love and for those we don’t know, and even for those we have never met but who need our help.
As St. Anthony’s Guild, we cannot solve all the problems of the world, but we certainly can make a difference in many lives. I know my Mom did!
This year, our St. Anthony’s Guild Family is celebrating our 100th Anniversary of Devotion to St. Anthony under the leadership of the Franciscan Friars! 100 years of Love at Work!!
We have many wonderful events planned throughout the year with special Masses and
Novenas as you join the Friars in celebrating the great St. Anthony of Padua. We believe this year will be a special time of grace and favor from St. Anthony and Our Lord.
One of the special items we will be offering to everyone is a beautifully produced 100th Anniversary Commemorative Book about St. Anthony’s Guild! This beautiful book will chronicle 100 Years of prayers, devotions and masses that have made St. Anthony’s Guild a powerful prayer community. It will contain not just our history, but also a treasury of special St. Anthony Prayers, as well as a section dedicated to our beloved deceased family and friends. You will read stories about how St. Anthony changed lives and hearts, and how your gifts to St. Anthony’s Guild helps the poor, educates our young Friars for ministry, and helps care for our elderly Friars who have serve so many for so long.
Included with this letter is a flier about the 100th Anniversary book. You may want to begin to consider how best to celebrate our 100th Anniversary with your prayers and financial support.
For our 100th Anniversary, I would like to raise $500,000 for the needs of the Franciscan Friars and our work among the poor.
Please help us reach our goal with your special gift during our Anniversary Year!
This special year of grace is our opportunity to thank St. Anthony for all the favors he has granted, and to help the poor he loved so much. Please help us reach our goal in honor of St. Anthony, and let us together continue to bring our devotion to this great Saint into the next 100 years!
Join us in this wonderful community of followers of Christ and friends of that wonderful miracle-worker we know and love – St. Anthony of Padua!
We need you and each other to accomplish all the prayers and great work we can do – not alone, but together.
Executive Director,
St. Anthony's Guild
