About St. Ann · Cincinnati, Ohio
St. Ann Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in the Groesbeck neighborhood of Cincinnati, Ohio, belonging to the Archdiocese of Cincinnati and serving as part of the Mary Queen of Heaven Family of Parishes (the Beacons of Light grouping with St. Bernard, St. Margaret Mary, and St. James the Greater). Established in 1953 by Archbishop Karl J. Alter, the parish was named to continue the spiritual legacy of an earlier St. Ann parish that served Cincinnati's West End from 1866 to 1938. Today the parish offers Mass in both English and Spanish, a school, active outreach programs, and a distinctive Grotto and Prayer Walk on its campus.
- Established
- 1953
- Patron
- St. Ann (mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. James (Jim) Wedig
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati (Roman Catholic)
Why belong here
St. Ann is a long-established Groesbeck parish that combines the rhythms of a traditional Catholic community — daily and weekend Mass in English plus a Tuesday evening Mass in Spanish — with the warmth of a parish that intentionally reaches beyond its walls. Its Christian Outreach commission maintains a sister-parish relationship in Lima, Peru, partners with local charities, and works alongside the parish's St. Vincent de Paul conference, while the Joy Ministry brings practical kindness to shut-ins and neighbors through holiday deliveries and visits. With its Grotto and fourteen-station Prayer Walk, on-campus school, and growing connection to the Mary Queen of Heaven Family of Parishes under the Archdiocese's Beacons of Light initiative, St. Ann offers parishioners a clear way to know, love, and serve.
Mass times at St. Ann
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 9:00 AM – 6:30 PM
- Monday 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
- Thursday 5:00 PM – 6:30 PM
History of St. Ann Parish
St. Ann Parish was founded in 1953 by Archbishop Karl J. Alter, who appointed Father James N. Lunn to organize a parish in the Groesbeck area. It was deliberately named for a previous St. Ann church that had served Cincinnati's West End from 1866 to 1938, making the new parish a spiritual continuation of that older community. The first Masses were celebrated in the Groesbeck Community Hall on Colerain Avenue in June 1953 with 600–700 people in attendance.
- 1953 – Parish established by Archbishop Karl J. Alter; Fr. James N. Lunn appointed founding pastor.
- 1953 – First Masses celebrated in the Groesbeck Community Hall on Colerain Avenue (June 28).
- 1954 – School dedicated September 19; Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio arrive in August.
- 1955–1956 – Convent and rectory built; first assistant priest arrives in 1956.
- 1959 – Permanent church and cafeteria dedicated on June 28 (parish's sixth anniversary).
- 1961 – Ten-room addition completed to the school.
- 1963 – Convent enlarged and connected to the school; four new classrooms added.
Renovations and Campus Landmarks
The parish's physical campus has been developed and refreshed across more than six decades, with two major church renovations and several devotional additions. The most distinctive recent feature is the outdoor devotional space built in 2010.
- 1977 – Process begins for worship-area renovation.
- 1980 – Renewed church and Monsignor Lunn Parish Center dedicated by Archbishop Joseph L. Bernardin (December 4).
- 2004 – Second church renovation completed and dedicated (October 31).
- 2010 – St. Ann Grotto and Prayer Walk dedicated (October 31); a lighted fourteen-station path at the north end of the lower parking lot with benches for meditation.
- 2013 – St. Francis Center (former convent/friary) renovated to house parish offices and meeting rooms.
- 2015 – Stained-glass windows representing the seven Sacraments added to the baptistry (February).
Clergy and Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. James (Jim) Wedig, with Parochial Vicars Fr. Bryan Reif (also Director of Worship), Fr. Reynaldo (Rey) Taylor, and Fr. Roberto Becerra Reyes (assigned to the Mary Queen of Heaven Family of Parishes). Deacon Tim Crooker serves as Parish Family Deacon. The lay staff supports worship, formation, outreach, and operations.
- Fr. Jim Wedig — Pastor (ext. 211)
- Fr. Bryan Reif — Parochial Vicar / Director of Worship
- Fr. Rey Taylor — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Roberto Becerra Reyes — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Tim Crooker — Parish Family Deacon
- Zoltan Marczi — Director of Music
- Cindy Withrow — Director of Engagement and Hospitality / Director of Love & Action
- Barbara Yoder — Director of Evangelization
- Jenni Petrey — Office and Communications Coordinator
- Eric Kuhlman — Business Manager (St. Ann & St. Margaret Mary)
- Claudia Sajnog — Bookkeeper
- Kelly Clifford — Engagement Coordinator
- Daniel Withrow — Maintenance Supervisor
- Amy Crull-Meier — Musician
- Becky Schoenfeld — Parish Receptionist
Christian Outreach and Sister Parish
The Christian Outreach Commission exists to encourage and facilitate ways for the parish to assist the poor and vulnerable in the local area. The commission coordinates activities and fundraisers for local charities, interfaith activities within the Colerain area, and maintains the parish's relationship with its sister parish in Lima, Peru. It also works in coordination with the Social Justice ministry and St. Vincent de Paul conference.
- Local charity fundraising and coordination
- Interfaith activities in the Colerain area
- Sister-parish relationship with a community in Lima, Peru
- Coordination with Social Justice and St. Vincent de Paul ministries
- Representation on Pastoral Council
Joy Ministry
The Joy Ministry is a volunteer outreach focused on bringing small gifts of joy to parishioners and neighbors who are homebound, elderly, or simply in need of encouragement. It is a popular ministry for couples and parent–teen teams.
- Thanksgiving deliveries
- Christmas deliveries
- Valentine's Day deliveries
- Lenten fish dinner outreach
- Easter deliveries
- Mother's Day and Father's Day deliveries
- Contact: Cindy Withrow (Director of Engagement and Hospitality)
Parish School and Faith Formation
From its earliest years St. Ann has been associated with a parish school, originally staffed by the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio when they arrived in August 1954. The school building was dedicated in September 1954 and expanded repeatedly in the 1960s. Religious education and sacramental preparation continue to be a major part of parish life, with the seven Sacraments highlighted in the baptistry stained-glass windows installed in 2015.
- School founded 1954, dedicated September 19, 1954
- Originally staffed by the Sisters of St. Francis of Sylvania, Ohio
- Ten-room addition completed 1961
- Four additional classrooms and enlarged convent connected to the school in 1963
- Faith formation / religious education programs
- Sacramental preparation including Baptism and Marriage
Mary Queen of Heaven Family of Parishes (Beacons of Light)
St. Ann is one of four parishes in the Mary Queen of Heaven Family of Parishes, an Archdiocese of Cincinnati 'Beacons of Light' grouping. Parish leadership teams from all four parishes collaborate on shared events, activities, and a common parish-family bulletin.
- St. Ann, Groesbeck
- St. Bernard, Taylor Creek
- St. Margaret Mary, North College Hill
- St. James the Greater, White Oak
- Shared pastoral assignments across the family of parishes
- Common parish-family bulletin published collaboratively
Devotions: Grotto and Prayer Walk
The St. Ann Grotto and Prayer Walk, dedicated on October 31, 2010, give the parish one of its most distinctive spiritual features. The Grotto sits at the north end of the lower parking lot, and the Prayer Walk is a lighted path with fourteen stations and benches for meditation and prayer.
- Dedicated October 31, 2010
- Grotto at north end of lower parking lot
- Lighted Prayer Walk with fourteen stations
- Benches along the path for meditation and prayer
Visiting and Contact
St. Ann is located at 2900 W Galbraith Road in the Groesbeck neighborhood of Cincinnati (ZIP 45239-4221). The parish office can be reached by phone at 513-521-8440 or by email at [email protected], and Masses and other content are livestreamed on the parish website.
- Address: 2900 W Galbraith Rd., Cincinnati, OH 45239-4221
- Phone: 513-521-8440
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: saintannparish.org
- Live-stream and on-demand video of Masses available through the parish website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. James N. Lunn1953–?
Founding pastor appointed by Archbishop Karl J. Alter to organize the new Groesbeck parish; the parish center built in 1980 was later named the Monsignor Lunn Parish Center in his honor.