About St. Ann · Needles, California
St. Ann Catholic Church is a historic parish located at 218 D Street in Needles, California, in the Diocese of San Bernardino. Founded in 1888 under the direction of Fr. Ferrari, it was the first Catholic church in Needles, though Catholic missionary activity along the Colorado River traces back even further, to a Mass offered by Fr. Francisco Garcés in 1774. Today the parish serves local residents, travelers, snowbirds from the U.S. and Canada, and visitors drawn to the tristate area by Route 66, the casinos of Laughlin, Nevada, and the shopping in Bullhead City, Arizona. The church is pastored by Rev. Henry Licznerski, C.R., a member of the Congregation of the Resurrection, and offers bilingual (English/Spanish) and English Masses plus a robust network of liturgical and outreach ministries.
- Established
- 1888
- Patron
- St. Ann (Saint Anne), mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Henry Licznerski, C.R. (Congregation of the Resurrection)
- Diocese
- Diocese of San Bernardino
Why belong here
St. Ann welcomes weekend worshipers with three Masses — Saturday evening in bilingual English/Spanish form and two English Sunday Masses — alongside weekday Masses, monthly First Friday Eucharistic Adoration, and Saturday Reconciliation. The parish is also a hands-on community hub: Martha's Pantry provides morning lunches to those in need on Wednesdays and Thursdays, and the St. Vincent de Paul conference at 839 Front Street helps local families with food, clothing, and transportation. With its long history dating to 1888, its deep missionary roots stretching back to 1774, and a small but active roster of liturgical ministries — lectors, Eucharistic ministers, altar servers, choir, the Gaudalupanas, and a Men's Ministry — St. Ann is a place where locals, road travelers, and snowbirds find a true spiritual home on the Colorado River.
Mass times at St. Ann
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 pm
- Saturday 3:00 pm – 3:50 pm (per Discover Mass listing)
- Or by appointment — call the office
Adoration times
- First Friday of the month, after the 8:00 am Mass
About St. Ann Catholic Church
St. Ann Catholic Church sits in the heart of Needles, California, on the lower Colorado River, where California, Arizona, and Nevada meet. Founded in 1888 and currently pastored by Rev. Henry Licznerski, C.R., the parish is part of the Diocese of San Bernardino. Its mission, in its own words, is to nurture each other in faith — expressed through weekend and weekday Masses, the sacraments, Eucharistic Adoration, parish ministries, and a strong outreach to the local tristate community.
- Diocese of San Bernardino
- Pastor: Rev. Henry Licznerski, C.R.
- Address: 218 D Street, Needles, CA 92363
- Office Hours: Wed–Fri, 8:30 am – 1:00 pm
- Phone: 760-326-2721
- Fax: 760-326-3068
History of St. Ann
St. Ann was Needles' first Catholic church, built in 1888 under the direction of Fr. Ferrari on the corner of 3rd and D Streets. But its roots go back much further: in 1774 Fr. Francisco Garcés, a Spanish missionary, led an expedition up the Colorado River to Needles and offered the first recorded Mass in the area. The 1888 church was destroyed by fire in 1921 and immediately rebuilt later that year. Originally under the Diocese of Tucson, the parish has since belonged to the Dioceses of Monterey-Los Angeles and San Diego before finding its current home in the Diocese of San Bernardino.
- 1774 — Fr. Francisco Garcés offers the first Mass in the Needles area.
- 1888 — First Catholic church in Needles built under Fr. Ferrari.
- 1921 — Original church destroyed by fire; rebuilt the same year.
- Jurisdiction transferred from Tucson → Monterey-Los Angeles → San Diego → San Bernardino.
Sacraments
St. Ann celebrates all seven sacraments and welcomes parishioners to call the parish office at 760-326-2721 to make arrangements. Sacramental preparation is offered through the parish, and Reconciliation is available each Saturday.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the parish office
- Quinceañera — contact the parish office (not a sacrament)
- Reconciliation — Saturday 3:00 pm or by appointment
Liturgical Ministries
St. Ann has an active roster of liturgical ministries that help the parish celebrate Mass reverently and beautifully. Members serve at the altar, proclaim the Word, distribute Holy Communion, and lead the music.
- Eucharistic Ministers — distribute Holy Communion during Mass
- Altar Servers — assist the priest during liturgical celebrations
- Lectors — proclaim God's Word at Mass
- Choir — lead the congregation in song
Parish Life and Devotional Groups
Beyond liturgy, St. Ann fosters spiritual growth and fellowship through parish-based devotional and fellowship groups. The parish life pages of the website also host photo galleries of celebrations and events throughout the year.
- Gaudalupanas — members devoted in a special way to the intercession of Our Lady of Guadalupe
- Men's Ministry — a group that gathers to grow in spirituality
- Parish Life celebrations — photos and event galleries on the parish website
Outreach and Helping Those in Need
St. Ann lives out its mission by serving the wider Needles community through two principal outreach programs — Martha's Pantry and the St. Vincent de Paul conference — which address food insecurity and basic family needs.
- Martha's Pantry — provides lunches to those in need, Wednesday and Thursday mornings from 8:00–8:30 am in Hanley Hall
- St. Vincent de Paul — helps with food, clothing, transportation, and other family needs; located at 839 Front Street, Needles, CA; phone 760-326-4420; closed Sunday and Monday
Diocese and Stewardship
St. Ann is one of the parishes of the Diocese of San Bernardino and participates in the annual Diocesan Development Fund (DDF) campaign, which supports diocesan-wide programs and ministries.
- Diocese: San Bernardino
- Diocesan Development Fund — annual parish campaign (e.g., 2026 DDF)