So, you may have heard about our upcoming festivities for “St. Anne’s Week,” including wearing our special shirts, dressing up on various theme days, having a party with bingo, and a little dance. But, do you know what it’s really all about?
Who is Saint Anne, you may ask, if you are not too familiar with the history of one very important family. St. Anne is the mother of Mary, and thus Jesus’ own grandmother. That’s a pretty special role, wouldn’t you say?
This special woman was chosen as the patron saint of our facility actually long before St. Anne’s moved from Fargo to Grand Forks. Celebrating her feast day (July 26) has long been a tradition for us.
Several years ago now, we started making this celebration into a week-long event, and Sr. Christina wrote a poem in its honor (See below).
If you happen to be stopping by St. Anne’s this coming week (even though we’re still limiting visitors), you may notice a bit of festivity in the air. You might also see people dressed in a somewhat unusual manner. The list below should be informative:
Dress-Up Theme Days
Monday, July 20 ~ Sports Day
Tuesday, July 21 ~ Colorful Sock Day
Wednesday, July 22 ~ Shorts Day
Thursday, July 23 ~ Western Day
Friday, July 24 ~ Wear Your St. Anne’s Shirt Day
Saturday, July 25 ~ Patriotic (Red, White & Blue) Day
Sunday, July 26 ~ Dress-up Day
Poem in Honor of Sts. 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 Sts. 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.