About St. Ann · Naples, Florida
St. Ann Catholic Church in Naples, Florida is the mother parish of Collier County — the first Catholic Church in Naples and the only parish in the county when it was canonically established in 1954. Today the parish is administered by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales (O.S.F.S.) and serves as the wellspring of Catholic faith in the growing coastal community of Old Naples. Beyond weekend and daily Mass, the parish campus includes Saint Joachim Chapel, an adjoining Catholic school (Pre-K–8), faith formation for children and youth, and a broad network of lay ministries reaching the homebound, the sick, and families in need.
- Established
- 1954
- Patron
- St. Ann
- Rector
- Rev. William E. Davis, O.S.F.S.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Venice in Florida
Why belong here
St. Ann is the mother parish of Collier County and still carries that founding spirit of welcome — its own mission statement describes the community as "the wellspring of Catholic faith in Collier County," offering living water through the Word, the Eucharist, service to others, and faithful stewardship. Registration gives parishioners access to sacraments here, religious education for their children (including Confirmation preparation), tuition assistance for St. Ann Catholic School, and a robust calendar of ministries — from Adult Choir, Lectors, and Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion to Homebound, Hospital, Bereavement, Respect Life, Knights of Columbus, Lay Carmelites, Contemplative Prayer Group, and the Family-2-Family outreach — so almost anyone can find a way to be both fed and useful.
Mass times at St. Ann
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm (Parish Office)
- Saturday 2:30 pm – 3:45 pm (in the Church)
- By appointment — call the parish office at 239-262-4256
Adoration times
- Every Friday 9:15 am – 11:30 am (Saint Joachim Chapel)
Parish History
Catholic life in Naples began informally in 1939 with Mass celebrated in the Solarium of the Naples Beach Hotel. By 1942 the Naples Theatre was needed to handle overflow, and a Building Fund Committee acquired land at 3rd Street South and 9th Avenue South. The Griesedieck family's gift in memory of their daughter Ann inspired the parish's patron name. Archbishop Hurley dedicated the first building on Palm Sunday 1950, and on January 30, 1955 Saint Ann was canonically established as a parish — the first and only one in Collier County — under Father Timothy Geary. The 1970 church, with its centrally placed altar, and the 1995 renovation shape the campus in use today.
Architecture & Sacred Spaces
The 1970 worship space was conceived to give every member of the assembly an unobstructed view of the altar, in step with Vatican II's liturgical vision. Architect Andrea Clark Brown led the 1990s renovation that produced the present church, and Orlando sculptor Chris Scala contributed the Corpus and the Stations of the Cross. Bishop John J. Nevins of the Diocese of Venice dedicated the renovated church on January 22, 1995. Saint Joachim Chapel, adjoining the main church, hosts weekday adoration, and the original 1950 church structure has been repurposed as the Parish Hall.
Leadership & Oblate Identity
St. Ann is administered by the Oblates of St. Francis de Sales (O.S.F.S.), a religious congregation of priests and brothers whose spirituality comes from Saint Francis de Sales, the "Gentleman Saint," and whose founder was Blessed Louis Brisson. The parish's vision is "to be a spirit-filled people who Live Jesus, in a community of stewardship, welcoming all to the presence of God." The current pastor is Rev. William E. Davis, O.S.F.S.; the Diocese of Venice also lists Rev. Robert Mulligan, O.S.F.S. as Administrator and Rev. Reji Joseph, O.S.F.S. as Parochial Vicar, with Deacon Kevin Winn assisting.
Sacraments
Faith Formation Director Dr. Sue Ellen Nolan coordinates the parish's sacramental preparation. Infant Baptism is celebrated outside Sunday Mass for registered parishioners, with required godparent documentation and a Baptism Preparation Class for first-time parents; older children enter through the OCIC process culminating at Easter. First Communion and Confirmation preparation (9th–10th grade) meet on scheduled Sundays, and the parish welcomes those discerning Marriage through the Wedding Coordinator and the sick through the Anointing ministry.
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation classes for children in Kindergarten through 8th grade meet Sunday mornings from 9:30 am to 12:00 pm, resuming each fall. 9th and 10th graders preparing for Confirmation, along with First Communion candidates, gather on select Sunday mornings and afternoons. Older children seeking Baptism are catechumenated through the OCIC process, prepared individually by appointment. Director Dr. Sue Ellen Nolan can be reached through [email protected] or at (239) 262-4256, ext. 203.
Saint Ann Catholic School
Saint Ann Catholic School, a ministry of Saint Ann Parish, welcomes children from age three in pre-kindergarten through eighth grade and is rooted in the Gospel values of the Roman Catholic Church and the spirituality of Saint Francis de Sales and Saint Ann. Today the school — home of the dolphins — serves approximately 400 students in a state-of-the-art campus in downtown Naples and pursues a holistic "education of spirit, mind, and body." Located at 542 8th Avenue South, the school uses rolling admissions; inquiries go to Director of Enrollment Tracy Farley at [email protected] or (239) 262-4110 ext. 224. The school's history stretches back to 1956, when Father Timothy Geary opened the first building staffed by the Sisters of Loretto, who taught the inaugural grades in what is today Rooney Hall under the giant banyan tree.
Music & Liturgical Arts
The parish cultivates music and beauty as integral parts of Catholic worship. Music Ministries welcomes singers and instrumentalists into both the Adult Choir and Youth Choir, while the Art and Environment committee tends the visual worship environment of the sanctuary. Sacristans and Altar Linens volunteers care for the sacred vessels and linens used at Mass.
Outreach & Pastoral Care
Saint Ann's lay faithful extend the parish beyond its walls through a constellation of pastoral care ministries. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion bring the Eucharist to the homebound and to those in area hospitals; the Bereavement Ministry walks with those grieving a loved one; the Arimatheans and Funeral Coordinator accompany families at the funeral liturgy; and the Respect Life and Family-2-Family programs sustain parishioners through life's most vulnerable moments. Knights of Columbus Council members and the Lay Carmelites add further reach through service and contemplative prayer respectively.
Getting Involved
The parish invites new members and long-time parishioners alike to find their place. Registered members can receive sacraments here, enroll children in religious education, apply for tuition assistance at St. Ann School, and receive parish communications. Ministry interests run from the visible (Lectors, Ushers, Greeters) to the hidden (Sacristans, Altar Linens, Shrine Care) and from the devotional (Contemplative Prayer Group, Lay Carmelites) to the social (Social Committee). Registrations and ministry sign-ups are handled through the parish office at 239-262-4256.
Visit, Contact & Location
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office at (239) 262-4256 (fax 239-262-4296) or [email protected] Monday through Friday, 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. The office mailing address is 475 9th Avenue South, Naples, FL 34102; the church itself is at 985 3rd Street South. The adjoining school sits at 542 8th Avenue South. In-person registration forms can be downloaded from the parish's "Interested in Joining" page.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Timothy Geary1954–1959
First pastor; transferred from Immaculate Conception Parish, Jacksonville; opened St. Ann School in 1956
- Rev. Bernard McGrenehan1959–1961
- Rev. Gerard J. Manning1961–1963
- Rev. Bernard L. Hickey1963–1965
- Rev. Rene H. Gracida1965–1967
Administrator
- Rev. Laurence C. Conway1967–1971
Administrator; oversaw construction and 1970 dedication of the new church
- Rev. Thomas Goggin1971–1990
Longest tenured pastor
- Rev. Charles K. Sullivan1990–1992
- Rev. Arthur Hannaway1992–1993 (Administrator); 1993–1996 (Pastor)
Oversaw the 1995 renovation and re-dedication
- Rev. Robert D. Tabbert1996–2007
- Rev. Barry R. Strong, O.S.F.S.2007–2008
First Oblate pastor
- Rev. John O'Neill, O.S.F.S.2008–2009
- Rev. Michael Christopher Vannicola, O.S.F.S.2009–2010 (Administrator); 2010–present (per official parish history)
First permanent Oblate pastor
- Rev. William E. Davis, O.S.F.S.Listed as Pastor on the official website (joinmychurch.com / current parish site)