Abbot Trithemius and St Anne

Many, many saints and blesseds over the centuries have loved St Anne and placed great, unshakable faith in her. One saintly client was Abbot Trithemius. He was a very famous and learned Benedictine Abbot. I will quote Good St Anne:

"Abbot Trithemius practiced an extraordinary devotion to St Anne and did all in his power to induce others to venerate her. He wrote a book in her praise in which he says: 'To St Anne God has given the power to aid in every necessity, because Jesus, her Divine Grandchild according to the flesh, will refuse her no petition, and Mary, her glorious daughter, supports her every request. Those who venerate good St Anne shall want for nothing, either in this life or the next. Believe me, if you love and venerate this Saint, you will experience how highly God esteems her. He grants all she asks! It would be impossible to enumerate the many graces she obtains daily for her servants."

When I was really sick, I referred often to this holy abbot's words, they are just so inspiring! How can you not have confidence in his words, when he expresses them so definitively?

Good St Anne goes on further:

"The same writer (Abbot Trithemius) continues: "St Anne by her intercession dispels melancholy and evil desires. She also aids the poor, cures the sick and comforts the sorrowing. She removes tribulations and by her intercession obtains for her clients the grace to eradicate vice and implant virtue. She obtains light for the intellect, strength for the will and affection for the heart. This powerful Saint has preserved thousands from contagious diseases. Through her intercession, evil spirits have been expelled. For the barren in the married state, she obtains children and heavenly assistance in delivery. She inspires the despairing with trust in God's mercy and excites the tepid to zeal and fervor. St Anne has rescued many from imminent death; yes, through her intercession the dead have, in several instances, been restored to life. Those who worthily vererate St Anne can obtain aid in every necessity through her mediation."

For those who have read previously of my sickness in the last few months, will remember how I felt St Anne had blessed me beyond my expectations with spiritual gifts when I had only been looking for temporal ones (the temporal ones were granted as well) So I look at this quote below and say, "I believe it!!"

"She removes tribulations and by her intercession obtains for her clients the grace to eradicate vice and implant virtue. She obtains light for the intellect, strength for the will and affection for the heart."

The Abbot does have more to say about St Anne but I'll save it for next week but I would like to finish up by sharing something very special to me. Do you remember me talking about the photo of my St Anne altar, the one that I place at the beginning of each posting? I had mentioned that there was a special Russian Icon sitting on it and said that I would save the story surrounding it, for another time. I'd like to share it today.

The icon is extremely precious to me. It was posted out from Canada from a loving friend of mine, who I met over at 4Real, 'MaryMary' is her forum name. Mary had posted it in November sometime I think, and it took about three months to arrive in the mail.

In early/mid February (my memory's vague, I'm sure that's right..) I felt I was still very seriously ill, it was scaring me and I was very distressed. I was trying SO HARD to have faith and trust - I'd read my Good St Anne book often for encouragement and the Abbot's words above, helped me in those hard moments.

Despite all of this, there was one particular morning where I felt I was losing it....I just started crying and crying...bawling, in fact. "Was I ever going to get better? What would become of me? My poor children, they need me!" This was the sort of thing that was running through my head and messing with it. I knew I should have been strong and holding on with great faith, not allowing fear to attack in such a way. "ST ANNE, HELP ME!"

Right in the middle of all this, there was a knock at the door. It was the postman, dropping off parcels! There were two for me. The first was a package full of many Good St Anne books that I had ordered for distribution. The second package.......was from Mary. In it was a beautiful Precious Blood Manual, an encouraging and touching letter and finally...this icon.

Central on the icon is the image of Our Lady holding the Child Jesus and either side was St Anne and St Joachim. I nearly fell off my chair! I was astounded, I still cannot adequately describe how it impacted on me, I'll just leave it to your imagination. That package arrived not just on the DAY I needed it, but in the MOMENT I needed it.

So like the Abbot, we all should have confidence in Saint Anne in everything. And when your confidence is being tested? Well, that's when she carries you in her arms.