St. Antonino

St. Antonino - May 10th

Antonino means “little Anthony,” and this Italian saint was given the nickname because he was a small fellow. Yet even as a lad, he showed that he had a lot of good sense and will power. When he was fifteen, he asked to join a Dominican monastery, but the Superior thought he was too young and small. “I’ll accept you,” he said, “when you know Gratian’s Decree by heart.” This book was several hundred pages long! Antonino accepted the challenge, and one year later, he came back. It would be hard to describe the good Superior’s amazement when he found that Antonino had memorized the whole decree! Needless to say, he was accepted at once.

The new religious, though just sixteen, continued to surprise everyone by the prefect way in which he lived the life in his Order. As he grew older, he was given one important position after another. Finally, Antonino was made the Archbishop of Florence.

“The father of the poor” was the name given this Saint. He never refused to help anyone. When he had no more money, he would give his clothes, his shoes, his furniture or-his one mule. Many times this mule was sold to help someone, then bought back for him by wealthy citizens, only to be sold once again to help someone else!

Often St. Antonino would say, “A successor of the apostles should not own anything except the wealth of virtue.”

We may not have much money to give, but we can always give good example, a good word, and a helping hand. All this and more comes under the practice of charity.