About St. Ann · Kewanna, Indiana
St. Ann Catholic Church was a small mission parish located at 415 S Logan Street in Kewanna, Indiana, in the Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana. Founded in 1857, the rural parish served the farming community of Kewanna in Fulton County for more than 165 years as part of what became the Fulton Pulaski Pastorate. After dwindling Mass attendance and significant deterioration of the building, the parish was officially merged into St. Joseph Church in Rochester by decree of Bishop Timothy L. Doherty effective May 13, 2024. The church had not held regular Sunday Masses since August 2020, and the building itself was demolished during the week of March 30, 2026.
- Established
- 1857
- Patron
- St. Ann (Saint Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana
Mass times at St. Ann
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Confessions were offered prior to Mass; other times by appointment through the Pastorate office at 574-946-4906 (parish closed May 2024).
St. Ann Parish, Kewanna — Overview
St. Ann was a small Catholic mission parish in Kewanna, a rural community in Fulton County, Indiana, about 15 miles west of Rochester. The parish was founded in 1857 and belonged to the Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana. For much of its modern life it was served as part of the multi-site Fulton Pulaski Pastorate, whose central offices are reached at 574-946-4906.
- Founded: 1857
- Diocese: Diocese of Lafayette in Indiana
- Pastorate: Fulton Pulaski Pastorate (Winamac, IN)
- Final Mass schedule: Saturday 6:00 PM; Tuesday 5:00 PM
- Parish closed: May 13, 2024 (merged into St. Joseph, Rochester)
- Church demolished: week of March 30, 2026
History
St. Ann's Catholic community in Kewanna was established in 1857 to serve Catholic families in this part of Fulton County. Over time the parish was clustered with neighboring churches and eventually became one of six worship sites in the Fulton Pulaski Pastorate. By the early 21st century the parish was contending with a shrinking local population, declining Mass attendance, and a deteriorating building.
Closure and Merger (2024)
On May 13, 2024, Bishop Timothy L. Doherty signed a decree formally merging St. Ann in Kewanna into St. Joseph Church in Rochester, Indiana. A parallel decree merged St. Francis Solano in Francesville into St. Joseph in Star City. The diocese cited Kewanna's changing population, dwindling Mass attendance, significant deterioration of the church structure, and the lack of internal and external funds to maintain the building. Regular Sunday Masses had not been celebrated at St. Ann since August 2020.
- Decree effective: May 13, 2024
- Receiving parish: St. Joseph, Rochester
- Decree signed by: Bishop Timothy L. Doherty
Demolition (2026)
Following the merger, Bishop Doherty signed a further decree authorizing the demolition of the former St. Ann church. Before demolition, the Diocese of Lafayette removed sacred items and architectural pieces from the building, including its stained glass windows and cornerstone, and stated it plans to store them until they can be properly used in other churches. The former church was officially demolished during the week of March 30, 2026.
- Demolition: week of March 30, 2026
- Items preserved: stained glass windows and cornerstone
Clergy and Staff
Fr. Herbert R. Woolson — known locally as Fr. Bert Woolson — is the last documented resident pastor of St. Ann. He also served the broader Fulton Pulaski community and is named in local funeral records as officiating at services in the area in the late 1990s. He died on September 29, 2017. Parish secretary Carol Bauman is documented on the parish's pre-closure directory listing.
- Rev. Herbert R. (Bert) Woolson — pastor (deceased September 29, 2017)
- Carol Bauman — parish secretary (historical)
Location and Directions
The former church stood at 415 S Logan Street, Kewanna, IN 46939. South Logan Street in Kewanna is Indiana State Road 17. The church was about 15 miles west of US 31 via State Road 14 out of Rochester. The building is no longer standing.
- Address: 415 S Logan St., Kewanna, IN 46939 (demolished)
- Reference roads: IN-17 (S. Logan St.) and IN-14, ~15 mi west of US 31
Fulton Pulaski Pastorate
St. Ann was one of six worship sites in the Fulton Pulaski Pastorate, which is administered from St. Peter Church in Winamac (401 N Monticello St., Winamac, IN 46996). Following the 2024 mergers, the pastorate continues to operate St. Anne (Monterey), St. Joseph (Pulaski/Star City), St. Joseph (Rochester), and St. Peter (Winamac), along with the merged communities of former St. Ann Kewanna and former St. Francis Solano Francesville.
- St. Ann, Kewanna (merged 2024, demolished 2026)
- St. Anne, Monterey — 6894 Walnut St.
- St. Francis Solano, Francesville (merged 2024) — 217 W Montgomery St.
- St. Joseph, Pulaski — 5858 IN-119, Star City
- St. Joseph, Rochester — 1310 Main St.
- St. Peter, Winamac — 401 N Monticello St.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Herbert R. (Bert) Woolson
Last documented resident pastor; served at St. Ann Kewanna and the wider Fulton Pulaski Pastorate; died September 29, 2017.