The relics St Anthony of Padua, one of the Church’s most popular saints, are to visit six venues in Ireland this October.
Confirming the good news, Padua-based Franciscan Conventual friar, Fr
Mario Conte, announced on Tuesday that the relic tour would take in
Dublin, Wexford, Cork, Limerick, Galway and Belfast in Ireland between
17 and 24 October.
Fr Conte, who is editor of the popular magazine, The Messenger of St Anthony,
which has a circulation of over 10,000 in Ireland, will accompany the
two relics – a small piece of petrified flesh and layers of cheek skin
of the Saint on their journey around Ireland and the UK.
A number of Irish bishops have already signalled that they will participate in hosting ceremonies relating to the relics.
Their arrival in Dublin on 17 October at the parish of the Franciscan
Conventual friars in Fairview in Dublin, will see the papal nuncio,
Archbishop Charles Brown and the Archbishop Diarmuid Martin of Dublin
lead a ceremony of welcome and Mass.
Elsewhere, Bishops Denis Brennan, John Buckley, Brendan Leahy and
Martin Drennan have confirmed that they will participate in ceremonies
in their dioceses.
Though he died as long ago as 1231, St Anthony’s popularity has
rarely waned over the centuries. He is widely revered as the Saint who
helps people find lost things or people.
This relic tour is taking place to mark the 750th anniversary of the
discovery of St Anthony’s incorrupt tongue by St Bonaventure.
Speaking from Italy, Fr Conte OFM conv, told CatholicIreland.net that
the visit of the relics “is like the visit of a friend who has come to
see people whom he holds dear, whom he has not forgotten.”
He added, “There is nothing superstitious about relics. The real
meaning of a relic is love – they are a link of love between the person
who venerates and the saint.”
Referring to Pope Emeritus, Benedict XVI’s address at World Youth Day
in Cologne in 2005, he said that by inviting us to venerate the mortal
remains of the Saints, the Church does not forget that, in the end,
these are just human remains, but they are remains that belonged to
individuals touched by the living power of God.
The Italian friar described St Anthony as “a messenger of hope” who
reminds us all that “God really cares for us and is closer to us than we
think.”
This is not the first time the relics of St Anthony have visited Ireland; the last time they visited was in 2003.
The Franciscan Conventual friars have two friaries in Ireland, one in
Fairview in Dublin and one in Wexford. The first members of the order
came to Ireland in 1230 and settled in Wexford.
Irish members recently celebrated the final profession of Friar Rory
Doyle from Wexford, the first Conventual Franciscan to profess vows in
Wexford Town in over 527 years.
For more information: http://www.saintanthonyofpadua.net/upload/allegati/CALEND_UK_IRL_GA_2013.pdf