St. Ann Catholic Church

History of St. Ann Parish

Catholic life in Haines City began in 1890–91, when a Jesuit priest from Tampa came at the Bannon family's request and celebrated the first Mass. For decades Catholics traveled to Winter Haven until Fr. Nevin, pastor of St. Joseph in Winter Haven, started a Mission Chapel in Haines City in 1949 inside the Palm Crest Hotel. By 1956 the Diocese of St. Augustine had purchased the present twelve-acre site and encouraged construction of a permanent church; the first church building was completed in 1959 and the mission was renamed the Mission of the Transfiguration.

• 1890–91: First Mass in Haines City celebrated by a Jesuit priest from Tampa at the Bannon family's request.
• 1949: Fr. Nevin begins a Mission Chapel in the Palm Crest Hotel annex.
• 1956: Diocese of St. Augustine purchases the 12-acre site the parish still occupies.
• 1959: First church building completed.
• 1975: Mission raised to parish status and renamed St. Ann by Bishop Thomas J. Grady in honor of the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
• 1984 (Nov 18): Bishop Grady dedicates the new, larger church planned under Fr. Carlos Aizpun.
• 2005: Church expansion begins under Fr. Christopher Hoffmann.

Our Patron: St. Ann

Parishioners asked Bishop Thomas J. Grady to rename the former Church of the Transfiguration in honor of St. Ann, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus. Her feast day is celebrated on July 26.

Clergy & Staff

The parish is led by Fr. Alfonso Cely, O.P., a Colombian-born Dominican priest appointed Pastor in 2015. He is assisted by Associate Fr. Jose Luis Ortegano and three permanent deacons: Deacon Frank Morano (also Spiritual Director of Religious Education), Deacon Jairo Rosario, and Deacon Steven Ramos. Each Tuesday, Thursday, and Monday a deacon is available from 9:00 AM to 2:00 PM in the Church Office for special blessings, counseling, marriage accessory, and spiritual guidance.

• Fr. Alfonso Cely — Pastor (since 2015)
• Fr. Jose Luis Ortegano — Associate
• Deacon Frank Morano — Tuesdays, Religious Education Spiritual Director
• Deacon Jairo Rosario — Thursdays (ordained to the Permanent Diaconate June 11, 2022)
• Deacon Steven Ramos — Mondays
• Rita Morano — Religious Education Coordinator
• Claudia Schnell — Catechetical Ministry Assistant
• Dora Curcio — Office Manager
• Kristopher Shave — Music Director
• Ivellise (Lily) Muniz — Administrative Assistant / Parish Bookkeeper

Faith Formation & Religious Education

Faith Formation at St. Ann is built on the parish vision of a "spiritually transformed Catholic faith community empowered to continuously grow, live, and share their faith." The parish offers Religious Education classes for children and OCIA/OCIC for adults seeking initiation. Each September the pastor commissions the catechists for the new year. The program also sponsors community-service projects like the Miracle Children's Garden.

• Rita Morano — Religious Education Coordinator
• Deacon Frank Morano — Religious Education Spiritual Director
• Claudia Schnell — Catechetical Ministry Assistant
• Faith Formation Office Hours: Tue/Thu 10:00 AM – 6:30 PM; Fri 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Sat 9:15 AM – 12:00 PM
• Miracle Children's Garden (community-service project)

Music & Liturgy

Music & Liturgy is coordinated by Music Director Kristopher Shave, who also composed and performed a 'Song to Our Blessed Mother' for an end to the pandemic that is featured on the parish website.

St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry

St. Ann's St. Vincent de Paul conference is one of the parish's largest ministries. In a recent year the conference logged 11,258 volunteer hours. The food pantry distributes food on Mondays and Wednesdays from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM at the Jim Arpin pantry building at 1001 E. 10th Street, Haines City. Volunteers are needed for unloading trucks, picking up donations from local grocery stores, stocking and bagging food, interviewing, home visiting, and office support. The conference also provides help with bill pay and financial assistance.

• Food distribution: Mondays & Wednesdays, 11:00 AM – 12:30 PM
• Location: Jim Arpin Pantry Building, 1001 E. 10th Street, Haines City, FL 33844
• Donations / Assistance line: (863) 419-4819
• Email: [email protected]

Liturgical Ministries

Parishioners serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion and Lectors (proclaimers of the Word). Ministers must be active parishioners, at least 15 years old, able to receive Communion, and physically able to exercise the ministry. Formal instruction is provided through the Diocese of Orlando.

• Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion — contact the Parish Office: (863) 422-4370
• Lectors — contact Tammy Higgins at (863) 514-4366 or [email protected]

Prayer Tower & Blessed Fr. McGivney

St. Ann is proud to be the first parish in the Diocese of Orlando to feature the statue of Blessed Fr. Michael J. McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus. The newly renovated Prayer Tower is open for visitors; please use electric candles only — no real lit candles.

Visit & Contact

Parish Office Hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The main phone line is (863) 422-4370 and the fax is (863) 421-2522. The parish is located at 1311 Robinson Drive, Haines City, FL 33844.