SAINT ANNE
Mother of the Blessed Virgin MaryOld ~ Feast Day – July 26
Anne and Joachim, her husband, were both of the royal house of David. They served God continually in prayer and good works, but were looked down upon by the Jews because they were childless. At length God gave them a daughter, who was to become the mother of His own divine son. Because St. Anne devoted herself ceaselessly to educating her child in innocence and sanctity, she is patron of all Christian mothers. St. Paul says that it is by a holy exercise of their parenthood that parents are to be saved (Col. 3:18-21).
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I will meet on June 20 for the last Little Flowers meeting of the year. It has become a tradition to hold a day retreat for the last meeting of the year. We start the day with our normal meeting agenda. Then we break for Mass. We have lunch and then move onto the “retreat.” The retreat is time for faithfilled crafts, activities, and social time. Last year we were blessed to be joined by Father and two seminarians (who were ordained on 5.19).
This year’s retreat will start with a meeting on St. Anne & Responsibility. The second half of the day will be the official retreat — America for Mary, our Blessed Mother.
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Handouts:
- St. Anne – Responsibility Divider Sheet
- Responsibility Activity Sheet
- St. Anne & Joachim Bio for Kids ~ Holy Spirit Interactive
- Responsibility Memory Verse ~ select landscape from printer options
- St. Anne Coloring Page ~ Waltzing Matilda
- Mum Coloring Page
Resources:
- St. Anne Bio ~ EWTN
- Prayer to St. Anne ~ EWTN
- Titles of St. Anne ~ Catholic Tradition
- St. Anne’s Family Album ~ Waltzing Matilda
- St. Anne & Responsibility Memory Page ~ Shower of Roses
- Mum Cupcakes ~ Catholic Cuisine
- Little Flowers Link Up ~ Shower of Roses
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***UPDATE***
The Little Flowers completed a Spiritual Bouquet for Father L, in thanksgiving for his devoted care to the LF over the years.
click here for a printable spiritual bouquet sheet that can be used for children to draw a picture on and complete the sentence, I will offer for you and your intentions…
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You, my dear child, have a very difficult and responsible task — you have to preserve your inno- cence; therefore go to your mother, to Mary, the sweet Mother of God. Dangers threaten, and hellish foes pursue you ; therefore fly to your Mother and cling fast to her protecting hand.
~ Fr. Lasance Catholic Girls Guide
The icon shows the Blessed Virgin protecting Jesus with her arms around him. Her solemn face isn’t looking directly at him, but at us. The two archangels Michael and Gabriel carry instruments of Christ’s crucifixion, a lance and sponge, a 3-bar cross and nails. The letters beside each figure identify their names using the Greek alphabet. She has a star on her forehead, signifying her role as Star of the Sea. The Christ-child has been alarmed by a pre-sentiment of His passion, and has run to his mother for comfort. Jesus is portrayed clinging to His mother. Our Lady’s face is of unspeakable majesty and calm and yet her large eyes, partly closed, express ineffable sorrow and sympathy. Our Lady is not looking at Jesus, but rather to us, her adopted children, as if to express compassion for us in our fears and sorrows.