St. Anthony of Padua

Summary

Catholic Saints Podcast – St. Anthony of Padua

Augustine Institute | Released: June 13, 2026
Host: Taylor Kemp
Guest: Dr. Ariel Harms (Director, Pastoral Theology, Augustine Institute)

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Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the life and legacy of St. Anthony of Padua, one of the most beloved saints in Catholic tradition. Host Taylor Kemp and guest Dr. Ariel Harms explore his spiritual journey from Lisbon to Padua, his rapid rise in the Franciscan order, his famed preaching, his designation as "Evangelical Doctor," and why he's invoked as the patron saint of lost things. The discussion provides historical context, spiritual insights, and practical takeaways for contemporary listeners.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

St. Anthony’s Early Life and Formation

• Birth and Background (02:23)
  • Born Fernando to a noble Catholic family in Lisbon, Portugal, 1195 (02:23).
  • Educated at Lisbon's cathedral school; showed early brilliance and interest in scripture.
  • “His family was Catholic. They did not, like many saints that we may hear about, they didn't oppose his vocation in any way or anything that we know of.” – Dr. Harms (03:03)
• Religious Calling
  • Entered the Augustinian order at age 15; recognized for exceptional memory and scriptural knowledge (03:03).
  • Inspired by the relics of Franciscan martyrs, he sought a deeper vocation and joined the Franciscans around age 25, taking the name Anthony (04:10–04:28).

His Ministry and Gifts

• A Hidden Start in the Franciscan Order (05:33)
  • Initially assigned low-profile tasks; gifts went largely unnoticed.
  • A pivotal moment occurred when Anthony was unexpectedly asked to preach at an ordination and delivered a powerful homily that revealed his talents (05:33–06:40).
  • “He delivered this homily that was so eloquent, so inspiring, full of fervor… Everyone immediately recognized his talent.” – Dr. Harms (06:02)
• Distinguished Preaching and Leadership
  • Immediately commissioned as a preacher, he attracted crowds and inspired many to repentance and renewed faith (06:42–07:10).
  • Appointed by St. Francis in 1224 to instruct Franciscan friars in theology (08:02).
  • Became provincial superior of northern Italy in 1226, moved to Padua, and later died there at age 36 (08:19–08:37).
  • “That's pretty important there, I think, right? That appointment by St. Francis.” – Dr. Harms (08:02)

Writings & Teachings

• Surviving Works
  • Two main volumes: one of Sunday sermons, one for feast days (09:22–09:34).
• Spiritual Emphasis: Prayer & Silence
  • Highlighted by Pope Benedict XVI:
    “Anthony reminds us that prayer requires an atmosphere of silence, which does not mean distance from external noise, but rather is an interior experience that aims to remove the distractions caused by a soul's anxieties, thereby creating silence in the soul itself.” – Dr. Harms quoting Pope Benedict XVI (09:39–10:20)
• Recognition as a Doctor of the Church
  • Given the title "Evangelical Doctor" in reference to his role as a preacher and evangelizer (11:06–11:33).

The Patron Saint of Lost Things

• Origin of the Tradition
  • A prized book of psalms with Anthony’s handwritten notes was stolen by a departing novice; after Anthony prayed for its return, the book and novice came back (12:06–12:56).
  • “Let us distill out of that. Not only is St. Anthony great for returning lost things, but lost souls perhaps as well.” – Taylor Kemp (12:56)

Legacy and Relevance for Today

• Much More Than Finding Lost Items
  • Celebrated for passion in preaching, zeal for souls, and diligent preparation (13:21).
  • “You don't go out and preach like that or spend the time preparing to preach like that unless you actually have a desire to bring souls to Jesus Christ.” – Dr. Harms (13:21)
• Advice for Modern Listeners
  • Be prepared for evangelization, even if you don’t know how God will use you.
  • Dr. Harms encourages listeners to be familiar with Christ’s life and mindful of God’s work in their own lives, drawing from Anthony’s own unexpected mission as a preacher (14:28–15:19).

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Conversion and Providence:
  “It's such a beautiful thing when those moments happen and you can look back and say, oh, my goodness, like, the Lord had been working in this, and it… flowered at this exact moment.” – Taylor Kemp (13:44)
• On Anthony’s Rapid Canonization:
  “He was actually canonized less than a year after his death. ... People near him saw him as a saint and the church did, too.” – Dr. Harms (15:47–15:56)
• The Ongoing Question: Portuguese or Italian?
  “I think both can claim him.” – Dr. Harms (16:11) “The debate continues. It is not to be resolved here.” – Taylor Kemp (16:24)

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• St. Anthony’s Early Life: 02:23–04:27
• Joining the Franciscans and Name Change: 04:10–04:28
• Discovery as a Preacher: 05:33–06:40
• Entrusted by St. Francis; Leadership Roles: 08:02–08:19
• His Death at Age 36: 08:26–08:37
• Anthony’s Writings & Teachings: 09:22–11:33
• Why He’s Patron of Lost Things: 12:06–12:56
• Contemporary Relevance & Advice: 14:28–15:19
• Canonization & National Claim: 15:47–16:24

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Takeaways for Listeners

• Preparedness for Mission: Like St. Anthony, cultivate spiritual and intellectual readiness—even if you don’t know how the Lord will use you.
• Interior Silence: True prayer starts with nurturing inner silence amid life's distractions.
• Relating to St. Anthony: His story embodies both the reclamation of lost things and lost souls.
• Evangelization in Everyday Life: Know your faith, reflect on how God is present and active in your life, and share that with others.

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This lively, accessible episode is ideal for anyone curious about St. Anthony’s story, spirituality, and continued relevance for Catholics today. The interplay between host and guest keeps the narrative engaging, and Dr. Harms' expertise ensures depth and clarity throughout.

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For further exploration, the Augustine Institute recommends the movie on St. Anthony on formed.org.

Transcript

[A]

You're listening to a podcast on Catholic Saints. This podcast is produced by the Augustine Institute, an apostolate helping Catholics understand, live and share their faith. Hello, everyone, and welcome to Catholic Saints. My name is Taylor Kemp, your host. I am our vice president of content at the Augusta Institute. And with me today is Dr. Ariel Harms. Dr. Harms, welcome. Thank you very much, everyone listening out there. This is Dr. Harms first Catholic Saints episode, but it will certainly not be her last. Do you have any preconceived notions of how these episodes are going to go, Dr. Harms?

[B]

I don't, actually. I imagine we'll talk a little bit about the saint and why they're important.

[A]

What a curveball it would be if we had a Catholic Saints podcast and did not. So we will. You are correct, Dr. Harms. For the people out there who are not familiar with you, just a quick what do you, what do you teach at the Augusta Institute?

[B]

So I teach pastoral theology. I'm the director of our pastoral theology program, the Master of Arts in Pastoral Theology.

[A]

So for all of those that are listening out there, who is like the ideal candidate for, who might be interested in our pastoral theology program?

[B]

Yeah, Many of our students either are working in a ministry, especially at parishes or at the diocesan level. Maybe they're volunteers or maybe they're paid employees. But most of them are either working in that position or aspiring to work in that position. They decide they need a little bit more formation for what they are doing.

[A]

So if you are working in the church out there and you are looking for formation, this is your sign to check out the Augustine Institute. You can just Google us. We have on campus and distance ed learning. And the distance ed learning can be kind of full tilt full time or it can be spread out over, over many, many years to accommodate work life situations. So that is great. Today, everyone, we are talking about St Anthony of Padua, who I would say is a very popular saint. So I'm excited to learn more about him. Dr. Harms, for St. Anthony of Padua, where should we begin? Well, perhaps first, do you know what his feast day is?

[B]

Yeah, his feast day is June 13th.

[A]

Okay, June 13th. Mark your calendars. And then first, St. Anthony. Where should we begin?

[B]

Why don't we begin with his birth? He was born. He's actually Portuguese, so he was. Well, Padua's a city in Italy. He's Portuguese, so he was born to a Noble family in 1195 in Lisbon, Portugal. His birthday is August 15th. And the name that his parents gave him at his baptism was Fernando Actually, not much is really known about his family, except that it was a more aristocratic family. And he was eventually educated at the cathedral school in Lisbon.

[A]

So his family was Catholic?

[B]

His family was Catholic. They did not, like many saints that we may hear about, they didn't oppose his vocation in any way or anything that we know of. At age 15, he joined an Augustinian order. And there he devoted himself to prayer and study. And he had the gift of an exceptionally retentive memory, so that he acquired what was really an extraordinary knowledge of the Bible. So he had, you know, this education. And then when he was maybe 25, he encountered the relics of some recently martyred Franciscans. The Franciscan order was pretty new at that time, maybe 10 years old, the Franciscan order was. And the encounter with those relics actually made him want to give his life for Christ the way the martyrs did. And he didn't see that as a possibility as an Augustinian.

[A]

Interesting.

[B]

So he ended up wanting to leave the Augustinians and join the Franciscans, who were, like I said, very new at the time. And when he was. He was admitted to the Franciscan order in 1221. And it was at that time that he came to be known as Anthony.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

So up until that point, he was still Fernando.

[A]

Okay. Wow. I mean, it's pretty. You know, you hear about in the. In the lives of the saints, the kind of multiple moments of conversion in the threefold conversion of the spiritual life. But you can kind of see that here that he. He clearly is a man who at a young age, gave himself to God to join the Augustinians. But then he even sought, like, a, you know, a deeper gift and joined the upstart Franciscans, which is always funny for me to hear, because they're now one of the most ancient orders. But to imagine that they're like this brand new. I always, you know, we love St. Thomas Aquinas here, and that he also joined this kind of upstart Dominican order at the time. So it. But it's. It's really amazing. It's. It's such a. I always feel like it's hopeful because you said this happened when he was 25.

[B]

Yeah. He had already been with the augustinians for almost 10 years at that point.

[A]

So, I mean, it is possible at a young age to give your life full and entire to the Lord. Okay. So he joins the Franciscans, he takes on the name Anthony, and then what do we know?

[B]

So his life at the beginning of his time with the Franciscans was kind of hidden. He was put in kind of low level positions, not really recognized for anything. But there was one time he was asked to fill in when there was some kind. There was an oversight and there was nobody to preach at an ordination ceremony. And so he was tapped and Anthony reluctantly obeyed. He didn't want to do it, but. And I don't know that anyone really thought he would do that great of a job either. Right. But he delivered this homily that was so eloquent, so inspiring, full of fervor, and showed, you know, that study that he'd done with the Bible during his years as an Augustinian. And everyone immediately recognized his talent. He was then almost immediately commissioned as a preacher. And from then on, that was his ministry, primarily preaching.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And through his zeal and the power of persuasion that he had, in addition to the attraction of his personal holiness and whatever charismatic gifts he had, crowds of people actually came to him to hear him preach and were converted. There's talk of people coming back to the church, great sinners going to confession. It really sounds like he was amazing to hear.

[A]

Yeah. Had a great power. And remind me again, where is he at this point? He is still in Portugal or is he?

[B]

No, he's in Italy at the time.

[A]

He's in Italy, Okay.

[B]

Yes, he's in Italy.

[A]

And this is why I know I've been to Lisbon and went to his church, but the Portuguese and the Italians fight over who gets St. Anthony. But because he was born in Portugal, but then spent, I think, most of the rest of his life in Italy. Okay, so he's in Italy. He is kind of being uncovered as this really gifted preacher. He has this deep knowledge of scripture that I'm sure is informing his preaching to an eminent degree. And then where do we go from there?

[B]

Yeah. So in 1224, St. Francis himself entrusted Anthony with the theological formation of the friars.

[A]

Wow. Okay.

[B]

Yeah, that's pretty important there, I think, right? That appointment by St. Francis. And then in 1226, Anthony was appointed the provincial superior over the Franciscans in northern Italy.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

And it's at that point that he went to Padua and stayed.

[A]

Got it.

[B]

So. And actually he wasn't there that long. He. Five years later, he actually died there in 1231 at the age of 36.

[A]

Okay. So he is entrusted with the formation of the Friars. What, early 30s?

[B]

Yeah, he would have been like, yeah, 29, man.

[A]

Okay. And then he becomes the provincial a couple years later.

[B]

A couple years later.

[A]

And then you said he died at

[B]

how old he was 36.

[A]

Wow. I didn't Realize he died. I mean, that's especially back then. Like, that's not young. Young, but it's youngish.

[B]

Yes, it's pretty young.

[A]

That is. Wow. Okay, so he, you know, we know he was a great preacher, but especially, you know, it seems that this great memory that you noted, this great knowledge of Scripture, this great capacity to learn, is now then flowing out in his teaching. He's a great formator. Do we have much that we know of what he taught or how he taught?

[B]

Yeah, so there's a couple books of his sermons that we have actually. We've got a book of Sunday sermons and a book of sermons for feast days.

[A]

Okay. Is there anything in particular of his teaching within those sermons that sticks out?

[B]

So a few years ago, Pope Benedict XVI actually gave a homily on Anthony, and he focused in on the prayer that Anthony talked about, St. Anthony talked about, where he actually said, Anthony reminds us that prayer requires an atmosphere of silence, which does not mean distance from external noise, but rather is an interior experience that aims to remove the distractions caused by a soul's anxieties, thereby creating silence in the soul itself.

[A]

That is beautiful. I don't know if you. Did you ever read the Power of Silence by Cardinal Seurat, by any chance? It's a good one. But if anyone out there, I mean, gosh, you know, silence obviously dates as far back as the Bible, Old Testament, and then certainly Christ, always retreating into the desert to pray, carries with it this element of solitude and silence. But if anyone out there is looking for a good book that really, repeatedly, for like 350 pages, tells you about the Valley of Silence. The Power of Silence by Cardinal Robert Seurat is a great one. But that is really beautiful. Especially, you know, if he was provincial. I'm sure he was a busy man even within a monastery. But to kind of cultivate an interior silence. Anthony's a doctor of the church, if I'm not mistaken.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Is that right?

[B]

He's got the title Evangelical Doctor.

[A]

Do you know what is the difference between an evangelical doctor of the Church and a doctor of the Church?

[B]

So when someone's proclaimed a doctor of the Church, that's just like kind of what their teaching is about. I mean, Dr. Comes from the word for teaching, Right. So being the evangelical doctor, where Aquinas is like the angelic doctor, Right.

[A]

Yes, I understand.

[B]

He just is pointing to the fact that he was a great evangelizer, in some ways a good model for us with the new evangelization because he was preaching to a largely Catholic population.

[A]

That's cool. Okay. And then let's address what probably most Catholics out there know St. Anthony for, which is finding things. What can we say about this? Or do we know why he became this kind of patron saint of lost things?

[B]

So I've got a couple thoughts on that. I found a story that is told that he had a book of psalms that was very important to him. Books were very important to people at that time because they were all copied by hand. Right. And in addition. So you don't have a lot of books because they all have to be written out. And then, in addition, this one happened to have his notes on the psalms in it for his preaching, which. So that was very important to him too. And I guess this book disappeared with a novice who left the order. Yep. He stole it. Okay. And St. Anthony prayed for it to come back. And not only did the book come back, but the novice came back and rejoined the Franciscan order, too. Wow. So.

[A]

So let us. Let us distill out of that. Not only is St. Anthony great for returning lost things, but lost souls perhaps as well. Okay. Is there anything else that he is known for, of being patron saint of. Or, you know, I guess behind the question is, you know, particularly what. What do we remember about St. Anthony and his. His witness of holiness that has made him a saint today?

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I think it's his preaching. Right. His zeal for souls, because you don't go out and preach like that or spend the time preparing to preach like that unless you actually have a desire to bring souls to Jesus Christ. Right. So he had the preparation for the preaching, and then when it was. When he was commissioned to do it, he did it well.

[A]

Yeah, he had been. He was being prepared for that long before he ever had to do. I've always loved. You know, there's a line of Catholic teaching in which, like, the Lord is obviously always preparing us for whatever. Whatever his. His providence has in line for our life. But it's. So. It's such a beautiful thing when those moments happen and you can look back and say, oh, my goodness, like, the Lord had been working in this, and it. It kind of flowered at this exact moment. And you can see that in his life, which is quite beautiful. From St. Anthony, what would your advice be for listeners out there of what. What are some things that we could take from. Kind of the heritage of. Of St. Anthony's life and teaching that we can incorporate into our lives today?

[B]

Yeah, I. I mean, I think being prepared to do the work of evangelization is probably a good. He didn't know that he was going to be when he started his study of Scripture and when he started his life of prayer, he didn't know that he was going to be called to be a preacher. Right. He had entered the Augustinians. They weren't preachers. But he was prepared anyway when the time came to present the gospel in the way that he was called to do it.

[A]

Would you have any recommendations about ways people can be prepared?

[B]

I think being familiar with the life of Christ and knowing how God works in our own lives. Right. Being able to say, this is how I see God working in my life, because that's a very powerful thing for the work of evangelization.

[A]

Yeah, it's true. And especially in the Old Testament, you can see, and of course in the New. But they're always recalling what God had done in order to remember, strengthen their faith for what he will do in the future. But we can do that on a very personal level, too. What has the Lord done for me? Well, Dr. Harms, we are close to the end of our time here. Is there anything else you want to leave listeners with anything else about St. Anthony before we close?

[B]

I found it interesting. I don't know how this fit in earlier, but he was actually canonized less than a year after his death. Wow.

[A]

That's incredibly rare.

[B]

Yeah. People near him saw him as a saint and the church did, too.

[A]

Yeah. That's beautiful. Now, if you had to say, is he Portuguese or is he Italian? Is he a Portuguese saint or an Italian saint?

[B]

I think both can claim him.

[A]

Right. Okay.

[B]

I mean, he was born Portuguese. He had the formation from his parents and the Augustinians in Portugal. All right.

[A]

The. The debate continues. It is not to be resolved here. Well, Dr. Harms, thank you so much. And especially for those of you out there listening, there's a here at the Augusta Institute, we have an online video and audio platform called formed. You can find it by going to watch.formed.org but there's a great movie on, on St. Anthony if you, if you want to see kind of a cinematic telling of parts of his life. Obviously not the whole thing, but you can check that out. So Dr. Harms, thank you so much for joining us.

[B]

Thank you for having me.

[A]

It was great to have your first Catholic Saint episode and we will have more to come, not least of all. Our next with you will be St. Aloysius Gonzaga. So everyone out there, thank you for listening and for joining us on Catholic Saints. We will see you next time.