By Donna Brazile

NEA Columnist

This is my third Father's Day without my dad, Lionel.

There isn't a day that passes that I don't think of him. I make many of my daily decisions and some of my most challenging life judgments by the character he exhibited and the values he taught all nine of his kids.

Lionel wasn't big on celebrating "the B-day." He wanted us to spend whatever time we had on his special day with family enjoying ourselves -- and yes, drinking cold beer, cooking delicious Cajun or Creole meals and attending Mass.

My dad used his birthday, June 13 (which always occurred near Father's Day), to remind us to pray to Saint Anthony, his beloved patron saint who was born in Lisbon, Portugal. The feast of St. Anthony is celebrated on my dad's birthday, and in their honor, I recently traveled to Portugal.

St. Anthony had a short life. He died of an incurable illness at age 35. But in those few years, his life as a teacher of monks and as a powerful speaker made a profound impact on others -- including those of the Catholic Church.