Since the earliest days of Graymoor, the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement have called St. Anthony of Padua their “big brother.”

Leading into June 13, St. Anthony’s Feast Day, the Friars’ faithfulness in St. Anthony garnered national attention.

Minister General Father Brian Terry, SA, was interviewed by Catholic News Agency on June 10, discussing why the Society of the Atonement holds St. Anthony in such high regard. Three days later, on the Feast of St. Anthony, Father Dan Callahan, SA, was interviewed by major Catholic television news station EWTN, speaking about St. Anthony’s life.

Father Brian told the story of why the Friars pray the longest continuous novena to St. Anthony. 

“He is a big brother to us, and we pray to him for intercession,” Father Brian told Catholic News Agency.

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Father Dan was then interviewed by Global Catholic Television Network EWTN on the station’s News Nightly program. Among other points, Father Dan explained that St. Anthony’s preaching was always clear and imbued with the Holy Spirit.

“Anthony was a brilliant theologian who made sense in all of his teaching, because he was one who had a profound faith in the Lord,” Father Dan told EWTN. “He was deeply devoted to the Franciscan values of poverty, and obedience, and humility. And his humility is what endeared him to so many people, made him so approachable, and they recognized that in his life and in his authenticity, miracles were happening all over the place.”