Patron Saints are quaint things these days. Not many people really adhere to any religious affiliation, yet alone, have a devotion to a particular Saint. I get it. It 's a very different world than when my parents grew up, or when I grew up in the 1950' and 60's. And that's ok. No judgment.
It's just that religious traditions can sometimes be cultural touchpoints, whether or not one is a devout believer. And for me, St. Anthony, and my Catholic faith feel part not only of a spiritual home, but a cultural past that feels familiar and reminds me of my parents, who were so dear, and loved me so much.
This is (mostly) a garden blog, so I don't want to dwell on this, except to say, that it has been hard to be a Catholic in contemporary times, with the scandals, the marginalization of women and the LGBTQ population, and just a general lack of relevance and compassion for a variety of people and causes that are important to Robert and me.
Nonetheless, the statue of St.Anthony has lived with since my mom was here, and so he will stay until we are gone. I like to believe that he, like my parents, is looking out for my family and me, and that there are forces that we simply can't understand that connect us to those that we have loved, and who have loved us. St. Anthony is one of those.