St. Joachim and St. Anne are the parents of Mary, the Blessed Mother of Jesus. Each year the Church venerates them on July 26th. Tradition holds that they struggled with infertility for decades. Infertility quite often resulted in couples being shunned and scorned by their family, friends and neighbors.

After years of longing for a child, undeterred in his faith, St. Joachim went into the wilderness to fast and pray for a child. Saint Anne remained home, donning garments of mourning, weeping to God because she was childless. A servant girl reminded St. Anne to put her trust in God. St. Anne washed away her tears, donned her bridal clothes and went into her garden to pray to God for a child.

God sent His messengers to St. Joachim in the wilderness and to St. Anne in the garden. The angels promised them that in spite of their old age, they would give birth to a child that would be known throughout the world. Spirits lifted, St. Joachim and St. Anne rushed to each other, meeting at the Jerusalem Golden Gate, rejoicing in the child that God promised would be born to them.

St. Joachim and St. Anne are great intercessors for married couples, expectant mothers and married couples struggling with infertility. They are also patron saints of grandparents.

Join us in praying this novena over the next nine days for the sanctity of marriage and family life according to God’s design and for couples struggling with infertility.

Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us!