Saint Anne Catholic Church

St. Anne Parish was founded in 1909 when the few pioneers attended Mass at St. Joseph's Orphanage near Camp Pike. The group was served by pastors who were chaplains to the Sisters at the Orphanage.

St. Anne Church building was a honky-tonk with the name "MONTE-RE INN" before it was sold to the Diocese. The deed was recorded on the date of September 23, 1935, as : "Peter Boerner to Richard J. McCauley, Pastor, St. Anne's Church, for the consideration of $1,256.00." The date of dedication was November 20, 1938. The men of the parish removed the bar and bar stools of the building and painted the walls, but, if the sun beamed just right through the windows, the beer posters could still be seen through the paint.

In the beginning, socials were held in the sacristy of the church...meetings and bingos were held in parishioners' homes...all work was done by parishioners in beautifying the church property...outdoor bazaars were held until the hall was purchased.
Until the late 50's the pastors were in residence at Catholic High School or St. Joseph's Orphanage.

As Pastor, Fr. William E. Galvin added the vestibule to the church building in 1954. The rectory was purchased by the Diocese in 1959 with Fr. James Reynolds then becoming the first resident pastor of the parish. After the rectory was purchased, a need was seen for a parish hall. Fr. Reynolds was asked if he would care to purchase a large metal building which was refused by a company who had ordered it. This hall, then a shell of a building, was paneled and remodeled by the parishioners. In 1999 the hall was again remodeled with an added vestibule.

The church was remodeled In 1975 with Fr. James P. McDonnell as pastor. At that time a new floor was installed over the old dance floor. In June of 1984, with Fr. Edward E. Simpson as pastor, an old house was donated by members of the parish, the Bob Selig family, moved to the church grounds, gutted and renovated by parishioners and a contractor, to be dedicated on the Feast of Christ the King, November 25, 1984, as Joachim House. This facility is used for small meetings, a nursery, small socials. The parish office was relocated from the rectory to Joachim House in 1991.

In March, 1988, a canopy was attached to the church vestibule, covering the entrance walkways. In June, 1993, Fr. John Marconi was assigned St. Patrick Parish as a second parish under his pastorate. Fr. Marconi was asked to relocate his home to the rectory provided by St. Patrick Parish. As directed by Bishop Andrew J. McDonald, St. Anne's rectory was rented to the Fraternity of St. Peter for their priest. The rectory was sold in 1996. The building and property located adjacent to the church grounds on the north was purchased on October 22, 1993, and remodeled for the parish offices and religious education classrooms. The parish hall was named Mary's Hall.

On July 31, 1998 Bishop Andrew J. McDonald assigned Mr. Ronald F. Stager as Pastoral Administrator of St. Anne's Parish, with Msgr. Francis I. Malone as Pastor of St. Anne's and Immaculate Conception Parishes. In 1998 Msgr. Malone gifted St. Anne's with the sacristy cabinets from renovation of Immaculate Conception Church, remodeling further St. Anne's sacristy area with a new Reconciliation Room.

In 2002 the church was painted, under the guidance of Pastor, Fr. James P. West, and Mr. Stager, Pastoral Administrator, new Stations of the Cross placed on the walls, and pews rearranged to return to the original 'middle aisle & side aisles'.
On December 14, 2002, Mr. Stager was ordained to the Diaconate and served his first Mass as Deacon on Sunday, December 15, 2002. Deacon Ron was assigned by Bishop Sartain to serve here at St. Anne Parish and to remain as Pastoral Administrator. In 2001 renovation of Mary's Hall was completed, with expansion of the kitchen area and addition of a vestibule. In 2003-2004 St. Anne's Men's Association built an outdoor pavilion to be enjoyed by all members of the parish.