Tuesday, 13th June, St. Anthony of Padua, (1195-1231), priest and doctor of the Church. St. Anthony was born in 1195 (13 years after St. Francis of Assisi) in Lisbon, which is now known as Portugal. Given the baptismal name of Fernando, his parents, Martin and Mary Bulhom, belonged to one of the most prominent families of the city. At the age of 15 he entered the religious order of St. Augustine. After two years, at his request he was sent to Coimbra. There he began nine years of intense study learning the Augustinian theology that he would later combine with Franciscan vision. Fernando was most likely ordained a priest during this time. The life of the young priest took a crucial turn when the bodies of the first five Franciscan martyrs were returned from Morocco. He transferred from the Augustinian order to the Franciscans as a result of this. As time passed, it came to light that he was a great preacher and had a wonderful knowledge of scripture and it led to him travelling around Northern Italy and Southern France preaching the Gospel. Anthony’s superior, St. Francis, continued to hear glowing reports of Anthony’s sermons, knowledge of scripture and devotion to Mary. In 1224 he wrote to Anthony asking him to teach his brother Franciscans. Anthony became the first teacher of the Franciscan Order to be given special approval and the blessings of St. Francis. He died on June 13th, 1231 at the age of 36 and was canonised the year after his death.
Wednesday, 14th June, St Davnet, lived and died at Tydavnet at Sliabh Beagh, Co. Monaghan. Tradition speaks of St. Davnet as a founder of a church or monastery. A bachall (staff) said to have been hers has been preserved and in the past it was used as a test of truth.
Friday, 16th June, The Most Sacred Heart of Jesus (World Day of Prayer for Priests). “Understood in the light of the scriptures, the term ‘Sacred Heart of Jesus’ denotes the entire mystery of Christ: Son of God, uncreated wisdom, infinite charity, principle of the salvation and sanctification of humankind” (Directory on Popular Piety and Liturgy, 166)
Saturday, 17th June, The Immaculate Heart of the Blessed Virgin Mary. “The Church celebrates the liturgical memorial of the Immaculate Heart of Mary the day after the Solemnity of the Sacred Heart of Jesus. The contiguity of both celebrations is in itself a liturgical sign of their close connection: the ‘mysterium’ of the Heart of Jesus is projected onto and reverberates in the Heart of his Mother, who is also one of his followers and a disciple.” (Directory on Popular Piety and Liturgy, 174)