Viatorians left rural St. Anne Church in 2019, when Fr. James Fanale, CSV, retired, but they continue to remain involved with the parish’s biggest event of the year: the St. Anne Novena, which opened today.
This year’s nine-day devotion — that culminates July 26, her feast day — will be the 144th year that the parish has held the novena and Viatorians have been involved for more than 100 of those years.
St. Anne parishioners promote the novena this way on their website: “In these troubled times, we draw strength from our traditional devotions. Bring your children and grandchildren to share in this expression of faith.”
With its daily Masses at 7:30 a.m. — each celebrating a different theme, and culminating with three Masses on the feast day, one in English, Latin and Spanish — the devotion draws hundreds of people over the course of its nine days.
The biggest turnout traditionally is on the feast of St. Anne, July 26, and that’s when Viatorians will be on hand to help. Bishop Christopher Glancy, CSV, will celebrate an outdoor Mass at 10 a.m. followed by anointing of the sick and a procession through the surrounding neighborhood, with a relic of St. Anne while praying the rosary.
Fr. Moses Mesh carries a relic of St. Anne in the procession in 2022
Another Mass takes place at noon, in Latin, celebrated by Fr. Pete Jankowski, Pastor of St. Anne Church, and the 2 p.m. Mass offered in Spanish by Fr. Moses Mesh, CSV, Associate Pastor of Maternity BVM Parish. Both Masses also will feature anointing of the sick and a procession with the relic afterwards.
For Viatorians involved, It continues to be a labor of love. St. Anne Church is located in tiny St. Anne, IL and is site of the nation’s original shrine. Viatorians began ministering there in 1920 and as a result, they have faithfully continued the tradition started by its French Canadian founders.
Over the years, the feast day has become a festival of sorts, with a whole day full of activities, including children’s games, food and a marketplace offering everything from the abundant gladiolas to images and keepsakes of St. Anne. But the emphasis remains the same: a devotion to St. Anne, who was the mother of Mary and grandmother of Jesus.