Why become a member of the Community of Saint Anna?

Christian tradition affirms that each member of the community provides essential blessings for all (I Cor 12:22). In our fast-paced contemporary world, however, the gifts of wisdom, emotional support, and kindness offered by women are sometimes underestimated and overlooked.

Although all Christians are called to pray for one another, each member of the Community of Saint Anna dedicates her time, love, and energy to this task in a special manner as a religious vocation. With life experiences that have equipped her to pray about all the circumstances of life, no matter how painful, foolish, or far from God they seem, she embraces a ministry of prayer for all, nurtured and freely given.

The Community of Saint Anna provides a religious association for single women to support each other in their efforts to follow Jesus by offering these gifts to others as appropriate to their circumstances. Through these efforts, we hope to reflect the compassion and understanding of God for all – without exclusions – and become transformed by His love, for it is Christ himself who inspires each of us to do our part to build the body of Christ (Ephesians 4:13-4:16). 

If these aspirations resonate with you, we invite you to consider a vocation as a member of the Community of Saint Anna.

What are the requirements for becoming a member of the Community of Saint Anna?

An Anna is:

• a woman who is unmarried and has no responsibilities that could be neglected by her dedication to this ministry. Annulments are not needed for divorced Catholic women seeking membership.

• a woman who is committed to Jesus as the compassionate, merciful, and understanding Son of God and seeks to deepen her relationship with him.
   
• a woman who prays and receives spiritual support with a faith community on a regular basis in whatever mode is feasible in her situation. 

• a woman whose religious faith is compatible with values of of listening with the ear of the heart, prayer, ongoing conversion, balance, and peace as described in the Rule of St. Benedict and the values of gentleness and confidence in God’s everlasting love, as described by St. Jane de Chantal and other Christian models. 
   
• a woman of any age who has enough life experience to accept the truth that every person, including herself, “has fallen short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23), that we all make mistakes, and all of us need the understanding, kindness, and mercy of others.
   
• a woman with the maturity and desire to listen to the needs of people with wisdom, patience, and compassion, reserving judgment to God alone.
   
• a woman who is willing to participate in the building of the Community of Saint Anna through technology in regular Internet meetings and personal contacts, where practical. 
   
• a woman who is willing to adopt the intercessory prayer and compassionate listening practices of the Community, and is willing to identify herself as an Anna by dress or other means, as appropriate.
   
• a woman who performs responsibly in her work, family, and social environments and has the time and energy to fulfill these obligations as a member of the Community of Saint Anna. 

Does this description resonate within you? If it does, please contact us. We are confident that God, who will not be outdone in generosity, will lavish blessings on all who pray for others as well as those for whom we pray, whether known to us or to God alone.

Like dandelion seeds that entrust themselves to the wind, we lift our hearts to God.

The Members of the Community of Saint Anna

Welcome to the Community of Saint Anna.

If you are interested in learning more about the Community of Saint Anna, please email us at community.saint.anna@gmail.com.