St. Anne Devotion

Devotion to Saint Anne was brought to New France in Canada by the first settlers and early Missionaries to that area. The first house in the parish of Saint Anne de Beaupre dates back to the year 1650. One of the settlers, Seiur Etienne Lessard, donated the land for the first place of worship. On March 13, 1658, the Missionary, Father Vignal blessed the foundation of the proposed chapel, which, by general consent, was dedicated to Saint Anne. The first miracle attributed to the intercession of St. Anne occurred on the first day of the chapel's dedication.  A certain Louis Guimont was cured of a serious rheumatic ailment.

Father Laforest came from Canada and was the fourth priest assigned to St. Pierre Parish (would later be renamed as St. Peter). It is believed that the devotion to Saint Anne was brought to the Acadians in south Louisiana through Father Laforest and since Fr. Laforest was assigned in Carencro, it is easily understood why Carencro is blessed with the St. Anne Society.

The Ladies of the St. Anne Society have always implored the help of St. Anne for patience, understanding and charity in helping their families to face the difficulties and hardships of life in a Christian manner. From the example set by our devoted ancestors, we were able to grow into this present group.

To show gratitude for the favors attributed to St. Anne, a shrine was erected on the church grounds in honor of St. Anne. Vigil lights burn perpetually at the shrine. Special services are held throughout the year at the foot of the shrine in the hope that those practices will increase and spread the devotion to St. Anne.

O Good and Merciful Saint Anne, in order to honor you with more zeal, and pray to you with more confidence, I come to consecrate myself to you, for time and for eternity.

Hence, I choose you, after the most Blessed Virgin, for my spiritual mother, and my protectress before God. I place in your keep my body and my soul, my temporal needs and eternal interests.

I consecrate my mind to you, that you may enlighten me in all things with the light of faith; my heart, that you may keep it full of love for Jesus and Mary; my will, that you may forever keep it submissive to that of God; and my body, that you make it forever the temple of the Holy Spirit.

Obtain for me, 0 good Saint Anne, the grace to fulfill faithfully, after your example, all the duties of my state of life and to practice, like you, all the virtues necessary to my salvation. Grant that after having honored and loved you on earth, O dear and Good Saint Anne, I may one day go to glorify you, with God, Mary, the saints and angels, during all eternity. Amen.

SECOND DAY: Good Sainte Anne is the Mother of Mary, the mother of her whom the angels and saints honor in heaven, of her for whom God bears the love of a child, and whom He has established as Queen of heaven and earth, and as Mediatrix of all graces; 0 Good St. Anne, since Thy Immaculate Daughter can rebuke none of thy requests, obtain for us a great love of Jesus and Mary, the grace of one day seeing them in heaven. Amen.

(Three Hail Marys, Souvenez-vous, and three times: Bonne Sainte Anne, priez pour nous.)

THIRD DAY: O Good Saint Anne, so close to Jesus our Divine Saviour, thou art all powerful with Him. Grant that we may never be so unfortunate as to lose God's grace by mortal sin; rather give us strength to fulfill our duties faithfully, so that after this our exile, we may all be united in Heaven. Amen. 

(Three Hail Marys, Souvenez-vous, and three times: Bonne Sainte Anne, priez pour nous.)

FOURTH DAY: Saint Anne, all powerful with Jesus and Mary, is also disposed to intercede on our behalf. She is all bountiful towards us because she loves us. By giving birth to Mary, our Mother, and through Mary, to Jesus, she has become our Good Saint Anne. She loves us as her little children. Let us therefore have recourse to her in all our needs, both spiritual and temporal. 

(Three Hail Marys, Souvenez-vous, and three times: Bonne Sainte Anne, priez pour nous.)

FIFTH DAY: Good Saint Anne, during her lifetime, passed through many trials. Having borne no children for a long time, she found herself at times rebuked by men, who thought she was abandoned by God, and on other occasions turned away from the Temple. Later on, she was sorely tried by a long separation from her beloved Daughter and the infant Jesus. What painful trials! Good Saint Anne, obtain for us the strength to suffer our crosses with patience and resignation so that they be changed to merit for eternity. Amen.

(Three Hail Marys, Souvenez-vous, and three times: Bonne Sainte Anne, priez pour nous.)

SIXTH DAY: Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, like all the families in Israel, ardently desired to see their marriage blessed by the birth of a child. Heaven seemed to have turned a deaf ear to their prayers. Far from being discouraged by an apparent denial, they continued for twenty long years to multiply their prayers, vigils, fastings and almsgiving. God gave them the Blessed Virgin. This example should teach us how humble, confident and persevering prayers are always heard beyond our expectations, according to Our Lord's promise: Ask and thou shalt receive. 

(Three Hail Marys, Souvenez-vous, and three times: Bonne Sainte Anne, priez pour nous.)

SEVENTH DAY: Among the sacrifices demanded of Saint Anne and Saint Joachim by God, the greatest by far was that they should be separated from their only and beloved daughter, The Blessed Virgin Mary, on the day of her Presentation in the Temple, when she was but three years old. This cruel parting broke their hearts. Nevertheless, they generously offered up the sacrifice and God consoled them by showering on them His choicest favors. When God asks a sacrifice of us, let us invoke Saint Anne and she will smooth its acceptance.

(Three Hail Marys, Souvenez-vous, and three times: Bonne Sainte Anne, priez pour nous.)

EIGHTH DAY: Saint Anne and Saint Joachim divided their annual revenue into three equal parts: a third they donated to the Temple, a third they kept for their own needs, and the remainder they gave to the poor. So charitable were they, indeed, that to be poor or afflicted was sufficient to call them benefactors. And for this, they received God's blessing. And now, in heaven, Good Saint Anne continues to alleviate all kinds of stress; she cures the sick, converts sinners, is ever ready to succor those in need. To please Good Saint Anne, let us be charitable to those around us. Amen

(Three Hail Marys, Souvenez-vous, and three times: Bonne Sainte Anne, priez pour nous.)

NINTH DAY: O Good Saint Anne, on this, the last day of my Novena, I cast myself into thy arms and offer myself to thee. I consecrate to thee all my thoughts, my affections, my body, my soul, my whole being. Accept me as thy child and preserve me from all evil. I firmly propose to serve and honor thee every day of my life. May I enjoy thy protection during life and above all, at the hour of death, lead me to heaven. Amen.

(Three Hail Marys, Souvenez-vous, and three times: Bonne Sainte Anne, priez pour nous.)

July 21, 2024 

As St. Peter’s Church celebrates 150 years since our first mass in 1874, we must also recognize one of the oldest and first sodalities-The St. Anne Society founded in 1894-only 20 years after the founding of our church.   

Let’s learn more about our amazing patron saint.   

Saint Anne and her husband Joachim were childless for many years of their marriage.  They were very pious people, strong in their faith and generous to the poor.  After much prayer, an angel appeared to Anne and proclaim that she would in fact bear a child that would be dedicated to God and her name would be Mary.   

St. Anne is now the patron saint of unmarried women, the childless, housewives, seamstresses, women in labor, the poor and especially   grandmothers since she was the grandmother of Jesus.   

Here’s some history: The meaning of the Hebrew name Anne is grace or favor.   St. Anne was born in 50 BC in Bethlehem and when she died her body was buried in a nearby church then moved by St. Lazarus to Apt, France years later then moved again because of religious persecution.  You see the relics of martyrs and saints had to be hidden or else destroyed by Barbarians.  Then under the rule of the King of France, the first holy Roman emperor, her body was found miraculously by a 14 year old by the name of John who was deaf, dumb and blind.  John banged with his walking stick on a step of the altar of the cathedral and created quite a stir.  After mass the priest was curious as John once again banged on the step, so he lifted up the step and uncovered a door to an ancient stairway.  John started pulling the priest down the stairway to a crypt.  There was a mysterious candle burning then the lamp went off as John regained his sight, voice and hearing!  Yes, it was St. Anne’s body hidden under the church!  The inscription on the tomb read “Here lies the body of St. Anne-the mother of the Virgin Mary.   

In later years, her remains where sent by boat to the Holy Land along with well-known Saints including St. Mary Magdalene, St. Lazurus, and St. Martha.   

Some of St. Anne’s remains are today located in Quebec, Canada at the Basilica of Sainte Anne de Beaupre which was built in1676, the site of many miracles to this day. Crutches line the walls where the once lame were cured.  

Here in Carencro, our own St. Anne Society was started in 1894.  Years later, Msgr. Wassler who was from Alsace Larrier, France and was accustomed to grand processions which included 100’s of First Communion children.  It was a very impressive tribute to St. Anne on the streets of Alsace Larrier.  So Msgr. Wassler played a huge part in growing our St. Anne Society. 

We’ve since enjoyed an amazing sodality made up of holy ladies setting the example of devotion to Jesus and St. Anne.  St. Anne has been the go-to saint for many including my own mother and grandmother in times of struggle.  From the slides, I’d bet you will recognize many of your own relatives and friends.   

The song that we’ve been listening to in French, is one that our own choir has sung during our novena this week.  It’s beautiful in French but also in English which means: 

Here is the lamb so gentle, the real bread of the angels, 

He comes down from heaven for us, let’s all worship Him.   

The lamb of God-the real bread of the angels.  There have been so very many angels among us over the years in the form of your ancestors who belonged to the Saint Anne Society.  Ladies setting the example of devotion to Jesus and St. Anne.   

St. Anne embodies the virtues of patience, humility and steadfastness.  God doesn’t turn down his Grandma, so seek her intercession and continue to grow our St. Anne Society for generations to come!