Tony’s Tidbits

* * * "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return." - Gen. 3:19 * * * Ash Wednesday is a holy day of prayer and fasting in Catholicism as well as many Western Christian denominations. It marks the first day of Lent. We begin this holy season by acknowledging our need for repentance and our need for the love and forgiveness shown to us in Jesus Christ. Common practices during Lent include more focused time for prayer, fasting and almsgiving as preparation for the celebration of Easter.

This photo from 1922 is an examples of how the community of friars at St. Anthony's in the early years were self-supporting. These three friars were out on the Rib River trying to hook enough fish for a meal. It sure looks like they were having some luck with seven nice fish on the stringer with another still on the hook. Undoubtedly, there were other friars hard at work in the house baking the loaves to go with the fish.

All of us at St. Anthony's wish you a very happy, healthy and holy New Year! * * * The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace. - Num. 6:24-26

All of us at St. Anthony's wish all of you a very blessed Christmas season! May the joy of the angels and the eagerness of the shepherds be yours this Christmas, and the blessing of God remain with you always.

St. Anthony's will be closed from Saturday, December 20th though Sunday, December 28th so our staff and volunteers may spend the Christmas holiday with their family and friends.

All of us at St. Anthony's send our best wishes to you and yours for a very blessed Thanksgiving Day! On this day of thanks, and every day, we are so grateful for the many ways you support us in this ministry - our volunteers, our donors, our prayer partners and our guests. We are blessed!

St. Anthony's will be closed Thursday, Nov. 27th though Sunday, Nov. 30th for the Thanksgiving holiday.  We wish all of you a very blessed holiday.  What we are most grateful for is your continued support. Thank you!

We begin November with two feast days - All Saints on Saturday and All Souls on Sunday. What better time to call to mind all those who were our ancestors in the faith and Franciscan way: the deceased friars who walked these halls and grounds, especially the twelve friars who rest on the cemetery in our backyard; all the deceased members of the staff; and all our deceased volunteers. May their light and their example shine on in our hearts always, and may they rest in peace!

Today is Indigenous Peoples’ Day, a day set aside to honor the histories, cultures, and perspectives of Indigenous peoples and their ancestors who lived on the land now known as North America. They made their home here for thousands of years before the first European explorers arrived. Today we hope to promote awareness of Indigenous peoples’ struggles, their resilience and unique traditions, in order to foster understanding and unity among diverse cultures. Here at St. Anthony's, we especially appreciate the love and respect Indigenous Peoples have for all of creation.

“Start by doing what is necessary, then do what is possible and suddenly you are doing the impossible.” That quote from St. Francis was the motto of the fledgling transition team back in 2013. It was twelve years ago this month that we realized what felt like an impossible goal five months earlier - a signed agreement to purchase St. Anthony’s and continue its ministry into 2014 and beyond. It seems like it might also be a good motto as we close this Season of Creation on the feast day of our patron, St. Francis. What “necessary” steps can we take to make peace with creation? What is “possible” for us in our life to make peace with creation? Perhaps if each of us were to do those small, necessary but possible things, maybe one day, all together, we can realize the impossible goal of healing our earth and being at peace with all of God’s creation. Happy Feast Day to all our Franciscan brothers and sisters!