About St. Ann · Edenton, North Carolina
St. Ann Catholic Church is a historic Catholic parish in Edenton, North Carolina, part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh. The parish shares ministry with All Souls Mission in Columbia, NC (Tyrrell County), and together the community serves about 345 families drawn from five surrounding counties. Worship is offered in English and Spanish, with a Hispanic Mass every Sunday, and the parish combines a 19th-century Romanesque Revival church building (cornerstone 1857, dedicated 1898) with a more contemporary Parish Hall used for some Masses and parish gatherings. The current pastor is Fr. Anit Augustine Jacob, M.S., assisted by Deacon Frank T. Jones III — the first deacon to serve the parish continuously after his 2010 ordination.
- Established
- 1821
- Patron
- Saint Ann (mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. Anit Augustine Jacob, M.S.
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Raleigh
Why belong here
St. Ann is a small but historically rooted parish that welcomes Catholics from five surrounding counties, offering a rare combination of an 1858 Romanesque Revival sanctuary and active ministries for every age and language. Worship is offered in English and Spanish (with a weekly Hispanic Mass), and the parish is supported by daily Mass Tuesday through Friday, regular Eucharistic Adoration, First Saturday Mass in honor of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and a robust RCIA and Faith Formation program under Director Kathy Masters. Outreach flows through the local Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference, which serves neighbors in Edenton and beyond. Visitors will find a community that calls itself to be 'missionary disciples in Jesus Christ, sharing His love with one another, in word and sacraments.'
Mass times at St. Ann
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM at St. Ann Church (or by appointment)
- Saturday 6:30 PM – 6:50 PM at All Souls Mission
Adoration times
- Thursday: Eucharistic Adoration after 9:00 AM Mass
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
- Monday 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
- First Wednesdays: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at All Souls Mission
- Second Wednesdays: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at Saint Ann Church
- First Fridays 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
- First Saturdays 9:30 AM – 10:30 AM: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
- Second Wednesdays 6:30 PM – 7:30 PM: Holy Hour in Spanish
History of Saint Ann Parish
Catholic worship in Edenton dates to 1821, when Bishop John England of Charleston organized a small, ethnically diverse congregation of about 25 people and celebrated Mass at the Old Courthouse. The cornerstone of the present church was laid by Bishop Patrick Lynch on July 6, 1857; the Romanesque Revival building was designed by Baltimore architect L.L. Long and pushed to completion by Rev. Charles J. Grogan and parish women led by Mary E. Jones. Although the Civil War interrupted work, Bishop James Gibbons in 1868 called the almost-finished structure 'the finest Catholic Church in the state.' Completion of the steeple, pews, and stained-glass windows came through a gift from Saint Katherine Drexel in 1897, and Bishop Leo Haid dedicated the church on June 26, 1898.
- 1821: Catholic community organized by Bishop John England
- 1857: Cornerstone laid by Bishop Patrick Lynch
- 1858: Building erected by Rev. Charles J. Grogan
- 1868: Bishop James Gibbons calls it 'finest Catholic Church in the state'
- 1897: Saint Katherine Drexel donation funds steeple, pews, and stained glass
- 1898: Church dedicated by Bishop Leo Haid on June 26
- 1937: Father Edward Gross becomes first resident pastor; wing added
- 1948: Tyrrell County listed as part of Saint Ann Parish
- 1984: Major interior restoration
- c. 2020: Most recent interior restoration completed
All Souls Mission, Columbia
All Souls is a mission church of St. Ann Parish located at 917 Main St., Columbia, NC 27925, in Tyrrell County. It was formally begun in 1950 when then-pastor Father Francis McCourt purchased a one-acre site on the west side of Columbia and set up a chapel in a four-room farmhouse. In January 1954 Father Desmond Keenan was named Pastor of All Souls and its missions; later that year the diocesan missionary apostolate was reorganized and the area returned to the Pastor of Saint Ann, Edenton. In 1962 Tyrrell County was formally made part of the Edenton parish. All Souls today offers a Saturday 7:00 PM bilingual/Spanish Mass and Spanish-language confession and Holy Hour ministries.
- Founded 1950 by Father Francis McCourt
- 1954: Father Desmond Keenan named first Pastor
- 1962: Tyrrell County formally added to Edenton parish
- Saturday 7:00 PM bilingual/Spanish Mass
- Saturday 6:30–6:50 PM confessions
- First Wednesdays: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament
- Located at the intersection of Scuppernong Dr. and Main St., across from Columbia Middle School
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Anit Augustine Jacob, M.S., and served by Deacon Frank T. Jones III, who is also Director of Adult Faith Formation and coordinates the RCIA process. Kathy Masters is Director of Faith Formation for children and youth. Julie Shreckengast directs the parish choir and serves as website editor. Wendy McGrath serves as Administrative Assistant, and Michelle Benavides is part of the staff team working with All Souls Mission.
- Fr. Anit Augustine Jacob, M.S. — Pastor
- Rev. Mr. Frank T. Jones III — Deacon & Director of Adult Faith Formation
- Kathy Masters — Director of Faith Formation
- Julie Shreckengast — Choir Director / Website Editor
- Wendy McGrath — Administrative Assistant
- Michelle Benavides — staff
Sacraments
St. Ann celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Infants and children under age 7 are baptized after parents complete a Baptism Information form, attend Baptismal preparation, and provide a recently issued annotated baptismal certificate. Adults seeking Baptism go through the RCIA process, typically receiving the three sacraments of initiation at the Easter Vigil; Deacon Frank Jones coordinates RCIA. Confirmation is offered to adolescents (generally 14–16) and to adults through a parish Confirmation program. Couples contemplating marriage must contact the parish office at least six months before the proposed wedding and complete an approved Catholic Marriage Prep course. Reconciliation is regularly available Saturday afternoons and by appointment, and Anointing of the Sick and Holy Orders information are available upon request.
- Infant Baptism (under age 7) — Parish Office
- Adult Baptism via RCIA — Deacon Frank Jones
- Adolescent & Adult Confirmation
- First Holy Eucharist (typically 2nd grade)
- Reconciliation — Sat 3:00–3:45 PM at St. Ann; 6:30–6:50 PM at All Souls; or by appointment
- Matrimony — 6-month notice, Catholic Marriage Prep required
- Anointing of the Sick
- Holy Orders
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The Faith Formation Team, directed by Kathy Masters, assists families in forming their children and youth in the Catholic faith through large-group and team meetings, family participation, and intergenerational activities. Sacramental preparation is provided in an environment focused on spiritual and emotional growth and lifelong faith development. Classes meet on Sundays after the 10:00 AM Mass in the Parish Hall. Registration forms are published in English and Spanish.
- Sundays after 10:00 AM Mass in the Parish Hall
- Children and youth formation programs
- Sacramental preparation (First Communion, Confirmation)
- Intergenerational activities
- Registration forms in English and Spanish
- Contact: [email protected] — (724) 272-4766
Parish Ministries
St. Ann's lay ministries help sustain the parish's worship and outreach. The Greeters Ministry welcomes all who assemble for Mass. Altar Servers assist the priest during liturgical celebrations and are typically baptized Catholics who have received First Communion. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion bring the Eucharist to the assembly. The Choir, under Julie Shreckengast, supports the liturgy. The parish hosts a Blood Drive and supports the local Society of St. Vincent de Paul conference, which meets twice monthly in the Parish Hall.
- Faith Formation
- Altar Server Ministry — Mary Anderson, (352) 223-0781
- Eucharistic Ministry
- Greeters Ministry
- Choir — Julie Shreckengast
- Saint Vincent de Paul Society — Lisa Salomon, (252) 415-0265
- Blood Drive
Outreach: Society of St. Vincent de Paul
Founded in 1833, the Society of St. Vincent de Paul is a worldwide lay-Catholic organization responding to the needs of the poor, the suffering, and the deprived. Locally, the St. Ann conference serves neighbors through home visits and material assistance, joining a broader Vincentian network of disaster relief, food pantries, thrift stores, housing programs, prison reentry, and medical services that seek longer-term pathways out of poverty. The conference meets at the Parish Hall on the first Tuesday at 10:00 AM and the third Tuesday at 5:00 PM.
- Local conference of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul
- Meets 1st Tuesday 10:00 AM and 3rd Tuesday 5:00 PM at St. Ann Parish Hall
- Contact: Lisa Salomon — (252) 415-0265
Mission Statement & Community
St. Ann's published mission statement reads: 'Responding to our Savior's call to share the experience of salvation, we — the community of St. Ann Catholic Church, Edenton and All Souls Mission, Columbia — strive to be faithful missionary disciples in Jesus Christ, sharing His love with one another, in word and sacraments.' The parish pairs this commitment with a St. Catherine of Siena motto: 'Be who you were created to be, and you will set the world on fire.' Together with All Souls Mission, the parish serves about 345 families drawn from five surrounding counties.
- Mission: missionary disciples sharing Christ's love in word and sacraments
- Motto from Saint Catherine of Siena
- About 345 families served across five counties
- Combined bilingual and intergenerational activities
Visiting Edenton
St. Ann sits on North Broad Street in the historic downtown of Edenton, the county seat of Chowan County — one of North Carolina's oldest colonial towns. Visitors often combine a Mass with a walk past the 1767 Cupola House and the waterfront on the Albemarle Sound. All Souls Mission is a short drive west in Columbia (Tyrrell County), set across from Columbia Middle School.
- Edenton: historic colonial town on the Albemarle Sound
- All Souls Mission in Columbia, Tyrrell County
- Free parking on parish grounds
- Some Masses (Sat Vigil, Sun 8:30 AM) in Parish Hall rather than main church
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Charles J. Grogan1858
Built the church; a plaque on the bell tower credits his zeal and energy.
- Bishop John England1821
Bishop of Charleston who organized the Catholic community in Edenton.
- Father Edward Gross1937
First resident pastor; oversaw addition of a wing to the building.
- Father Francis McCourt1941–1953
Pastor who founded All Souls Mission in Columbia in 1950.
- Father Desmond KeenanJanuary 1954
Named Pastor of All Souls, Columbia and its missions.