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We extend a special welcome to everyone visiting the Shrine for the first time.
Telephone: 617-542-6440
Prayer Request Line: 617-553-4100
The Good Word: 617-542-0502
Text-to-Give text “DONATE” to: 617-712-2233
Tenth Sunday in Ordinary Time
June 10, 2018
Many of the nice Spring celebrations of the Catholic Church (Lent, Easter, Pentecost, Trinity Sunday, and
Corpus Christi) are now behind us. During this long stretch of Ordinary Time that carries us until the First
Sunday of Advent (December 2), it’s particularly important to work to keep the spiritual fire burning in our
heart. The second reading this Sunday is from St. Paul, the strong and spiritual leader of the early church.
Pay attention to his enthusiasm for the mission. No one is more effective in advocating on behalf of the
followers of Jesus.
The Shrine’s social media channels continue to increase in activity. For example, the Shrine now has over
19,000 followers on its Facebook page. This week we launched a new website for the Shrine. Please visit
it at stanthonyshrine.org and let us know how you like it.
We extend a thank you to the Shrine’s LGBTQ community for helping to staff the Catholic booth at the
Boston Pride Festival this weekend. The beloved Fr. Joe Quinn has been the heart and soul of the Shrine’s
group for a long time. We are so grateful that the LGBTQ community feels welcome here. May God
bless you all.
Mayor Marty Walsh is hosting The United States Conference of Mayors at their annual meeting at
Marriott Copley Place this weekend. We welcome the 244 U.S. Mayors and their respective staffs who are
attending this conference. We are happy to have you with us.
Like many other religious communities throughout the United States, the Franciscans are facing a
reduction in membership. During the 1960s and 1970s, the number of Friars Minor in the United
States peaked at 3,252, but today the total is fewer than 1,000 friars.
Although Franciscan leaders have been working on this since 2012, the reconfiguration will not
happen immediately. The process is continuing as issues of canon and civil law are
resolved. Franciscan leaders expect that the new province will be officially formed in late 2022 or
early 2023.
How will this effect St. Anthony Shrine? In short, we are committed to our ministry in Boston for
the long term. A new, national province may bring friars here from other parts of the country to
minister at St. Anthony’s. As Franciscan life in the United States is renewed our Franciscan life
and ministry will be renewed here as well. Please continue to keep all the friars and our
leadership in your prayers!
A Personal Reflection
Brother John Maganzini, OFM
Growing up in the Boston area and belonging to a very small Italian parish
named Saint Anthony of Padua, allowed me at a very young age to develop a
devotion to this Saint. I can remember the special Novenas in honor of Saint
Anthony and the small pieces of bread that resembled “mini-bread sticks” being
blessed and given out on Tuesdays. The Church had special lilies for his feast
day and the pious people of the parish would fill the Church with more lilies which
became so symbolic of this saint. As children, we were taught a hymn in honor
of Saint Anthony that we sang every week.
Our prayers were simple. We could see Saint Anthony holding the Christ Child
and we were told, “whisper your needs to Saint Anthony and tell him to whisper
them to Jesus.”...lots of whispering that continued into adulthood.
As I grew up, I came to know Saint Anthony Shrine & Ministry Center and visited
the shrine every time I would come into Boston. I was always struck by the
numbers of people at Masses, Confession, and just spending time visiting and
praying, especially in front of the very large statue of Saint Anthony. He came to
be known by so many as the “Wonder Worker of Miracles.”
I always enjoyed listening to the many stories of Anthony’s life but the one that
always stayed with me was when Anthony was only twenty-seven, a number of
Dominicans and Franciscans were ordained. The person chosen to give the
homily did not show, so Anthony was asked to say a few simple words. I recall
reading, “...he began to speak slowly and as he began to speak his words,
captured their imagination and their hearts caught fire...” When he finished the
friars realized they were in the presence of a brilliant and powerful
preacher. Saint Anthony was truly one of “God’s surprises” for Saint Francis of
Assisi!
Nearly everywhere Saint Anthony is asked to intercede with God for the return of
things lost or stolen, “Tony, Tony, turn around. Something’s lost and must be
found.” We learned that Anthony had a book of psalms that he loved and a
novice, about to leave the Order, took the psalm book. Anthony prayed it would
be returned. The novice not only returned the book, but returned to the Order!
Other devotions to Saint Anthony give him the titles; Patron of Sailors, Travelers,
and Fishermen and Teacher, Preacher, and Doctor of Scripture.
As we look to the life of Saint Anthony of Padua, we see a model for living a good
Christian life. As we celebrate this great Saint and his special feast, we pray that
Saint Anthony work “little miracles” in each of us that touch our hearts and
transform us that we, too, might “carry Christ to the world...that we ask for the
BREAD we need...that we may be BREAD for others that, they, too, might know
God and God’s great LOVE.
We are delighted to share our plans with you for this year’s Franciscan Dinner at the
Westin Boston Waterfront Hotel. On Thursday, October 25, we will present the
distinguished Pope Francis Award to The Honorable Regina L. Quinlan-Doherty (ret.).
Regina, a native of Brighton, was in the religious community of The Congregation of the
Sisters of St. Joseph of Boston until 1969. She was admitted to the Massachusetts Bar in
1973. Regina is widely known for her legal acumen, first-class temperament and backbone.
Governor William Weld appointed her to Superior Court in 1992, serving that court for 20
years.
This year’s gala will showcase women and their role in our Franciscan ministries. We could not be more proud to
recognize this esteemed woman. Regina built a career addressing social justice issues as an attorney, in her
charitable causes, and as a Superior Court Judge in Suffolk County, Massachusetts.
Regina’s life work mirrors the charism of St. Francis of Assisi. Social justice issues are at the core
of her philanthropic work.
Please join us in congratulating The Honorable Regina L. Quinlan-Doherty (ret.) as our 2018 Pope
Francis Award recipient.