"Good St. Anne"

Nihil Obstat: William J. Blacet, J.C.L.
Censor Librorum
Imprimatur: +J. John P. Cody, S.T.D.
Bishop of Kansas City-St. Joseph
December 4, 1957

Originally published by the Benedictine Convent of Perpetual Adoration, Clyde, Missouri in 1958. Revised edition published in 1963. Retypeset and re-published by TAN Books and Publishers, Inc. in 1998. Updates and additions made to information on shrines by the Publisher, 1998.

 
St. Anne Obtains a Happy Death for Her Clients
 

   As the Blessed Virgin revealed, St. Anne obtains for her clients the grace of a happy death. A priest tells of this experience of St. Anne's power:

   "While I was assistant pastor in the parish of X, I was aroused one night by the ringing of the door bell. A stately woman, a stranger to me, called up the stairs: 'Father, please go quickly and take the Blessed Sacrament to a servant in a house upon the hill, for she will not live through the night. The sexton is waiting for you in the church.'

   "The sexton had been awakened by the same person. I took the Blessed Sacrament, and we  started for the house. An hour later we arrived. To our great surprise, we found the house locked, and nowhere a sound or a light. We knocked at the door, but when it was opened, no one knew anything of a servant being ill there, so we concluded that some person, wishing to make light of us, had deceived us. However, in order that I would not need to return with the Blessed Sacrament, one of the servants declared her readiness to go to Confession and to receive Holy Communion. Her suggestion was readily accepted. During her Confession, she began to feel indisposed. She finished her Confession and received Holy Communion. Before long her condition became worse, and she was obliged to go to bed. Soon it was evident that her end was near. I administered Extreme Unction and imparted the indulgence for the dying. Scarcely had this been done when the servant died.

    "About her bed hung pictures of many Saints, among which was a large decorated representation of St. Anne. 'This servant,' said the inmates of the house, 'practiced special devotion to St. Anne. In her honor she abstained from milk every Tuesday.' I have no doubt that the woman who called the sexton and myself was none other than St. Anne, who obtained for her client this last great favor." Let us practice special devotion to St. Anne in order to obtain a happy death, upon which depends our happiness for all eternity.

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