SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA CO. (WOLF) — All day, St. Ann’s Monastery and Shrine Basilica in Scranton was filled with people praying, paying respects, and honoring the Novena.
“Novena is a Latin word that means nine,” explained Father Richard Burke, the Monastery’s superior and shrine director. “And there are nine days of prayer and preparation to celebrate the Feast of Sain Anne on July 26th. And that’s following in the footsteps that’s more than 2000 years old.”
The tradition dates back to after Jesus’ ascension, when the Virgin Mary and the Apostles prayed for nine days before the Pentecost. In the modern day, Catholics use the nine days before the Feast of St Anne to connect to God and pray.
Father Burke continued, “What do they pray for? They pray for whatever they’re experiencing the greatest need for in their life.”
The purpose of the prayer depends on the person, but for Joe Hannon, a longtime parishioner at St. Ann’s, his prayers go to his family, and he says his attendance helps him keep hope.
“A lot of hope,” said Hannon. “You know, without hope you don’t have anything. And like I said, my wife just started chemo, and this week was the first shot, and she has quite a few more. They’re hoping by December things will look a little better. So, with Saint Ann’s help, hopefully everything will be okay.”
People listened to the service in the Nave, outside in tents or in lawn chairs, and even in cars.
“It does make things a lot easier for us, especially with the heat,” said Jane Decker, a longtime parishioner at St. Ann’s who listened to the Novena in her car due to her being handicapped. “And you never know what the weather’s going to do. It always rains during Novena.”
St. Anne, the Virgin Mary’s mother, is the patron saint of grandparents, mothers, homemakers, educators, women in labor, coal miners, and more, and for the clergy at St. Ann’s, the Novena is a time not only to connect to the saints and to God, but also to one another.
“It’s not simply an individual kind of prayer,” said Father Burke. “It’s an individual prayer in the context of a communal prayer. A communal prayer that’s found on the foundation of their devotion to St. Anne.”
Saturday is only the second day of the nine-day Novena, and St. Ann’s is hosting special services and blessing all week until the finale of the Feast of St. Anne on the 26th.