St. Ann

Welcome and Parish Mission

St. Ignatius Loyola Parish — of which St. Ann Chapel is a worship site — extends a warm welcome to all who come to join in worship and praise. The parish mission statement reads: 'We, the blended Catholic community of St. Ignatius Loyola, draw strength from Word and Sacrament, especially in the celebration of the Eucharist. Modeling Christ's work, we embrace our commitment to God's call. We remain faithful to the shared acts of prayer, study and service. Together we extend Christ's hospitality to others and light the path of peace for generations to come.' The community is built on the heritage of three immigrant congregations that merged in 2009, creating a contemporary parish active in liturgy, social outreach, cultural exchange, and spirituality.

History of the Parish and St. Ann Chapel

St. Ann's Chapel was built on East Hoyt Street in the late 1930s and early 1940s during a period of growth at what was then St. Ignatius Parish. The parish itself traces back to 1856, when immigrant families settling in Pringle first worshipped at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Wilkes-Barre. By 1883, Masses were held in an Edwardsville schoolhouse, and in 1885 Bishop O'Hara appointed Father Bergan as the first pastor. The present St. Ignatius Church was completed under Father O'Malley after 1891, and a Spanish-design rectory followed in 1916. The chapel, along with a Market Street convent and a parish hall, was part of the physical expansion of the campus before the 1954 opening of West Side Central Catholic High School (today Good Shepherd Academy). In 2009 the three Kingston parishes were consolidated at the St. Ignatius site as St. Ignatius Loyola Parish, and St. Ann's Chapel continued as a worship mission.

• 1856 — Immigrant families settle in Pringle; worship at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception, Wilkes-Barre
• 1883 — Catholic Masses held in an old schoolhouse in Edwardsville
• 1885 — Bishop O'Hara appoints Father Bergan as first pastor of St. Ignatius
• Late 1890s — Present St. Ignatius church completed under Father O'Malley
• 1916 — Spanish-design rectory built
• Late 1930s–early 1940s — St. Ann's Chapel constructed on East Hoyt Street; convent house purchased on Market Street; parish hall added
• 1954 — West Side Central Catholic High School opens on North Maple Avenue
• 2007–2009 — St. Ignatius, St. Hedwig (est. 1901, Polish), and St. Mary's Annunciation (est. 1902, Lithuanian) consolidate into St. Ignatius Loyola Parish

Clergy and Staff

The chapel and its parent parish share a pastoral team led by Monsignor David L. Tressler, who became pastor on November 12, 2018. He is assisted by Reverend Michael J. Boris (Assistant Pastor) and Deacon Gerard P. Pernot. The parish office, reachable at (570) 288-6446, is staffed Monday through Friday from 9:00 AM to 3:00 PM.

• Monsignor David L. Tressler — Pastor (since November 12, 2018)
• Reverend Michael J. Boris — Assistant Pastor
• Deacon Gerard P. Pernot

Pastoral Succession

The parish has been served by a long succession of priests dating back to Father Bergan in 1885. Notable mid-20th- and 21st-century pastors include Monsignor Gaigon, Monsignor Boylan, Monsignor Clarke, Monsignor Conlan, Monsignor Van Loon, and Father Lapera, the latter of whom shepherded the 2007–2009 consolidation. Holy Cross priests from King's College — beginning with Father Kline in 1946 and continuing with Father Issing — have provided ongoing priestly support to the parish.

• Father Bergan (1885–~1891)
• Father O'Malley (from 1891)
• Fathers Lynott and Caufield (Depression era)
• Monsignor Gaigon (1943–1965)
• Monsignor Boylan (1965–1975)
• Monsignor Clarke (1975–1989)
• Monsignor Conlan (1989–1996)
• Monsignor Van Loon (1996–2005)
• Father Lapera (2005–2011)
• Father John Polednak (2011–2015)
• Father Chmil (2015–2017)
• Father McKernan (2017–2018)
• Monsignor David L. Tressler (2018–present)

Faith Formation and Religious Education

The parish's Word Commission coordinates faith formation for all ages. Programs include an 8-to-10-week Bible Study offered twice a year, a lecture series addressing diverse parish demographics, a Young Adults group that meets monthly, faith-sharing groups, and an Alpha program for those not yet in communion with Jesus. Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered at the 10:30 AM Sunday Mass at St. Ignatius Church, and age-appropriate Children's Bulletins are available in the foyer. The Co-Directors of Religious Education serve both St. Ignatius Loyola Parish and Holy Family Parish.

• Mrs. Carmella Faust — Co-Director of Religious Education (St. Ignatius Loyola Parish)
• Ms. Diane Janoski — Co-Director of Religious Education (Holy Family Parish)
• Sacraments prepared: Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation
• Bible Study courses (e.g., 'The Eucharist in Scripture')
• Alpha program
• Young Adults group
• Faith-sharing groups

Music and Liturgical Ministries

The parish Music Ministry invites musicians and singers of all ages to serve at weekend and special liturgies. Ensembles combine for the Easter Triduum, Confirmation, and other major celebrations. The Worship Commission coordinates liturgical roles — lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, sacristans, greeters, ushers, and the Art & Environment team — to foster full, conscious, and active participation by the assembly.

• Accompanists (organ, piano, other instruments)
• Cantors
• Contemporary Ensemble (adult singers with piano, guitars, other instruments)
• Children's Choir (grades K–12)
• Mixed Choir Ensemble (SATB adult choir)
• Handbell Choir (Advent, Christmas, Lent, Easter, special liturgies)
• Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Altar Servers
• Greeters, Ushers, Sacristans, Art & Environment Team

Outreach and Service

In line with Bishop Joseph Bambera's pastoral letter 'Wounded and Loved, Regathering the Scattered,' the Parish Pastoral Council organizes ministry around Word, Worship, Community, and Service. The parish has historically prioritized the needs of the poor and marginalized — a tradition dating to Fathers Lynott and Caufield during the Depression — and continues to embrace social outreach and cultural exchange as core parts of its identity, drawing on the blended Irish, Polish, and Lithuanian heritage of its three founding congregations.

• Service Commission
• RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
• Mary's Ministry
• Hospitality and Bereavement outreach

Worship Sites and Contact

St. Ignatius Loyola Parish worships at three sites in the greater Kingston–Luzerne area. St. Ann Chapel (Hoyt St. & Loveland Ave., Kingston) and St. Ignatius Church (339 N. Maple Ave., Kingston) anchor the Kingston presence, while Holy Family Parish (574 Bennett Street, Luzerne, 1.8 miles away) extends the parish's reach into Luzerne borough.

• St. Ann Chapel — Hoyt St. & Loveland Ave., Kingston, PA 18704
• St. Ignatius Church — 339 N. Maple Ave., Kingston, PA 18704 (parish office)
• Holy Family Parish — 574 Bennett Street, Luzerne, PA
• Parish Office Phone: (570) 288-6446
• Email: [email protected]
• Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM