About St. Ann · Effingham, Kansas
St. Ann is a small Roman Catholic parish in Effingham, Kansas, located in the rolling farmland of Atchison County in northeast Kansas. Founded in 1876 by pioneers and long served by Benedictine monks from nearby St. Benedict's Abbey in Atchison, the parish is part of the Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas. Its 111-year-old original church was destroyed by fire on April 21, 2008, and the present church — designed by HTK Architects around the salvaged original cornerstone and bell — was dedicated by Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann on December 5, 2010. Today St. Ann continues as a close-knit faith community served by Father Benjamin Tremmel, OSB, pastor since 2002, who also serves the mission parishes of St. Louis (Good Intent) and St. Mary (Purcell).
- Established
- 1876
- Patron
- St. Ann (Saint Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Benjamin Tremmel, OSB
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Kansas City in Kansas
Why belong here
St. Ann is a small, family-style parish in rural northeast Kansas where parishioners genuinely know one another across generations. Worship is centered on weekday and Sunday Mass, Sunday-morning Confessions, and the fellowship that fills the connected community center after liturgy. Father Benjamin and the Benedictine tradition of hospitality make St. Ann a welcoming home for Catholic families, visitors passing through Atchison County, and anyone seeking a quieter, prayerful country parish rooted in 150 years of pioneer-Catholic heritage.
Mass times at St. Ann
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 7:30–8:00 AM
History of St. Ann Parish, Effingham
St. Ann was established in the 1860s–1870s by Catholic pioneer settlers in northeast Kansas and formally founded in 1876. It has always been a small rural parish rooted in the farming families of Atchison County and long served by Benedictine priests from St. Benedict's Abbey in Atchison. The parish also operated a grade school, staffed by religious and lay teachers, that was central to community life for many decades.
- Founded 1876 in Effingham, Atchison County, Kansas
- Long served by Benedictine priests from St. Benedict's Abbey, Atchison
- Operated a parish grade school (now closed)
- Celebrated its 150th anniversary (sesquicentennial) on July 29, 2018
The 2008 Fire and the New Church
On April 21, 2008, a fire destroyed the 111-year-old St. Ann Church, a devastating loss for a small rural parish. Building-committee co-chairman Duane Coder and finance-committee president Gene Hegarty helped lead the rebuilding campaign. The parish commissioned HTK Architects of Kansas City to design a replacement that honored the old church's heritage — preserving the original cornerstone and bell — while adding modern amenities and a connected community center.
- Original church destroyed by fire on April 21, 2008
- New church designed by HTK Architects, 8,660 sq ft, $1.5 million budget
- Original cornerstone and bell incorporated into the new building
- Glazed link connects the new church to the existing community center/parish hall
- Large gathering space and a cry room/chapel added
Dedication of the New Church, December 2010
Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann celebrated the dedication Mass on December 5, 2010, preaching on the parish's faithfulness through the rebuilding. Duane Coder presented the key to Archbishop Naumann, who passed it to Father Benjamin Tremmel, OSB, who opened the doors to the assembled congregation.
- Main celebrant: Archbishop Joseph F. Naumann
- Concelebrants included Father Benjamin Tremmel, OSB; Abbots Barnabas Senecal, Ralph Koehler, and Owen Purcell; Fathers Denis Meade and Jeremy Heppler, OSB
- Master of ceremonies: Msgr. Gary Applegate
150th Anniversary Celebration (2018)
On July 29, 2018, Father Benjamin Tremmel, OSB, celebrated a Mass of thanksgiving for the sesquicentennial of St. Ann Parish, concelebrated by Father Meinrad Miller, OSB, and Abbot Ralph Koehler, OSB. After the homily, parishioner Don Falk read a litany of thanksgiving written by Father Benjamin that recalled the earliest settlers, founding pastors, grade-school teachers, and current volunteers. About 300 people attended the dinner that followed in the adjoining parish hall.
- Mass of thanksgiving on July 29, 2018
- Litany of thanksgiving written by Father Benjamin, read by Don Falk
- Approximately 300 attendees at the anniversary dinner in the parish hall
Clergy and Pastoral Leadership
St. Ann is pastored by Benedictine Father Benjamin Tremmel, OSB, of St. Benedict's Abbey in Atchison. Father Benjamin came to Effingham in 2002 — his first assignment as pastor — and led the parish through the trauma of the 2008 fire, the design and construction of the new church, and the 2018 sesquicentennial. He also serves the small sister-parishes of St. Louis in Good Intent and St. Mary in Purcell.
- Pastor: Rev. Benjamin Tremmel, OSB (since 2002)
- Member of St. Benedict's Abbey, Atchison
- Also pastors St. Louis (Good Intent) and St. Mary (Purcell)
Parish Life and Community
St. Ann describes itself as a small church 'rooted in the attitudes of the pioneers who settled northeast Kansas' and an example of how a tight-knit rural community forms a parish family. Worship and fellowship flow easily between the church and the adjoining community center/parish hall, where anniversary dinners and parish gatherings are held.
- Small, family-style rural parish in Atchison County
- Parish council and finance committee provide lay leadership
- Community center/parish hall attached to the church via a glazed link
Sacraments and Parish Vitality
The parish celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments, including infant Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and funerals. As a small rural parish, sacramental numbers reflect its size: in the five-year period from 2015 through 2020, St. Ann recorded four infant baptisms, five First Communions, six youth Confirmations, three marriages, and 67 funerals, with average Mass attendance declining from 172 to 91.
- Infant baptisms celebrated on request
- First Holy Communion and youth Confirmation preparation
- Marriage preparation available; 3 marriages celebrated 2015–2020
- Anointing of the Sick and funeral ministry; 67 funerals 2015–2020
Visiting St. Ann: Address and Directions
St. Ann Church sits at 301 William Street, Effingham, Kansas 66023, in Atchison County in northeast Kansas. The parish is about two blocks south of Kansas Highway 9, and the church is connected to its community center/parish hall by a glazed link that makes pre- and post-Mass fellowship easy.
- Address: 301 William St., Box 54, Effingham, KS 66023
- Phone: (913) 833-5660
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.stanneffingham.org/
- Located 2 blocks south of Kansas Highway 9
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Benjamin Tremmel, OSB2002–present
Benedictine priest of St. Benedict's Abbey, Atchison; first pastor assignment; also serves St. Louis (Good Intent) and St. Mary (Purcell); led rebuilding after 2008 fire and the 2018 sesquicentennial celebration.