St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria - July 5th
Anthony was born in Italy. While he was still young, his father died, but his good mother raised his carefully. She encouraged him in the special love he felt for the sufferings of poor people, and sent him to the University of Padua to become a doctor. Anthony was only twenty-two when he graduated.
The young doctor was very successful, yet he did not feel satisfied with his work. He wanted to become a priest. He began to study theology while still continuing to care for the sick, to comfort and inspire the dying. He used all his spare moments to read and meditate on the Epistles of St. Paul. He had read the life of the great Apostle many time, and had given much thought to his virtues. Now he was burning with a strong desire to become a saint and to save souls.
So, after he was ordained a priest, St. Anthony Mary moved to the great city of Milan, to be able to help many more people. He also founded a Congregation of priests under the protection of St. Paul. In imitation of the Apostle, he and his priests preached everywhere, in churches or streets. They repeated the words and sentences of the Letters of St. Paul, explaining them with easy words, and their sermons were very successful.
Later, St. Anthony directed the founding of a Congregation for women devoted to saving girls from lives of sin. The Saint had a great love for Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament, and it was he who began the holy practice of the Forty Hours Devotion.
St. Anthony Mary Zaccaria used to say, “I have never asked St. Paul for a grace without having received it.” In imitation of him, let us ask St. Paul for the grace we need the most.