Dear Friend of Saint Ann Shrine,
BIRTHDAYS ARE FOR CELEBRATING LIFE!
Happy Birthday, Mary! Every year on September 8th, the Church celebrates the birthday of Mary, the mother of Jesus our Savior. If anyone ever made a difference, Mary surely did! The poet William Wordsworth said it so beautifully: “Mother, whose virgin bosom was uncrost with the least shade of thought to sin allied. Woman, above all women glorified, our tainted nature’s solitary boast!” Mary was conceived immaculate through the power of God and the married love of her parents Ann and Joachim. So as the Church celebrates the birthday of Mary every year, we also thank her loving parents for raising their daughter as a devout and prayerful Hebrew woman, with a heart always open to God’s will in her life. By happy coincidence, it so happens that September 8th of this year, we also celebrate Grandparents Day, a day to remember the important role they play in raising grandchildren to know and love Jesus.
September 8th is also a kind of spiritual birthday for many of the priests and brothers in the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament because on that day we pronounced the vows of Religious Life, poverty, chastity, and obedience for the first time. We consecrated our life to God and in service to the Church to spread the knowledge and love of Jesus in the Eucharist to the world. For me, especially, September 8, 2024 marks my 72nd year of religious profession, so kindly say a prayer of thanksgiving for me.
As you may know, Saint Ann Shrine is part of the Mission Advancement Office of our religious congregation and is dedicated to raising funds for the continuing education of our present and future members, and for the increasing health care costs of our aging religious. As chaplain of Saint Ann Shrine, a Liturgy or Mass is celebrated at 11:30 am Monday – Friday. We pray for the sick and dying, and for the special intentions of our donors and friends. Thank you for praying with us and for supporting our ministries with your generosity.
Yours in the Spirit of Good Saint Ann,
Father Roger Bourgeois, SSS
Chaplain
Throughout 2025, the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament will be celebrating 125 years of service in the United States. We invite you to join us at any of our celebrations across the country. Please contact Scott Gongos at 440-449-2700 or sgongos@blessedsacrament.com for more details or if you’d like to meet with Scott while we celebrate!
Monday, January 6, 2025 Eglise Saint Jean Baptiste Cardinal Dolan, Presiding
5:30 pm Eucharist New York, NY Reception following
Wednesday, March 19, 2025 Saint Joseph Downtown Archbishop Gustavo,
5:30 pm Eucharist San Antonio, TX Presiding
Saturday, April 26, 2025 St. Charles Borromeo
TBD Albuquerque, NM
Saturday, June 21, 2025 Corpus Christi Cardinal DiNardo, Presiding
5:00 pm Eucharist Houston, TX
Thursday, August 7, 2025 Saint Paschal Baylon Bishop Malesic, Presiding
4:30 pm Eucharist Highland Heights, OH
Friday, August 15, 2025 Saint Mary
12:15 PM Eucharist Menasha, WI
Tuesday, December 9, 2025 Bethany Center Bishop Saint Petersburg,
5:00 pm Eucharist Lutz, FL Presiding
*We invite you and your group to join us at Saint Ann Shrine for Daily Mass at 11:30AM, Monday-Friday (call for Holy Days and Holidays).
*The Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament offers a daily reflection. If you’d like to receive this uplifting message, send an email to cee@blessedsacrament.com.
*Your loved ones can be remembered during Mass at Saint Ann Shrine. Call 440-449-2700 for details.
*Our Blessed Sacrament religious in Bethany and at Regina Health Center pray for you daily. Please let us know of any special intentions you’d like us to remember. The Blessed Sacrament Community supports you in prayer and Eucharist. You can submit your prayer though our website and request a candle to be lit for your special intentions at www.blessedsacrament.com/st-ann-shrine/.
*We no longer have Blessed Oil available at Saint Ann Shrine. However, we do still have Holy Water available for a donation. Contact Saint Ann Shrine at 440-449-2700 or visit our website at www.blessedsacrament.com/st-ann-shrine/.
*Please ask your employer if they support a matching gift program and your donation may be doubled!
*We ask you to consider becoming a member of our Legacy Society by naming Saint Ann Shrine or the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament in your will. For more information, please contact Scott Gongos, Director of Mission Advancement, at 440-449-2700 or sgongos@blessedsacrament.com.
*You may also consider donating gifts of stock. Depending on the stock’s current value, you may avoid capital gains tax or deduct the loss in value while donating the proceeds of the sale to the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament. Consult your financial advisor for the most advantageous opportunities for you.
*Be sure to “Like” St. Ann Shrine on Facebook!
*If you are 70 ½ years of age or older, you can support Saint Ann Shrine or the Congregation of the Blessed Sacrament through distributions from your Individual Retirement Account (IRA). Your IRA Charitable Rollover Gift may satisfy your annual required minimum distribution and reduce your taxable income. Consult your financial advisor for the most advantageous opportunities for you.
*Have any unused office supply gift cards lying around that you don’t have a use for? Consider donating them to Saint Ann Shrine and the Blessed Sacrament so we may purchase our office supplies! Thank you for thinking of us!
