Shrine of St. Anthony offers quiet refuge and Franciscan care

Tucked into a wooded stretch of Cincinnati, the Shrine of St. Anthony offers something increasingly rare in the modern world: stillness.   

Though framed by city streets, the Shrine feels quietly distinctive, a space where visitors can pause, pray and breathe. For Br. Vince Delorenzo, OFM, that peace is not accidental. It is the fruit of loving care, and a Franciscan ministry rooted in presence. 

As guardian – the friar responsible for the care and leadership of a local fraternity – of the Shrine and Friary, his mission is easy to describe but challenging to live. He cares for his brother friars there and welcomes the many people who arrive seeking prayer, comfort or a moment of calm.  

“This is home for the friars,” he said, “but it’s also a place that people feel they can come to freely.” 

Welcoming people from all walks of life 

The Shrine itself carries a modest history.  

What is today known as St. Anthony Shrine began as the friars’ own private chapel, gradually becoming a site of pilgrimage as devotion to St. Anthony took root among those who approached in prayer. Nestled on 60 wooded acres and set back from the road, the shrine offers a chance to pause and listen more closely to the Spirit.  

The Shrine has blossomed into a cherished refuge for the wider community. Each day visitors come, many gathering for Mass, others drawn by the beloved Tuesday novena to St. Anthony, and some seeking nothing more than the gentle peace found beneath the trees, simply resting, reflecting and finding stillness.  

Brother Vince mentions that the Shrine is not designated as a parish. It does not conduct weddings or baptisms, but it gives daily Mass - two on Tuesdays for the St. Anthony Novena – and a Sunday Mass that has seen consistent increase in attendance. The influx of visitors stays steady throughout the week. 

“There are always folks who just need a place to be,” he said. “And we try to make sure they feel welcome.”  

That reception extends beyond the chapel walls. The grounds are a vital component of the Shrine’s ministry. Br. Vince spends significant time tending flower beds, overseeing landscaping and caring for the natural spaces that surround the architecture. Over the years, he has learned what thrives — and what doesn’t — often with assistance from the local deer population. “They’ve taught me what not to plant,” he jokes.  

Beneath the humor is something deeply Franciscan. Caring for the land, Br. Vince says, puts him on a path of honoring what has been entrusted to the friars. “Creation is a gift,” he said. “We’re not meant to abuse it or take it for granted. We’re meant to care for it.”  

Br. Vince’s work at the Shrine reflects a Franciscan life being renewed through synodal listening and shared discernment. As friars across the province reflect on how fraternity, humility and contemplation mold mission today, shrines stand out as fertile ground for these values to take visible form.  

Here, ministry is less about directing and more about accompanying, making space for encounter, prayer and attentiveness. In this way, Br. Vince’s labor embodies core Franciscan insights deepened by the synodal life: mission flows from presence, hospitality is evangelizing, and listening remains key to the Gospel witness of the friars.  

St. Anthony is the heart of it all  

Guests frequently comment on the peace they feel walking the paths or sitting under the trees at St. Anthony Shrine. Despite existing within city limits, the Shrine feels like a hideaway, an urban sanctuary where the noise of daily life softens.  

Affection for St. Anthony remains at the heart of that experience. Known as the “Wonder Worker” and frequently invoked when something is lost, St. Anthony draws a diverse following. Br. Vince receives letters almost daily from people thanking the saint for answered prayers. He shares his own tale, too, of losing a cherished ring while traveling, praying to St. Anthony, and later finding it. “People laugh,” he said, “but the devotion is real. It’s very real.” 

For Br. Vince, ministry requires knowing when to step back, too. When he can, he goes to the coast, drawn by the rhythm of the waves and the openness of the horizon. Time in nature renews him, reminding him why care for creation matters.  

At the Shrine, care for creation takes many forms: maintaining the grounds, greeting arrivals, supporting the friars who live there and quietly ensuring that everything, from liturgy programs to walking paths, serves the larger purpose of welcome.  

“It’s not flashy work,” Br. Vince said. “But it’s meaningful. And if people leave here feeling a little more at peace, then we’re doing what we’re called to do.”