Devotion to Saint Ann

THE IMPORTANCE OF SAINT ANN IN OUR LIVES

 
   Devotion to Saint Ann is devotion to the gospel message. As the 
mother of Mary and the grandmother of Jesus, St. Ann embodies and
symbolizes devotion to Mary and love for our Lord and His teachings.
   As a Jewish woman, Saint Ann represents ecumenism and respect for 
another's faith and race. As a grandmother she exemplifies the importance 
of family and respect for the elderly. As an ordinary woman of faith she 
represents down to earth, common, human virtues, and holiness through love 
for family and neighbors.
   Saint Ann had a daughter with an unplanned pregnancy and a 
son-in-law who threatened to divorce her. Saint Ann's daughter was 
a refugee in her flight to Egypt, and her grandson was a prisoner 
on death row. She had to deal with the death of her spouse. Saint 
Ann knew hard work and her simple lifestyle places her in solidarity 
with the poor of today's world. She taught her daughter how to pray, 
to work, to be a good neighbor, even how to decipher political 
situations, whether at home before Herod, or on foreign soil.
   A novena encourages and recognizes the power of prayer. Our Lord 
told us to "pray always". St. Ann's novena is a prayer of persistence. 
Our Lord encouraged us to "knock and the door will be opened, to ask, 
and you will receive".
   Saint Ann's Novena is a community prayer. Jesus said, "if two of 
you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by 
my Father in heaven." Mt. 18:19.
   Saint Ann's Novena imitates the disciples and Mary who gathered 
together after our Lord's Ascension to pray for nine days and who were 
then "filled with the Holy Spirit...They went to the room upstairs...All 
these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with 
certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus...They were all 
together in one place. And...all of them were filled with the Holy 
Spirit". (Acts 1:13,14 & 2:1,4.)
   Saint Ann's Novena recognizes that God has put us on earth to help 
each other in a variety of ways including prayer for each other. We 
pray for one another just like St. Paul who said, "Join me in earnest 
prayer to God on my behalf." (Romans 15:30)
    

Saint Ann's Media * PO Box 111 * Scranton, PA 18504-0111
Ph: 800-THE-MASS * Fax: 570-941-0185