Faith Under Pressure · Week 2 · Grades 6–8
Guided Notes: St. Anthony of Padua
- Name
- Date
- Class
Follow along as your teacher presents. Fill in each section when its slide is on the screen.
Plans that fell apart
Fernando was born around blank 1 to a wealthy family in Lisbon, Portugal. At about 15 he joined a community of Augustinian priests. He later moved to Coimbra and spent years studying Scripture.
In 1220 the remains of five blank 2 friars were brought to Coimbra. They had been killed in Morocco for preaching their faith. Fernando chose to follow them. He joined the Franciscans, a new and very poor religious order, and took the name Anthony.
He sailed for Morocco, but serious illness forced him to turn back. Then a storm drove his ship to blank 3. Nothing had gone as he planned.
Anthony’s life and legacy
Write what happened at each point.
| When | What happened |
|---|---|
| c. 1195 | Write your answer |
| 1220 | Write your answer |
| 1221 | Write your answer |
| c. 1222 | Write your answer |
| 1231 | Write your answer |
| 1232 | Write your answer |
| 1946 | Write your answer |
Check the facts
What led Fernando to become a Franciscan? Circle one.
- A The witness of five friars killed in Morocco
- B A sermon he heard St. Francis give in Lisbon
- C An order from his Augustinian superiors
- D A storm that carried his ship to Assisi
Why is that the right answer?
From silence to the crowds
In Italy almost nobody knew Anthony. He was sent to a small blank 4 at Montepaolo, where he prayed and did simple chores.
Around 1222 he attended an ordination in blank 5. No one had prepared a sermon, so Anthony was told to speak. His listeners were stunned by how deeply he knew Scripture.
St. Francis himself approved of Anthony teaching theology to the friars, as long as study did not crowd out prayer. Anthony preached across northern Italy and southern blank 6. He spoke hard truths, including against lenders who crushed the poor with debt.
Worn out, he died near Padua on June 13, blank 7.
Cause and effect
Why was Anthony able to preach so well in Forlì with no warning? Circle one.
- A He had memorized a sermon written by St. Francis
- B He had been practicing speeches for that exact day
- C He had spent years in study and quiet prayer
- D He had been the town’s main preacher for years
Why is that the right answer?
Words that build, words that drain
Anthony prayed and studied before he spoke, and his words helped people. Sort each online habit by whether it follows his pattern. Check one box for each.
| Item | Listen first, then speak | Speak first, think later |
|---|---|---|
| Reading a whole article before commenting on it | ||
| Reposting a rumor because it is funny | ||
| Waiting an hour before answering an angry text | ||
| Piling on when a group chat mocks someone | ||
| Checking whether a shocking story is true | ||
| Posting every thought the second it arrives | ||
| Starting the day with prayer before any screen |
History and tradition
How should we understand the story of Anthony preaching to the fish? Circle one.
- A A recorded event that historians have confirmed
- B A parable that Anthony told in his sermons
- C A modern tale invented in the last century
- D A beloved tradition that cannot be verified
Why is that the right answer?
Think, pair, share
Anthony’s plans failed twice, and he spent months unknown in a hermitage before anyone heard him preach. Online, people often want to be seen right away. What is the value of hidden time when nobody is watching?
Think: my idea before we talk
Sentence starters: “Time when nobody is watching matters because ...”“One thing I do only because others will see it is ...”“Anthony’s failed plans make me think ...”“I could make room for silence by ...”
Pair: something my partner said
Let us pray
“Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”
Mark 16:15
Lord Jesus, teach us to be silent before you so that our words are worth hearing.
When our plans fail, help us trust yours.
St. Anthony of Padua, pray for us.
Amen.
My own prayer or intention:
Well done!
Anthony was canonized less than a year after he died. His feast day is June 13, and his tomb is in the basilica in Padua.
One thing I learned today:
One question I still have:
How could the example of St. Anthony of Padua shape the way I live, online and offline?
Challenge: Choose ten minutes each day this week for silence with no screen. Use it to pray or to read Scripture.