Tony’s Tidbits

This is National Volunteer Appreciation Week. All of us here at St. Anthony's are so grateful for all our volunteers who step up to help us in our mission. Every week, volunteers help us keep the house and grounds clean, safe and welcoming for our guests. When we have special projects, volunteers answer the call. Whether it is helping send out mailings, answering phones, cleaning rooms, working in the garden and kitchen, hosting, sharing reflections, painting, fixing or any number of other tasks, our volunteers are there to help us get it done. THANK YOU!

Easter marks the most hopeful and powerful moment in our history as Christians: the resurrection of Jesus Christ. In a world full of questions and uncertainty, Easter stands as a steady reminder that God keeps His promises, the victory of life over death. It’s the heart of our faith, where sorrow turns to joy and death gives way to life. All of us here at St. Anthony's wish you a most blessed Easter season! He is risen! He is risen indeed!

Palm Sunday commemorates the entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. It marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final week of Lent. In most Christian rites, Palm Sunday is celebrated by the blessing and distribution of palm branches, representing the palm branches that the crowd scattered before Jesus as he rode into Jerusalem. Holy Week liturgies are some of the most solemn of the year, including Holy Thursday's commemoration of the Last Supper and the great mandate of service, and Good Friday’s commemoration of Jesus’ passion and crucifixion, leading to the celebration of his resurrection on Easter. * * * St. Anthony’s will be closed from Holy Thursday, April 2, through Easter Sunday, April 5, so our staff and volunteers may spend this holy time with their families. * * *

Today is the first day of Spring, although it may be a challenge to spot a crocus under the nearly three feet of snow that fell last weekend. JustBob and friends had their work cut out for them making the building accessible after that storm. Now Brother Sun is doing his best to melt what he can each day, so everything is looking a bit better than when this photo was taken earlier this week.

* * * "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!