Popes, saints and St Anne

This is my third posting focusing on saints quotes on St Anne - many of them loved her greatly. Ancient saints, doctors of the Church, mystics, abotts and popes.

St Thomas Aquinas was a saint who venerated St Anne:

"St Thomas Aquinas, hailed as one of the greatest of intellectuals, a prodigy of learning, a pillar of Holy Church, an angel of wisdom and one of the most eminent Doctors of the Church, was a fervent client of good St. Anne. His example ought to strengthen our confidence in this privileged Saint and urge us to venerate her most fervently. He frequently refers to St. Anne and sets forth reasons for honoring her dignity and power. He assures us that the privilege of aiding man in every distress has been given to good St. Anne." Good St Anne, pg 26-27

Another devotee was a mystic and shared the name of her patroness, Anne Catherine Emmerich:

"Anne Catherine Emmerich, who bore the sacred stigmata in her body, said, "In desperate cases of need, I always invoke the holy mother Anne." Good St Anne, pg 27

In every distress.....in desperate cases....we hear this over and over again, St Anne is a faithful mother to all who call upon her.

Two popes are quoted in the Good St Anne manual - both Gregories. Gregory XIII and Gregory XV. Pope Gregory XIII introduced the feast of St Anne to the universal Church and he declared the following:

"We believe that St Anne continually intercedes for us with the merciful Lord, for through her great benefits have come to mankind. From her was born the ever pure and immaculate Virgin Mary, who was found worthy to bring forth Jesus Christ, our Redeemer." Good St Anne, pg 30

Pope Gregory XV states:

"We do not doubt that the more love we show to the mother of Mary, the more we merit the intercession and aid of the holy Virgin who brought forth the only-begotten Son of God, Our Lord Jesus Christ." Good St Anne, pg 30

A very important point Pope Gregory makes - when we honour Anne we honour Mary. Devotion to St Anne has a special marian reflection - it is St Anne's womb in which the Immaculate Conception took place and tradition tells us that it is St Anne's home in which the Annunication took place, the most important events in history involve the 'abode' of St Anne in some way.

So we should ask St Anne to make our abode and home, hers.

Here is a beautiful prayer to St Anne.

Recommendation to Saint Anne

HAIL, O illustrious St. Anne, blessed among women because thou hadst the happiness of bearing in thy womb the holy and immaculate Virgin Mary, Mother of God. I participate in the joy thou didst experience on giving birth to her and offering her in the Temple to the Eternal Father. I pray thee, good mother, to present me to thy well-beloved Daughter and to her Son, Jesus. Be my protectress and advocate with Jesus and Mary; be my intercessor, my refuge, my consolation. Amen.