- Mon Jul 13, 2009 10:49 pm
#136260
July 26 is again the Novena of Saint Anne celebrated all week at St Ann's Basilica in Scranton, PA. If any of you are interested in going, She is the patron saint of coal miners and the loving mother of our dear lady. I am so looking forward to my pilgrimage in 2 weeks to this lovely holy place. What better way to hono our Lady than to honor Her mother, St Ann.
The History of Saint Ann:
Bishop Michael Hoban invited the Passionists into the diocese of Scranton
and even chose, the Roundwoods section in southwest Scranton as the best place for them to build a residence and church. He said emphatically, "The Round woods is the place for you." At that time the area formed a heavily wooded plateau high above the city. It was a favorite place for picnics and evening strolls in the cool mountain air. Diagrams of underlying coal mines with affidavits by competent engineers assured beyond any reasonable doubt there would be no subsidence due to the mines.
So Bishop Hoban and Passionist Father Fidelis Kent Stone came to West Scranton on September 8th, 1902 to look at the plot. It was the day the Church celebrated St. Ann giving birth to her daughter Holy Mary. In a few weeks the Passionists purchased a ten acre plot from the Lackawanna Railroad. The Superior of the Passionists said the new monastery to be built should be called "St Andrew's Monastery", but one of his advisors suggested naming the retreat in honor of St Ann as a delicate compliment to Mary and her mother. "Saint Ann will take care of her own", he prophesied. And "Saint Ann" became the name of the new retreat.
A little more than a month later, on October 22nd, the Passionists moved into a rented cottage on Sloan Street near Main Ave. On all souls day, November 2, 1902 the people came to Mass for the first time at St. Ann's cottage chapel. A temporary Church was built, just in time for Christmas, at the corner of South Main avenue and Sloan Street.
About a year after first coming to the Roundwoods area, on September 6, 1903, the Passionists laid the corner stone for their new retreat of St Ann.
A year and a half later, in March, 1905 nine Passionists moved into their
new home.(March 25-7,1905)
Six years passed, when on the morning of August 15, 1911 the Passionists suddenly noticed signs of serious disturbance underneath the property caused by subsidence of the underlying coal mines. A huge slide seriously damaged the entire building. The disastrous movement continued for a week and the monastery had to be evacuated. Experts feared the total destruction of Saint Ann's. The conviction grew that nothing but the special protection of "good Saint Ann" could save the building. Some people said, "If the Fathers don't have a saint in heaven able to save the monastery, they should give up". The Fathers replied: "Saint Ann will take care of her own". Engineers inspected the situation and reported that the subsidence was over and every-
thing secure and safe.
Less than 2 years later, and two days after the feast of Saint Ann, on
July 28th 1913, came another scare. A mining expert called the Monastery saying the worst squeeze known in local mining history had just taken place and that it was not safe for anyone to stay in the building. A great slide was carrying the entire Round Woods area to the east. The whole hill was going and nothing on earth could save the monastery. It was doomed to collapse. The next morning mining experts were shocked to discover that the mighty slide had suddenly stopped, turned back, and actually settled solidly directly under the monastery. The great fissures were closed by the impact of the slide which actually saved Saint Ann's. One expert, Mr James Reagan, said it was a miracle: "The Lord Almighty through the prayer of Saint Ann had done more that night for the monastery than all the engineers in the world could ever do!"
A generous group of citizens got together to help repair Saint Ann's
which was rededicated on Sunday July, 22, 1916, in a magnificent citywideoutdoor celebration on the monastery grounds.
Father Nicholas Ward, was an intelligent, holy priest with an exceptional devotion to Saint Ann. Often he predicted that Saint Ann's monastery would in time be a place of public pilgrimage, a Shrine, to which people would flock. He died at Saint Ann's in 1922. After his death, devotion to Saint Ann greatly increased. Some of the priests felt he had interceded before the throne of God for the people of Scranton.
On Nov.3, 1924 the first public devotions in honor of Saint Ann were
begun in the little chapel on the first floor of the monastery. Week after
week larger congregations came to the services. By the spring of 1925 novena devotions had to be held outdoors in a tent. Father John Joseph Endler was the priest raised up by God at this time to establish Saint Ann's monastery as a place of public pilgrimage and devotion to Saint Ann. Finally, on April 2nd, 1929 the faithful novena supporters rejoiced to see the dedication of the present-day Saint Ann's monastery Church.
The history of the monastery and novena shows that the hand of God has made Saint Ann's a holy place where prayers are heard and answered. During that very first year, novena advocates wrote close to four thousand letters of thanksgiving for favors granted by the prayers of Saint Ann. The first novena to St Ann of Scranton began in the small monastery chapel back in 1905. On Nov. 3, 1924 the novena was open to the public for
the first time. Six months later 17,000 pilgrims were coming to the novena.
Since then hundreds of thousands of people have come to be blessed with the relic of Saint Ann. At the present time there is not a shrine of Saint Ann in the world that receives as many pilgrims on her feast-day as Saint Ann of Scranton.
The website is :
www.themass.org/novena.htm
The History of Saint Ann:
Bishop Michael Hoban invited the Passionists into the diocese of Scranton
and even chose, the Roundwoods section in southwest Scranton as the best place for them to build a residence and church. He said emphatically, "The Round woods is the place for you." At that time the area formed a heavily wooded plateau high above the city. It was a favorite place for picnics and evening strolls in the cool mountain air. Diagrams of underlying coal mines with affidavits by competent engineers assured beyond any reasonable doubt there would be no subsidence due to the mines.
So Bishop Hoban and Passionist Father Fidelis Kent Stone came to West Scranton on September 8th, 1902 to look at the plot. It was the day the Church celebrated St. Ann giving birth to her daughter Holy Mary. In a few weeks the Passionists purchased a ten acre plot from the Lackawanna Railroad. The Superior of the Passionists said the new monastery to be built should be called "St Andrew's Monastery", but one of his advisors suggested naming the retreat in honor of St Ann as a delicate compliment to Mary and her mother. "Saint Ann will take care of her own", he prophesied. And "Saint Ann" became the name of the new retreat.
A little more than a month later, on October 22nd, the Passionists moved into a rented cottage on Sloan Street near Main Ave. On all souls day, November 2, 1902 the people came to Mass for the first time at St. Ann's cottage chapel. A temporary Church was built, just in time for Christmas, at the corner of South Main avenue and Sloan Street.
About a year after first coming to the Roundwoods area, on September 6, 1903, the Passionists laid the corner stone for their new retreat of St Ann.
A year and a half later, in March, 1905 nine Passionists moved into their
new home.(March 25-7,1905)
Six years passed, when on the morning of August 15, 1911 the Passionists suddenly noticed signs of serious disturbance underneath the property caused by subsidence of the underlying coal mines. A huge slide seriously damaged the entire building. The disastrous movement continued for a week and the monastery had to be evacuated. Experts feared the total destruction of Saint Ann's. The conviction grew that nothing but the special protection of "good Saint Ann" could save the building. Some people said, "If the Fathers don't have a saint in heaven able to save the monastery, they should give up". The Fathers replied: "Saint Ann will take care of her own". Engineers inspected the situation and reported that the subsidence was over and every-
thing secure and safe.
Less than 2 years later, and two days after the feast of Saint Ann, on
July 28th 1913, came another scare. A mining expert called the Monastery saying the worst squeeze known in local mining history had just taken place and that it was not safe for anyone to stay in the building. A great slide was carrying the entire Round Woods area to the east. The whole hill was going and nothing on earth could save the monastery. It was doomed to collapse. The next morning mining experts were shocked to discover that the mighty slide had suddenly stopped, turned back, and actually settled solidly directly under the monastery. The great fissures were closed by the impact of the slide which actually saved Saint Ann's. One expert, Mr James Reagan, said it was a miracle: "The Lord Almighty through the prayer of Saint Ann had done more that night for the monastery than all the engineers in the world could ever do!"
A generous group of citizens got together to help repair Saint Ann's
which was rededicated on Sunday July, 22, 1916, in a magnificent citywideoutdoor celebration on the monastery grounds.
Father Nicholas Ward, was an intelligent, holy priest with an exceptional devotion to Saint Ann. Often he predicted that Saint Ann's monastery would in time be a place of public pilgrimage, a Shrine, to which people would flock. He died at Saint Ann's in 1922. After his death, devotion to Saint Ann greatly increased. Some of the priests felt he had interceded before the throne of God for the people of Scranton.
On Nov.3, 1924 the first public devotions in honor of Saint Ann were
begun in the little chapel on the first floor of the monastery. Week after
week larger congregations came to the services. By the spring of 1925 novena devotions had to be held outdoors in a tent. Father John Joseph Endler was the priest raised up by God at this time to establish Saint Ann's monastery as a place of public pilgrimage and devotion to Saint Ann. Finally, on April 2nd, 1929 the faithful novena supporters rejoiced to see the dedication of the present-day Saint Ann's monastery Church.
The history of the monastery and novena shows that the hand of God has made Saint Ann's a holy place where prayers are heard and answered. During that very first year, novena advocates wrote close to four thousand letters of thanksgiving for favors granted by the prayers of Saint Ann. The first novena to St Ann of Scranton began in the small monastery chapel back in 1905. On Nov. 3, 1924 the novena was open to the public for
the first time. Six months later 17,000 pilgrims were coming to the novena.
Since then hundreds of thousands of people have come to be blessed with the relic of Saint Ann. At the present time there is not a shrine of Saint Ann in the world that receives as many pilgrims on her feast-day as Saint Ann of Scranton.
The website is :
www.themass.org/novena.htm
"Believe that I shall be your true little sister for all eternity." St Therese spoke My God, I love you.
I love my spiritual children as much as my own soul, and even more....Padre Pio
Judy
I love my spiritual children as much as my own soul, and even more....Padre Pio
Judy
