Your thumb is nearest you.  So begin your prayers by praying for those closest to you, your family and friends.  They are the easiest to remember.

The next finger is the pointing finger.  Pray for those who care for others.  This includes teachers, doctors, ministers, priests, firefighters, peace officers, and caregivers.  They need wisdom and support in pointing others in the right direction.

The next finger is the tallest finger.  It reminds us of our leaders.  Pray for the President, leaders in business, government, industry, and administrators.  These people shape our nation and guide public opinioin.  They need God's guidance.

The fourth finger is our weak finger.  Pray for those who are weak, in trouble, those who are suffering, grieving, and for those who have no one to pray for them.

And lastly comes our little finger -- the smallest finger of all, which is where we should place ourselves in relation to God and others.  As the Bible says, "The least shall be the greatest among you."  Your pinkie should remind you to pray for yourself.  By the time you have prayed for the other four groups, your own needs will be put into proper perspective and you will be able to pray for yourself more effectively.

• Our prayer group and family members
• Christian friends -- Catholic and Protestant
• Edwarda O'Bara -- in a coma since 16.  Her mother saw a vision of the Blessed Mother in her room.  We sent three chaplets and asked for one to be in the room and returned to our prayer community. In 2007 she is now awakening slowly... at over 50 years of age.
• Cancer patients found healing and peace
• Soldier going to war
• Three naval academy students on different occasions as spiritual gifts of hope, faith and encouragement as they pursue their studies and dreams.
• Grieving mother for her son found peace
• Child who had named her unborn sister "Faith"
• Couple who renewed their vows at jubilee anniversary
• Scared woman given courage
• Dying man had faith and peace
• Our Parish Priest -- at thanksgiving Mass for priests
• Missionary given encouragement
• To our Parochial Vicar, before traveling home overseas, instead of the beads of St Anne we gave a Rosary from Medjugore brought back by parishioners who had journeyed there on a pilgrammage
• Visiting priest who loved the rosary was thrilled with the beads of St Anne
• Ill man and his family were given courage from the prayers and beads
• Nun at Newman Center
• Firefighter Dan Haverty, who donated part of his liver to Bishop William Weigand
• Peace brought to various ministry leaders through parish
• Protestant Chaplain who almost died -- guided by the Holy Spirit, he continues his calling
• Spiritual gift for an at-risk older pregnant woman -- her husband called the day of the baby's birth with praise and thanksgiving for the prayers.  While praying the rosary in thanksgiving, our Blessed Mother shared the name of the baby with the giver of the chaplet.  The little boy is now two years old.
• Gift for young, pregnant, unwed, asthmatic mother -- baby and mother doing well
• Spiritual gifts at Christmas for interfaith Christians and an agnostic -- as time has continued, many have asked for prayers for friends and family
• Family seeking a home only had a week to find a home to rent, after the father and mother found work in a new town so they could work together. Prayers of thanksgiving when a nice home was found where there was room for the children to play.
• With a friend in Washington at her bedside when she went to our Lord - her husband found peace
• After her home burned, an elderly woman found her chaplet saved in the rubble.  She continues to pray and have a positive outlook.
• A woman in her late 30's journeying to California from Quebec was given the beads as a gift of love. Later she miscarried early in her pregnancy and found great comfort with prayer of the beads, although she had not been a practicing her Catholic faith for many years. The Holy Spirit knew she would need prayer to help her with her loss. A year later she was blessed with a daughter... whom she named Faith.
• A woman fighting breast cancer, supported by family and friends received chaplet at the end of the Making Strides Against Breast Cancer walk, cried tears of joy crossing the finish line. After listening with everyone who supported her about the prayers said it was very special and she was very touched. She said she would "wear" the chaplet. Her mother had passed away from breast cancer... and that her mother's name was Anne. $175,000 was raised that day in support of breast cancer by 13,000 people who walked.
• Gift to a courageous woman who had been on the walk, and had a double masectomy, to give encouragement and hope in her time of courage. She has two young children. We continue to keep her in our prayers.
• Gift for priest visiting from Africa.
• Homeless man entered St Patrick and attended mass and also received physical nourishment from Father. May the Holy Spirit give him hope and encouragement through the Beads of St Anne.
• We have been praying for a Deacon for our Parish.. prayers of praise and thanksgiving... we are blessed to have Deacon Garry Evans in our parish.
• Grief counselor who shared peace - lived locally her parents were from Quebec.
• To bring peace for a young woman who just discovered she had ovarian cancer, she was at mass with her grandmother.
• Peace for a woman of great faith battling cancer and leukemia and for her daughter who will need strength in the future. They are very close. They are familiar with the Basilica of St Anne.
• The Holy Spirit directs us to share chaplets with those close to us who have lost a loved one (Auburn, Buckhorn, Carmichael, Florida, Scotland, Ione, Jackson, Lockeford, Lodi, Quebec, Murphys, Orange County, Pioneer, Sacramento, Washington) to provide peace and faith.