The following is Fr. Dennis’ homily for the Feast of Sts. Anne & Joachim, given at the closing novena Mass at St. Anne Shrine in Fiskdale, MA, this past Monday. The Assumptionists have ministered at the shrine and parish since 1955.

I may not be the best person to talk about grandparents, since I knew none of my own grandparents. When I was born, both of my parents were over 40. What I heard growing up was that I was an afterthought (that was a nice way of saying that I was a mistake) and by that time my grandparents had all passed. I trust that they were interceding for me. 

But this shouldn’t disqualify me entirely. This is a celebration of grandparents and the elderly. And if you wait long enough, you can speak from personal experience about the elderly, if not grandparents. I’m 73 years old. By anyone’s fair measure, despite my stupid denials, that makes me elderly. Get over it, Dennis.

Read more...