Grandparents Apostolate

The Grandparents Apostolate of Saints Joachim and Anne is committed to helping grandparents to live holy lives; and to plant seeds of faith, hope and love in the lives of their grandchildren.
 
Entrusting themselves and their families to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary, members live in prayerful hope that their grandchildren will grow up to be men and women who are deeply rooted and built up in Jesus Christ; and that they will be reunited with their grandchildren in heaven someday.

Grandparents Apostolate was launched in order to:

• Support and encourage grandparents in their vocation
• Provide opportunities for enrichment and to encourage each other in passing on the faith

• Pray a rosary weekly. (A group rosary is prayed on Tuesdays after the 8:15 AM Mass in the Marian Chapel (pictured above).
• Pray a weekly Holy Hour for their grandchildren and all children of the world
• Engage in opportunities to deepen their knowledge of the Church's teaching
• Endeavor to be a good Christian Witness to family and community
• Strive to be a positive presence in the life of grandchildren
• Support and encourage each other in living the vocation of grandparenthood and the mission of the Apostolate

Following a gathering of grandparents on Tuesday, July 26, 2011, the tradtional feast day of Sts. Joachim and Anne, the Grandparents Apostolate (GA) was inaugurated on November 9, 2011.

The Apostolate was co-founded by Fr. Joseph Bambenek (the Parochial Vicar of the Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church from July 2010-2012) and Lilee Perera ( a parishioner). The founding planning team members (from July 2011 to July 2012) were: Lilee Perera, Sharon Altman, Nancy Barrett and Donna Commack with Fr. Bambenek as the Spiritual Advisor.

Barbara Wollan joined Lilee in July 2012 on the Planning Team with Fr. Mark Joppa as the Spiritual Advisor, replacing Fr. Bambenek. Barbara served on the planning team for three years. Thereafter, Ruth Link, Mary Jean Loomis, and Dan Strub served in the planning team, with Fr. John Powers as spiritual advisor. 

Present planning team members are: Dan Strub, Colleen Dobie, Judy Regnier, and Lilee with Fr. Nick Hagen (pictured) as the Spiritual Advisor. 

Since the first gathering, the GA has held 28 events with a total of 332 participants. This number includes 216 grandparents from 48 neighboring parishes attending different events. 

One hundred and fifty-five grandparents have enrolled as members of the Granparents Apostolate to date, praying for and dedicating themselves to their 959 collective grandchildren and 58 great-grandchildren.

Events have covered the following themes:

• Lovingly passing on the faith
• Cooperating with our children in teaching the truth about human sexuality
• Grandparents: keepers and teachers of our faith
• Passing on the faith in an electronic age
• A unique painting of the Immaculate Conception and its background story
• Living a holy life as a witness to all
• Generational healing
• Indulgences
• Encouraging strong faith and vocational discernment
• Strengthening the family through biblical watchmen
• Influencing the life of children and grandchildren in practical ways
• How the Church Saved Me
• Family Traditions in the Way of Perfection
• Grandparents Influence is Needed, Now More than Ever
• Consoling the Heart of Jesus
• Fatima - A Message for the Childlike of Heart
• Becoming a Beacon of Love
• The Gifts Grandparents Bestow in Faith
• Power of Faith and Love and Divine Mercy in the Life of Faith-filled grandparents
• Listening to the Holy Spirit with Saints Joachim and Anne
• Walking Together to Christ

• Kathy Laird
• Paul Cernohous
• Dia Boyle
• Angela Neumann
• Fr. Troy Przybilla
• Deacon Mike Thoennes
• Judy Cozzens
• Deacon Russ Kocemba
• Fr. Joseph Bambenek
• Fr. John Klockeman
• Fr. Lenny Andrie
• Ms. Mary McClure
• Fr. John Powers
• Ms. Mary Ann Kuhaski
• Fr. Alvaro Perez
• Fr. James Stiles
• Ms. Jean Stolpestad
• Fr. Allen R. Kuss
• Fr. Steven Hoffman
• Fr. James Peterson
• Fr. Nick Hagen
• Seminarian Mike Reinhardt

Feast Day Event | Monday, July 26, 2021

On Monday, July 26, 2021, Grandparents Apostolate celebrated the Feast of Ss. Joachim and Anne, its Tenth Anniversary, and World Day for Grandparents and Elders as promulgated by Pope Francis. 
 
Over 50 grandparents from Nativity and neighboring parishes joined in the celebration. It was a wonderful event of fellowship, enrichment, encouragement, and prayer, highlighted by a presentation by the Rev. Fr. Joseph Bambenek, Assistant Director of the St. Paul and Minneapolis Archdiocesan Synod and Co-Founder of the Grandparents Apostolate.
 
Fr. Bambenek encouraged grandparents to be faithful to their prayer life and offered a presentation on The Archdiocesan Synod: Shaping the Local Church to Form Our Grandchildren. He also encouraged the grandparents to participate in the upcoming synod discussion gatherings in their parishes.


Feast Day Event | Sunday, July 26, 2020



All were invited to join the Grandparents Apostolate of Saints Joachim and Anne and tune into a special live-streamed 11:00 AM Mass on Sunday, July 26 — the ninth anniversary of the apostolate as well as the traditional feast of Saints Joachim and Anne.

While the original plans for this celebration have had to be indefinitely postponed, Fr. Nick Hagen — chaplain of the Grandparents Apostolate — offered an address of encouragement to the grandparents following the distribution of Holy Communion after Mass and gave them a special blessing.


Feast Day Event | Friday, July 26, 2019
Fr. Nick Hagen, parochial vicar at Nativity and spiritual advisor of the Grandparents Apostolate, presented, "Listening to the Holy Spirit with Saints Joachim and Anne" for the feast of Saints Joachim and Anne.

On Monday, April 29, 2019, Fr. James Peterson of Immaculate Conception presented Divine Mercy in the Life of a 21st Century Grandparent.

On October 23, 2018, Rev. Fr. Steven Hoffman, pastor of St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Mendota,  presented The Power of Faith and Love.

On July 25, 2018, Rev. Fr. Allen R. Kuss, Director of Pastoral Formation and Teaching Parish Program and frequent celebrant at Nativity of Our Lord, will present The Gifts that Grandparents Bestow in Faith.

Jean Stolpestad (pictured at right) is the Director of the Office of Marriage, Family, and Life for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis. On  April 25, 2018 she presented " Being a Beacon of Love: Living in Faith, Hope and Charity" in Steiner Hall.


On Wednesday, October 25, 2017 the Rev. Fr. James Stiles (pictured at left), Parochial Vicar of St. Odilia Church (pictured), presented  Fatima, a Message for the Childlike of Heart.


On July 27, 2015 Nativity's Grandparents Apostolate celebrated the feast day of its patron saints Joachim and Anne. A time of enrichment, encouragement, prayer, and fellowship was highlighted by a presentation by the Rev. Joseph Bambeneck, Pastor of St. Pius X Parish in White Bear Lake entitled Being a Nurturing, Encouraging Grandparent.