The St. Anna Group is a fellowship particularly for the mothers and elder women of the parish, though it’s open to all adult women who wish to join (many are also CWA members, but this group focuses more on prayer and family support). Named after St. Anne (mother of the Virgin Mary), the group emphasizes family values, passing on the faith to the next generation, and mutual support among women.
They gather monthly for a time of prayer (often praying for their children and grandchildren to remain in or return to the faith) and sharing wisdom on family matters. They may discuss topics such as handling conflicts in marriage, dealing with the challenges of modern parenting, or how to be a good mother-in-law – drawing on both Christian teaching and their own life experiences. St. Anna members have been crucial in promoting family prayer; for instance, they distribute rosaries and prayers for families and encourage younger families to have prayer time at home.
This group also has a strong charitable wing: they quietly identify struggling families in the parish – perhaps a single mother with many kids, or an elderly person with no support – and rally to provide assistance (groceries, school uniform for a child, etc.). On the Feast of the Nativity of Mary (September 8) – which is like a mother-daughter feast – the St. Anna group usually hosts a special Rosary or a mother-daughter event in the parish, symbolizing passing the faith from one generation to the next. Their patron, St. Anne, is their inspiration to persevere in faith and to guide the young with love, just as she raised Mary who in turn raised Jesus. In short, the St. Anna Women’s Group is the praying heartbeat of the parish, ensuring the chain of faith remains unbroken in our families.
(Coordinator: [Name]; Chaplain: one of the Jesuit priests or Sr. Mary)