About St. Ann · Malden, Missouri
St. Ann Parish is a small Roman Catholic mission parish in Malden, Missouri, in the Bootheel region of southeast Missouri. It belongs to the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau and is currently pastored by Very Rev. Victor Anokwute, who also serves St. Teresa Parish in nearby Glennonville. The parish offers Sunday and weekday Mass, monthly Eucharistic Adoration, and serves as a faith community for Catholics in Malden and the surrounding Dunklin County area.
- Established
- 1894
- Patron
- St. Ann
- Rector
- The Very Rev. Victor Anokwute
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau
Why belong here
St. Ann offers a faithful, small-town Catholic community in the heart of the Missouri Bootheel, with a weekly Sunday Mass, a midday weekday Mass, and a monthly Holy Hour of Eucharistic Adoration on the last Thursday of the month. Visitors and parishioners are welcomed into a parish whose roots run back to 1894, served today by Very Rev. Victor Anokwute, who links this rural community to its mission sister-parish of St. Teresa in Glennonville — a warm, neighborly setting for anyone seeking traditional Catholic worship in southeast Missouri.
Mass times at St. Ann
Weekly Mass schedule
Adoration times
- Last Thursday of the month, 11:00 a.m.
History of St. Ann Parish
The Catholic community of Malden traces back to the 1890s, when priests from New Madrid traveled circuits through the Bootheel. Fr. J. J. Furlong celebrated the first Masses locally in the Levi Mercantile building and Keene Hotel before dedicating a frame church to St. Patrick on July 15, 1894. The frame church was moved to its present location at Park and Douglas in 1905 under Fr. Frederick R. Peters, who also founded the Catholic colony at Glennonville.
The Servite Era (1910–1951)
In 1910 the Servite Fathers (OSM) took responsibility for the parish, beginning a 41-year tenure. The first Servite pastor, Fr. Bernard Ponce de Leon, OSM (1910–1934), is recalled as reputedly the last male descendant of the explorer Ponce de León. Under the Servites the parish grew and in 1925 replaced its frame church with a brick building, at which time the parish was renamed from St. Patrick to St. Ann.
20th-Century Pastoral Succession
After the Servite era ended in 1951, diocesan priests assumed responsibility for the parish. Fr. William E. Donovan served as pastor from 1966 to 1968 before being transferred; he later was among priests listed in diocesan disclosures regarding allegations of abuse of a minor and died February 9, 1975. Fr. Aloysius Poepsel also appears in diocesan rosters as pastor of the linked Sacred Heart / St. Ann parish. Fr. Ralph J. Duffner, ordained in 1956, served St. Ann Parish in Malden among his many pastoral assignments (others included St. Susanne Mount Vernon, St. Mary Mission Campbell, Sacred Heart Poplar Bluff, St. Lawrence New Hamburg, and St. Ambrose Chaffee).
Visiting and Contact
The parish is located at 304 N. Douglass Street, Malden, MO 63863 (corner of Park and Douglas). Telephone: (573) 328-4544. Mailing address: c/o St. Teresa Parish, 40694 State Hwy JJ, Campbell, MO 63933-9148. GPS coordinates: N36° 33.645', W089° 58.228'. Visitors are encouraged to call ahead to verify times.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. J. J. Furlongpre-1894 (missionary from New Madrid)
Traveled a circuit serving Catholics in Clarkston, Malden, Sikeston, Caruthersville and East Prairie, visiting about every two months. Celebrated first local Masses in the Levi Mercantile building or Keene Hotel. Dedicated the first frame church to St. Patrick on July 15, 1894.
- Fr. Frederick R. Petersc. 1905
Had the frame church moved to the corner of Park and Douglas — the present location of the parish. Also established the Catholic colony at Glennonville, MO.
- Fr. Bernard Ponce de Leon, OSM1910–1934
First Servite (Order of Servants of Mary) pastor of the parish. The Servites would serve the parish for 41 years. Reputed to be the last male descendant of the Spanish explorer Ponce de León.
- Other Servite Fathers (OSM)1910–1951
The Servite Fathers pastored the parish from 1910 for 41 years; individual names of successors to Fr. Ponce de Leon through 1951 are not recorded in the diocesan history.
- Fr. William E. Donovan1966–1968
Took over as pastor of St. Ann Parish in Malden and St. Margaret Mary Mission in Neelyville in 1966; transferred in 1968. Died February 9, 1975; later named in diocesan disclosures regarding allegations of abuse of a minor.
- Fr. Aloysius Poepsellater 20th century
Listed in a diocesan prayer-bulletin roster as pastor of 'Sacred Heart / St. Ann' (joined parishes).
- Fr. Ralph J. Duffnerlater 20th century
Served as pastor of St. Ann Parish in Malden among his many pastoral assignments (also St. Susanne Mount Vernon, St. Mary Mission Campbell, Sacred Heart Poplar Bluff, St. Lawrence New Hamburg, St. Ambrose Chaffee). Ordained 1956. Died December 2, 2013.
- Fr. William W. Hennecke, Jr.July 2017 – June 2021
Pastor of Sacred Heart (Dexter), St. Ann (Malden) and St. Teresa (Glennonville). Ordained June 1, 2007 for the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau.
- The Very Rev. Victor Anokwute2023 – present
Continuing pastor of St. Ann Parish, Malden, and St. Teresa Parish, Glennonville; in 2025 also appointed Dean of diocesan Deanery Seven.