Fr. Paul Wattson, SA in prayer
It all started in 1912, when our Founder, Father Paul Wattson, had just installed a large statue of St. Anthony of Padua near the altar in St. Francis Chapel. As he stood to admire the beautiful statue, Fr. Paul was handed a letter from a mother begging the Friars to pray for the health of her gravely ill baby named Anthony.
“I immediately knelt before this image of St. Anthony with the Divine Infant in his arms and besought the Wonder-Worker of seven centuries to intercede for baby Anthony’s life,” Fr. Paul later wrote in his journal.
His journal tells of him and the Friars praying to St. Anthony every evening asking for intercession. About two weeks later the mother wrote again, this time saying her child had miraculously recovered. She included a small donation in gratitude.
From then on Fr. Paul and other Friars would pray every evening at the statue of St. Anthony. Word spread of the Friars perpetual prayers and “St. Anthony’s corner” in St. Francis Chapel at Graymoor – and more petitions arrived. For almost 100 years, those in need have sent hundreds of thousands of prayer requests to Graymoor asking the Friars to pray and seek the intercession of St. Anthony on their behalf.
During 2011, the Franciscan Friars of the Atonement will celebrate the Centennial Year of the Perpetual Novena to St. Anthony as we continue in the spirit of Fr. Paul to pray daily and seek the intercession of St. Anthony for the benefit of those in need.
Prayer requests are received in many different languages covering the gamut of human needs. One found tucked behind the statue of St. Anthony in St. Francis Chapel, read, “Dear Lord, please help my husband and me develop a loving, sober relationship.” Another said, “Cure my wife of breast cancer, help my aching back, and bring us closer to You.” One asked “Dear God, please guide me with my parenting. I want to teach my girls how to have faith and spirituality. I love them with all my heart.” Another read, “Lord, I pray for my brother in the Army. Watch over him.” Still another pleads for employment: “Lord, I love you. I'm desperate for a job. Come to my rescue.”
Remembering that over 2,000 years ago Jesus told a crowd of needy people, “Ask and you will receive; search, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you,”(Luke 11:9), the friars gather for the Liturgy of the Hours every evening, after which they remember the petitions received at Graymoor.
Aware that people in need are always around and that a most loving God is still taking care of them, the friars are here for you and your loved ones and welcome your petitions.
