St. Ann

Parish Overview

St. Ann's is the Catholic parish serving Canyon, Texas, a university town in the Texas Panhandle and home of West Texas A&M University. It belongs to the Diocese of Amarillo and is led by Father Scott L. Raef. The parish of roughly 750 households gathers around a traditional Catholic liturgy in a cruciform sanctuary built in the 1960s, with a full slate of daily and weekend Masses, monthly all-day Eucharistic Adoration, Saturday confessions, and an unusually large ministry program for a parish of its size.

History

Catholic life in Canyon traces back to the 1920s, when St. Ann's was a mission parish. It was established as its own parish in 1953. In the 1960s the parish built the current nave and sanctuary at 605 38th Street; the original adobe mission church still stands at Sixth Avenue and 21st Street. When Father Scott Raef arrived as pastor in 2019, he inherited a parish already rich in both history (an early-1900s salvaged statue of St. Ann, a pipe organ moved over from the original church) and active ministry life.

• Mission parish in the 1920s
• Established as its own parish in 1953
• Current church building constructed in the 1960s
• Original adobe church still standing at 6th Avenue & 21st Street
• Father Scott L. Raef serving as pastor since 2019

Church Building & Architecture

St. Ann's current nave was built in the 1960s with a traditional cruciform (cross-shaped) layout, a grand and elevated sanctuary, and a floor that slopes gently downward toward the altar to improve sightlines from the back pews. A pipe organ designed by a former parishioner was moved here from the original St. Ann's building, and a statue of St. Ann dating to the early 1900s — restored after being purchased from an ecclesiastical salvage company that recovers art from decommissioned churches — is mounted near the altar.

• Cruciform floor plan
• Floor slopes down toward altar
• Salvaged pipe organ
• Early-1900s statue of St. Ann near the altar

Clergy and Staff

St. Ann's is led by pastor Father Scott L. Raef and supported by five permanent deacons: Beck Knox, Brian Lewis, Dave Rausch, Gabe Rivas, and Kevin Rickwartz. Lay staff handle youth ministry, religious education, music, parish life, communications, finance, and parish administration.

• Rev. Scott L. Raef — Pastor (since 2019)
• Deacon Beck Knox
• Deacon Brian Lewis
• Deacon Dave Rausch
• Deacon Gabe Rivas
• Deacon Kevin Rickwartz
• Madeleine Hill — Coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministries
• Jennifer Sperry — Director of Religious Education
• Dr. Elizabeth McKee, DMA — Music Director
• Terri Huseman — Parish Life Coordinator
• Amber Zuniga — Parish Administrative Assistant
• Kenzie Hudson — Media/Website
• Nicole Houle — Finance

Pastoral Council

The Pastoral Council (parish council) seeks the direction of the Holy Spirit for parish life and proposes how the parish can best respond. Current council members serve in rotating terms.

• Marla Ehly (Chair)
• Randy Hochstein (Vice Chair)
• Barbara Kline
• Agnes Posadas
• Brittany Roberts
• Jaret Schulte
• Matthew Urbanosky

Faith Formation & OCIA

Jennifer Sperry serves as Director of Religious Education, coordinating Faith Formation and Education for children and youth, including Confirmation preparation. Adults seeking to enter the Catholic Church or complete their initiation are served through the parish OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) program. Sponsor Couples for the Engaged assist couples preparing for Marriage, and a Landings ministry welcomes returning Catholics.

• Director of Religious Education: Jennifer Sperry
• OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
• Confirmation preparation
• Sponsor Couples for the Engaged (marriage prep)
• Landings — Returning Catholics ministry
• Fr. Scott Pastor Classes
• Fr. Scott Book Club
• Small Groups

Youth, Young Adults & Family

Madeleine Hill coordinates Youth Ministry and Young Adult Ministry (St. Ann's Young Adults). The parish also offers a Nursery during Mass, a Parents' Day Out program for younger children, and ACTS retreats. Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered during Mass for younger kids.

• Coordinator of Youth and Young Adult Ministries: Madeleine Hill
• St. Ann's Young Adults
• Nursery
• Parents' Day Out
• ACTS Retreats
• Children's Liturgy of the Word

Liturgical Ministries

St. Ann's draws on a large lay liturgical corps for Mass and devotions. The Music Ministry is led by Dr. Elizabeth McKee, DMA, and the parish is known locally for its salvaged pipe organ.

• Altar Servers
• Ushers
• Lectors
• Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
• Sacristan Ministry
• Music Ministry (Dr. Elizabeth McKee, DMA)
• Liturgical Art and Environment
• Eucharistic Ministry to the Homebound
• Funeral Planning Ministry

Parish Life & Fellowship

Parish Life Coordinator Terri Huseman oversees the parish's many fellowship, service, and small-group ministries — including men's and women's prayer groups, a quilting ministry, Knights of Columbus, the Ladies of St. Ann's Circles, Senior Enrichment, Grief Support, Coffee and Donuts, and signature fundraisers like the Czech Sausage Dinner and the Fallback Festival.

• Parish Life Coordinator: Terri Huseman
• Men's Prayer Group
• The Ladies of St. Ann's Circles (multiple named circles)
• Knights of Columbus
• Confraternity of Christian Mothers
• St. Ann's Quilting Ministry
• Senior Enrichment Center
• Grief Support Ministry
• Helping Hands
• Coffee and Donuts
• Czech Sausage Dinner Committee
• Fallback Festival Committee
• Neighbors on the Move
• Endow women's study
• Outdoor Landscaping and Gardening
• Collection Counters
• St. Ann's Archives Committee

Outreach & Service

St. Ann's extends its mission beyond the parish through outreach to the poor, the imprisoned, the grieving, and the homebound. St. Helen's Outreach serves local needs; Kolbe Ministry reaches out to those affected by incarceration; Helping Hands and Grief Support accompany parishioners through difficulty; and the parish maintains a Eucharistic Ministry to the Homebound.

• St. Helen's Outreach
• Kolbe Ministry (prison outreach)
• Eucharistic Ministry to the Homebound
• Helping Hands
• Grief Support Ministry
• Senior Enrichment Center

Sacraments

Information about the seven sacraments — Baptism, Confirmation, Eucharist, Penance, Anointing of the Sick, Holy Orders, and Matrimony — is available through the parish office. Marriage preparation involves parish Sponsor Couples for the Engaged, and OCIA accompanies adults through Baptism, Confirmation, and First Eucharist. The parish also visits the homebound and prepares funerals through its Funeral Planning ministry.

• Baptism preparation
• Confirmation preparation (youth and adult)
• First Communion
• Marriage preparation with Sponsor Couples
• Anointing of the Sick
• Eucharistic Ministry to the Homebound
• Funeral Planning ministry

Visiting & Contact

St. Ann's is located at 605 38th Street in Canyon, Texas — turn south from 4th Avenue onto 38th Street; the church is on the left at the corner of 38th Street and Conner Drive. The parish office can be reached at (806) 655-3302 or by emailing [email protected].

• 605 38th Street, Canyon, TX 79015
• Phone: (806) 655-3302
• General email: [email protected]
• From 4th Avenue, turn south onto 38th Street; church is on the left at 38th & Conner Drive

Diocese of Amarillo

St. Ann's is one of the parishes of the Diocese of Amarillo, which was established in 1926 to serve the Catholic faithful of the Texas Panhandle. The Diocese today covers twenty-six Panhandle counties and is headquartered in Amarillo. St. Ann's is listed on the diocesan Parish Finder along with sister parishes across the Panhandle.

• Diocese established in 1926
• Covers 26 counties of the Texas Panhandle
• Listed on the Diocese of Amarillo Parish Finder