Thirteen Tuesdays - St Anthony

Today begins the Thirteen Tuesdays in honor of St Anthony of Padua, which ends on the Feast of St Anthony on June 13th. A novena usually entails nine days, or nine weeks. How did the novena of St Anthony get to 13? And why Tuesday?

Tuesday is because Anthony died on that day: Tuesday, June 13th, 1231.

The novena of Anthony was originally nine days, as prescribed, and is linked with a legend about a pious childless couple in Bologna about the year 1617. After 22 years of longing for a child, the story goes, the wife took her troubles to St. Anthony. He is said to have appeared to her in a dream telling her, "For nine Tuesdays, one after the other, make visits to the church of my Order; on each of those days, approach the holy sacraments of penance and of the altar, then pray before my picture, and what you ask, you shall obtain."

Because of the daily increase of the Tuesday devotions to Saint Anthony, four more Tuesdays were added to the nine Tuesdays, making it a total of thirteen. This is the day of the month on which the Saint died. Thirteen weeks from March 14th is June 13th, the Feast day.

In 1898 Pope Leo XII granted a plenary indulgence to those spending some time in devout meditation or prayers or performing some other acts of piety in honor of St. Anthony of Padua on Tuesday or Sunday of any week with the intention of doing so for 13 Tuesdays or Sundays without interruption.

And that is how this Novena went from 9 to 13.

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He is known in the secular world as the seeker of lost items, most memorably and hilariously recalled by George Carlin. Some Catholics know the saying "Tony, Tony, turn around; something's lost and can't be found." However, he is the patron saint of many other things, including faith in the Blessed Sacrament, domestic animals, barrenness/sterility, horses, shipwrecks and starvation. Known as the Hammer of the Heretics, his orations against the heresies of his time made Church VIPs stand up and listen, and made many who had fallen away return to the Holy Mother Church.

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There is something called St Anthony's Bread, which is the promise of giving alms in return for a favor asked of God through St. Anthony's intercession (the custom also takes place throughout the year when parents give alms after placing their baby under the patronage of St. Anthony). In some places, the custom has a literal parallel in that loaves of bread might be blessed and given away at church or, generally, to the poor,

There is also a recipe, which I will print here:

Italian Mini-Loaves
Yield: 16
3 cups flour, divided
2 packages active dry yeast
1 Tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 Tsp. dried pars- ley flakes
1 1/4 cups 1% milk
1/4 cup water
2 Tblsp. butter or margarine
2 Tblsp. sugar
1 Tsp. garlic salt
1 egg
3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese, divided
2 Tblsp. butter or margarine, melted

In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups of flour, yeast, Italian seasoning, and parsley flakes. In a saucepan, heat and stir the milk, water, butter, sugar, and garlic salt just until warm (120- 130 degrees) and butter almost melts. Add milk mixture to flour mixture. Add egg and beat with electric mixer on low or medium speed for 30 seconds, scraping the bowl constantly. Beat on high speed for 3 minutes.
Using a wooden spoon, stir in 1/2 cup of the parmesan cheese and as much of the remaining flour as you can.Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface. Knead in enough of the remaining flour to make a moderately soft dough that is smooth (3-5 minutes total).
[you are supposed to pray to St Anthony while kneading, according to some--*smile*]
Shape the dough into a ball. Place it in a lightly greased bowl, turning once to grease the top and bottom surfaces. Cover and let rise in a warm place until doubled in size (about 45 min).
Grease baking sheets or a 13” x 9” x 2” baking pan. Punch dough down and turn out onto a lightly floured surface. Divide dough into 16 portions, shaping each into a round mini-loaf. Place mini loaves on sheet or pan. Brush tops with 2 tablespoons butter and sprinkle with remaining parmesan cheese. Cover and let rise in a warm place (about 15 minutes).
Bake in a 375‚ oven for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

You know, I'm thinking a St Anthony get-together for the Fraternity might not be a bad idea...
~~~

Prayer to St Anthony on the first of the 13 Tuesdays:

St. Anthony, you found quiet time to retreat into private communion with God to replenish your life with new strength. Help me in the midst of my busy life to seek the Spirit's guiding presence within my heart. Amen.