Grandparents are blessed: Reflections for the Memorial of Saints Joachim and Anne

Each year on July 26, the Church celebrates the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the grandparents of our Lord Jesus Christ.

This is more than just a day on the liturgical calendar; it is a celebration of the profound role grandparents can play in the lives of their families and in the history of salvation itself.

For me, this feast day resonates deeply.

As a grandmother, pro-life advocate, and someone who treasures the sacredness of every human life, I feel a special kinship with Saints Joachim and Anne. Like them, I see the vocation of grandparenting as a sacred duty to pass on the faith, to nurture holiness, and to prepare future generations to say “yes” to God’s call, just as their daughter Mary once did.

We come to understand the deep joy, responsibility, and grace of being a grandparent only by becoming one, as I did for the first time 32 years ago. And while I am far from alone on that journey, the most remarkable models for us as grandparents are undoubtedly Saints Joachim and Anne.

While Sacred Scripture offers little direct information about them, their story has been cherished in Christian tradition, passed down through ancient texts like the Protoevangelium of James, and honored in Catholic devotion for centuries. More importantly, their legacy is reflected in the life of their daughter, Mary.

As one author beautifully observed, their “heroism and holiness”

is inferred from the whole family atmosphere around Mary in the Scriptures. Whether we rely on the legends about Mary’s childhood or make guesses from the information in the Bible, we see in her a fulfillment of many generations of prayerful persons, herself steeped in the religious traditions of her people.

The strong character of Mary in making decisions, her continuous practice of prayer, her devotion to the laws of her faith, her steadiness at moments of crisis, and her devotion to her relatives—all indicate a close-knit, loving family that looked forward to the next generation even while retaining the best of the past.

Mary’s strong character, her devotion to God, her prayerful spirit, and her courage in crisis all point to a nurturing, faith-filled home—one shaped by parents who passed on both tradition and trust in God. That home was created by Joachim and Anne, and through them, we glimpse the spiritual lineage that prepared Mary to say “yes” to God.

Their example sets a high bar for every grandparent, but as my dearly departed husband Paul used to say, “We are up to the challenge if we simply do the very best we can.”

That is our daily prayer and quiet mission: to love, to guide, and to help form the faith of our grandchildren, just as Joachim and Anne once did.

I know from personal experience that a grandparent’s love—patient, prayerful, and persistent—can be a guiding light. It becomes our calling to teach by example, to affirm the uniqueness of each grandchild, and to put love of life and love of Christ first in our hearts and homes.

As we celebrate Saints Joachim and Anne this July, may we offer prayers of gratitude not only for the gift of our own grandchildren but for the legacy of holiness these saints passed on through their daughter Mary and ultimately to the Savior of the world.

Saints Joachim and Anne, pray for us. Help us to love, guide, and bless our families as you did your daughter, Mary. Amen.