Celebrating Saint Anne

Sister Christina M. Neumann, OSF, shares her special connection with Saint Anne, as well as a poem describing her legendary life.

When I realized that my next reflection was due to go out toward the end of July, I thought almost immediately of Saint Anne. Joy and fondness warmed my heart.

Her feast day is today, July 26th. Since 1969, she has shared it with her husband, Saint Joachim, whereas in times past, the couple had been honored on separate days.

We don’t know a lot for certain about these saints that we celebrate today. Snippets of detail come to us from the apocryphal (non-canonical) gospel of Saint James.

Tradition, which draws largely from this source, tells us that Joachim and Anne were an elderly, childless couple, who brought forth the Blessed Virgin Mary. Later on, I’ll share a poem I wrote some years ago which offers more of their story.

You may wonder why my heart was stirred by the thought of writing about this canonized couple, or in particular, about Saint Anne; the answer is pretty simple. I work at Saint Anne’s Living Center, a home where we serve the elderly and disabled.

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I’m not clear on why, back in the mid-1940s, Saint Anne was chosen as the Home’s patroness, but, with her intercession, our Sisters (and later staff) have been serving the vulnerable in need of our care for almost 80 years.

The celebration of her feast has long been a highlight of the summer around our facility, with the special Mass and afternoon party in her honor. Some years back, though, I proposed the establishment of “Saint Anne’s Week,” prolonging the festivities to include a seven-day period.

We have so much fun, with various dress up days (wacky hat day, sports day, pajama day) and special activities. It’s great! A wonderful benefit of working in a Catholic facility is that we can bring our faith into our lives in a special way.

This year, there’s even going to be a block party. It’s definitely something for everyone here to look forward to.

Many of our residents have limited family involvement, and like Saints Anne and Joachim, we foster a strong family-like atmosphere. Saint Anne’s Week is a great way to celebrate who we are as a “family.” We also have a matching gift opportunity on Saint Anne’s Day so that people can double their impact in support of our mission.

Sorry for the tangent—now back to the topic at hand—today’s saints! Rather than re-write all the details that come down to us, I thought I would just share the poem to which I referred to above. I hope you enjoy learning more about today’s saints along with my special connection with them!

Poem in Honor of Saints Anne and Joachim, parents of Mary

(based on early legends)

We make a special point each year
To honor Anne, our patron dear
When e’er her feast day comes around
Joy and fun times will abound.

This week we’ll honor Saints Joachim and Anne.
They had a special place in God’s plan.
Though old and childless they’d become
grandparents of His only Son.

We don’t know much about this pair
but generous love they both did share.
With a special daughter they were blest
And ancient tales tell us the rest.

They were both from David’s clan,
This old woman and old man.
One eve while praying in the hills
Joachim heard news his heart to thrill.

At the same time his holy wife
heard some news that changed her life.
She was taking a garden stroll
when from her eyes great tears did roll—

A nest of young birds she had seen,
making her sorrow very keen.
Seeing these babies pierced her heart
like a stinging little dart.

For she wanted a babe of her own
One to be her own flesh and bone.
For this favor the couple did pray,
pleading for it ev’ry day.

To both, separately, an angel did speak
Off’ring the favor both did seek,
telling then that their prayer’d been heard
though at their age it seemed absurd.

Anne was told a daughter she’d bear
who would be blest through ev’rywhere.
She then met Joachim at the gate
and with him did jubilate.

Mary was born, and at three years of age
her life’s story turned a page.
Now in the temple she would live;
Her life to God she’d surely give.

Her parents brought her there one day,
in God’s presence to work and play.
They gave her wholly to the Lord
whom they both faithfully adored.

Thus goes the story of that holy pair
Their longed-for daughter they did share.
And in due time they both became
Grandma and Grandpa, called by name.

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