Patron Saint

THE IMPORTANCE OF SAINT ANN IN OUR LIVES


(Find the Novena to Saint Ann below)

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)

Below you can find scans from a book for both the full document and each day separately below for you to say from the convenience of your home. Just click on them.

Full Novena Document (or daily below)

Day 1: July 17
Day 2: July 18
Day 3: July 19
Day 4: July 20
Day 5: July 21
Day 6: July 22
Day 7: July 23
Day 8: July 24
Day 9: July 25
Feast Day: July 26

Additional Saint Ann Prayers