The childhood of Mary was no doubt typical for a Jewish family of her time.  The Holy Spirit, working through her parents, St. Anne and St. Joachim, taught Mary the ways of prayer and generosity that were part of Jewish life.  She heard the scriptures and listened to the prophets as they called for a holy people.  She learned to love God and discern His will even in the smallest events.  Like all Jews, she was eager for the coming of the Messiah and the deliverance that God would bring to the people of Israel.

The western Church has celebrated the feast of Mary's parents, her first teachers in the ways of the faith, on July 26.