St. Anthony de Padua Catholic Church — Attraction in San Antonio

I have been coming to this church since I was 10. Think nearly twenty years. Though, I'm not sure I can say that definitively. When I was 16, I left the Cathloic Church. I wanted something new to try. So, I didn't believe much of anything for over 10 years. It was truly by coincidence of my younger brothers First Holy Communion, and my own desire to attend Mass one day, came as one. The service went on as per usual, with special readings focused on a young child meeting that early, special Sacramemt. The decor inside had changed some. We didn't pass the offering basket as we once would have. The bustling halls of the cafeteria were quiet. It felt so wrong. Strange. Empty. But, as I found, once the pandemic hit, many people beyond myself chose to leave the church. The offerings weren't as large as they had been. The religious education teen youth director, Mari, was gone. She had two babies over the year, had married, and moved away. I remember her genuine excitement for all activities church related. I remembered being a teenager sitting through Sunday School, wondering what we would be learning. To this day, the only thing that has stuck in my mind, is tabernacle, the place where the Holy Eucharist is kept. While the attendance is sparse, the spirit, love for God, and community is still there, represented as a tiny glow, versus the large one I was once used to. The pandemic certainly made it harder to do traditional little thimgs. But the people held on. While I personally don't believe in anything the Catholic Chruch says. I believe the spirit, the love, the teachings of God is within us all, especially when we come together. But I also think something my fiancé said that is also beautiful. (I love love love the teachings and way of living of Buddhism, it's remarkable) He had read somewhere that combined the two approaches so wonderfully... We are reincarnated so many times, until we are deemed worthy to go to Heaven. I don't care where I go when I pass on from this plane of existence. So long as his soul and mine revolve each other like the fishes of Yin Yang.. Endlessly, Forevermore, and Always. Try coming here. Let this church give you that sense of community I have always wanted and found once more. And...

This is a great church... very loving and welcoming. Great priests. As I was visiting other churches in the area I found that the priests had heavy foreign accents. I'm sure they're all greats priests but I struggled to understand what they were saying during mass because of their heavy accents. Don't get me wrong, the priests at St Anthony of Padua have ascents also but they're Irish accents which is not a problem for a part Irish/Italian/Lithuanian boy like me...

I've never been to such a parishioner friendly church like this one, my wife and I were greeted like we were long-time members instead of visitors, Father Kevin is truly lead by the Holy Spirit, I met the sound co-ordinator "ARMEN" he was so kind so compassionate when we come back from fort Worth we will come here to see Jesus God bless all at St....