Director of Faith and Mission

This Friday we remember the feast day of the Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of Mary and grandparents of Jesus.

This saintly couple, parents to Mary and grandparents to Jesus, are well-known role models for married couples. In fact, they're one of the few married couples who are saints in the Catholic Church. We don't know many details about Sts.  Anne and Joachim, as the only stories about them come from an old gospel called the Protoevangelium of James, dating back to the 4th Century AD.  According to this document, after years of not having children, an angel appeared to Anne and Joachim, telling them they would have a child.  Regardless of the exact details, we can assume that Mary was raised in a devout Jewish home, faithful to God and the religious traditions of her time, leading her to respond to God with faith, “Let it be done to me as you will.”  

Joachim and Anne didn't just raise a sinless daughter; they also ended up with a perfect grandson! With such holiness in their family, they could have felt spiritually inferior. However, by all accounts, Joachim and Anne handled their parenting duties with grace. Their feast day on July 26 is a time to honor them and all grandparents for their contributions to our lives.

Some thoughts from a new Grandparent

I believe children do best in life when their sense of identity is deeply rooted in the best that their family history has to offer, including its faith tradition.  Generally grandparents are the keepers of the family history, and the foundation of cherished family traditions.  We are also the ones who know the funny and embarrassing stories about mum and dad and have the time to retell them to eager listeners!  

I can still vividly recall the moment I saw our second born opening the front door with his first born in his arms.  We had waited two months to meet our first grandchild due to the COVID restrictions in 2020.  Of course, we had met him on Facetime but to see him in the flesh was amazing.  To hold him and think that this special package was part of my blood. Things would forever be different!  Besides now having a whole new generation, we had to get our head around the fact we had someone special in common with another couple, who we were just getting to know as the parents of the new babe.  We were now co-grandparents!  After half a life time of nurturing and walking with our own 4 children, it is almost like sitting in the back seat of the family bus as the younger drivers navigate the perils and joys of parenthood. And gee, isn't parenting different nowadays! 

As the grand-parent we have to walk that thin line between sharing our experience/advice and holding our tongue.  But one of the big differences in being a passenger-grandparent, is that the journey seems far less tricky but more joyful.”  

A Prayer For Grandparents 

Dear God, 

Please bless all grand parents.  

Thank you for the life they gave through our parents and ourselves.  

For the ways they help us and make us strong, we give thanks.  

For the ways they love us no matter what, we rejoice.  

For the ways they have paved the road that leads us here, we are grateful. 

Let them grow in wisdom and joy in life.  

Let them find peace and rest from their work.  

Let them be healed of every sickness and pain.  

And let them see with their own eyes the glory of your Son, Jesus, in the love of their children and grand children.  

Bless them always until they come to rest in you.  

We ask this through Christ our Lord.  

Amen. 

Mrs Rochelle Gough

rochelle.gough@smseymour.catholic.edu.au