Laudetur Iesus Christus! Today Wednesday July 26 is the feast of St. Anne, mother of Our Lady, and also patronal feast day for St. Ann parishioners. St. Ann will offer a 6pm Latin Mass this evening.

According to tradition, the relics of St. Anne were taken by Ss. Lazarus, Mary Magdalene and Martha when they were exiled from the Holy Land. By Divine Providence, their small raft landed in Marseille, France, where St. Lazarus became its first bishop.

Interestingly (and perhaps providentially), St. Anne’s feast day, July 26, falls between the feasts of Ss. Mary Magdalene (July 22) and Martha (this Saturday July 29), perhaps as a connection to those two saints (and their brother) who the transported her relics to France. The feast of St. Anne’s husband, St. Joachim, is celebrated on the day after the Our Lady’s Assumption on August 16 (the 2^nd day within the ancient Octave of the Assumption).

To learn more about St. Anne and her devotions visit: https://fsspatl.com/liturgical-year/521-sanctoral-cycle/july/3220-st-anne-mother-of-the-blessed-virgin-mary

The Church of St. Anne in Jerusalem:

In Jerusalem, not far from the Via Dolorosa (Way of the Cross) and St. Stephen’s Gate (where St. Stephen was martyred) is the Church of St. Anne, which is the place where St. Anne and her husband St. Joachim lived, and where, in the church’s crypt, the Blessed Mother was reported to be born (there are some other traditions placing it elsewhere but she at least lived there). The current Church was built by Crusaders in the 12^th Century and was spared destruction by the Muslims who retook Jerusalem shortly thereafter.  The acoustics in the church are beyond description and ideal for Gregorian Chant. The Church is also a stone’s throw away from the Pool of Bethsaida (Probotica) where Christ healed the paralytic man (John Chapter 5:2-9). Incidentally, tradition also holds that it was St. Raphael the Archangel who was the angel that would stir the water in the pool at different times of the year. How interesting that this small little neighborhood witnessed so many saints during Our Lord’s time on Earth (or shortly after).  We link to a brief description.

Conversion of the Lost Sheep Novena and Mass Intentions

Lastly, the St. Alphonsus Liguori Shrine in Baltimore, the Latin Mass shrine staffed by priests of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter, has started their annual novena to St. Alphonsus ahead of his feast day on August 2^nd and the Shrine invites all to join them. They are also offering prayers and Mass intentions for the conversion of those who have fallen away from the faith. To submit intentions and join them in praying the novena please visit this website: https://stalphonsusbalt.org/return#saint-alphonsus-prayer  (please see attached prayer for the novena or download it at the link).

Ss. Anne and Aphonsus, pray for us!