Marylou and Paul Siegel have given generously to help us make a lasting impact in needy communities across the globe.
Marylou and Paul Siegel are a delightful, young-at-heart, globetrotting couple from Oakland, New Jersey. They are the proud parents of two daughters, one son, and five beautiful grandchildren. November 5th, 2017, they celebrated their 50th (interfaith Catholic-Jewish) Golden wedding anniversary. May God continue to bless their union and fill their lives with good health, love and happiness.
Marylou, a Philippines-born, is following her passion as a painter. A prolific, talented, and self-taught artist with over 200 paintings, Marylou has created a large body of artwork (acrylic on canvas) in a unique and evocative style with themes that include abstracts, landscapes, and seascapes. Her paintings pulsate with bursts of color and vibrancy displaying richness and depth. Paul, a civil engineer by training, is honing his skills as a photographer by masterfully photographing Marylou’s vast art collection, editing his photos to perfection, and knowing exactly how to photograph the artwork like a pro (visit their online gallery at www.mvsiegelart.com).
During one of many joyful phone conversations Marylou shared with us the story of how she and Paul found out about St Anthony’s Association in the United States, and in her own words “how Saint Anthony showed them the way”. She recalls that it was during their 2012 trip to Italy, before their rendezvous with their daughter Michelle in Venice, she and Paul decided to take a special excursion to Padua to visit St Anthony’s Basilica. They wanted to visit St Anthony’s Holy Tomb and also enjoy the Basilica’s vast imposing space and incredible artwork within. But they especially wanted to petition the Saint for a healthy and full term pregnancy for their daughter.
Marylou recalls with sadness in her voice “You see, my daughter Michelle and her husband had one child and were trying to have a second one for some time, but unfortunately she had already had two miscarriages … and we were all so afraid that she may not be able to bring this new pregnancy to term”. Marylou continued her story, “it was really Paul, who isn’t even Catholic, who wrote our names on a petition form, asking for a healthy pregnancy for our daughter…and this is how St Anthony blessed us with another healthy grandchild, our grandson Ford.”
The tradition of writing a note, a prayer, a plea, a message to Saint Anthony is a time-honored cherished tradition. Through these messages devotees demonstrate their trust in the Saint, a trust that knows no boundaries of language or nation and they have a profound impact on the lives of devotees and every now and then non-Catholics alike. Marylou and Paul have enjoyed the many blessings of a long and happy married life, a loving family, and successful careers. God has indeed bestowed His graces and favors upon them, and they are most grateful. Being thankful and expressing their gratitude is an important part of their lives. They graciously seek ways to make the world a better place by providing help or financial assistance to others in appreciation of their own success and good fortune.
In 2018, Marylou and Paul made a commitment to the Anthonian Association to support Saint Anthony’s Charities with a legacy gift. They chose to also donate some of the proceeds from the sale of Marylou’s beautiful artwork to St Anthony’s Association. Thank you to Marylou and Paul Siegel for their generosity and for supporting our core value of being committed to helping the poor as well as spreading the Gospel of Hope and Love with our brothers and sisters around the world.
Since she resumed painting in 2012, Marylou’s work has been displayed and sold in several art exhibits.
In 2020 Marylou gifted Saint Anthony’s friars with several of her beautiful paintings, which now adorn the walls of our new Anthonian office in Chicago.
Photo: Just one of Marylou’s elegant abstracts titled The Savage Earth, a complementary backdrop for Saint Anthony’s prayer corner.
