About St. Ann · Slayton, Minnesota
St. Ann is a Catholic parish of the Diocese of Winona-Rochester nestled in Murray County, in the town of Slayton, Minnesota, comprising approximately 400 families. Founded in 1897, the parish is one of three clustered worship sites served together as the 'acmcatholic' tri-parish community, alongside St. Mary in Lake Wilson and St. Columba in Iona. The present-day church on Maple Avenue was dedicated in 1954 by Bishop Edward Fitzgerald, and the adjoining Divine Mercy Hall (which preserves the original stained glass windows) opened in 1993. The parish is known across southwest Minnesota for its long-running St. Ann Chicken Barbecue Dinner tradition, begun in 1976.
- Established
- 1897
- Patron
- St. Ann (Saint Anne, mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Father Peter Schuster
- Diocese
- Diocese of Winona-Rochester
Why belong here
St. Ann offers the warmth of a small-town Catholic community of about 400 families, anchored by a beautiful 1954 church on Maple Avenue and the adjoining Divine Mercy Hall used for faith formation, meals and parish gatherings. The parish runs a robust K–12 faith formation program, prepares children for First Communion and Confirmation, hosts weekly Thursday Adoration and Confession, and gathers regularly for the well-known St. Ann Chicken Barbecue Dinner and other parish-wide events. It is part of a tri-parish cluster with St. Mary in Lake Wilson and St. Columba in Iona, and it is also notable for the strong vocational legacy of parishioners who have entered religious life as priests, brothers, and sisters.
Mass times at St. Ann
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Every Thursday, 5:00 pm – 5:45 pm (until all are heard), St. Ann, Slayton
- Holy Thursday 6:00 pm Mass followed by Adoration until 9:00 pm with confessions until all are heard
Adoration times
- Every Thursday, 5:00 pm – 6:00 pm, St. Ann, Slayton
- Divine Mercy Sunday: Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament at 2:00 pm with confessions until 3:00 pm, Chaplet of Divine Mercy at 3:00 pm followed by Benediction
Parish History
St. Ann was established on May 31, 1897, and by 1899 Fr. Michael Riordan was celebrating Mass in Slayton's first Catholic church. Construction of a permanent church began in fall 1909 and was completed in 1910. After decades of growth, the parish moved into its present church on Maple Avenue, dedicated by Bishop Edward Fitzgerald on July 25, 1954. The church was remodeled in 1975 and 1976 — the same year the parish launched the St. Ann Chicken Barbecue Dinner, now a beloved southwest Minnesota tradition. In 1992, the old rectory and original church (known as the 'hall') were taken down; a new rectory was built, and the original stained glass windows were preserved and incorporated into the new Divine Mercy Hall, which opened August 15, 1993.
- Founded May 31, 1897
- First resident pastor: Fr. John Cummiskey (1910)
- Present church dedicated July 25, 1954 by Bishop Edward Fitzgerald
- Divine Mercy Hall opened August 15, 1993
- First St. Ann Chicken Barbecue Dinner held in 1976
Vocational Legacy
St. Ann has produced an unusually generous share of religious vocations. Three parishioners were ordained to the priesthood, and several women from the parish entered religious life and made final vows. Benedictine and Franciscan sisters served the parish community from 1950 to 1990.
- Fr. Paul Meaden — ordained 1984 in Rome by Pope John Paul II
- Fr. Paul van de Crommert — ordained 1988 for the Diocese of New Ulm
- Rev. Sharbel Ewen, OSB — Benedictine monk at Prince of Peace Abbey, Oceanside, CA; ordained July 16, 1988
- Catherine McLeod (Sr. Mary Trophine) — Sisters of St. Joseph, Saint Paul
- Sr. Mary Moran — Daughters of Charity
- Ione Suedbeck (Sr. Constance, OSB) — Crookston
- Mary Burns (Sr. Alice Marie) — Order of St. Francis, Rochester
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish offers a complete K–12 faith formation program. Afternoon classes meet for students in kindergarten through fifth grade, while evening classes on Wednesdays serve sixth through twelfth graders with supper, structured class time, and dismissal. The program uses the Faith and Life series from Ignatius Press for younger grades, YouCat and Chosen from Ascension Press for older students, and culminates in Confirmation preparation in the junior year.
- K–5 Faith Formation: Wednesdays, 5:30 pm – 6:30 pm, in Divine Mercy Hall
- Grades 6–12 Faith Formation: Wednesday evenings — supper at 6:10 pm, class 7:00 pm – 8:00 pm
- Faith and Life series (Ignatius Press) for K–5 and middle grades
- Theology of the Body for Middle School (Ascension Press) for grades 6–8
- YouCat and Catholic Faith Handbook (St. Mary's Press) for 9th grade
- Chosen (Ascension Press) for 10th grade
- Confirmation prep in junior year, including mandatory one-day retreat and Chrism Mass trip
- Altaration (Ascension Press) for seniors
- First Holy Communion preparation in 2nd grade, with Faith and Life series
Parish Life and Ministries
Beyond Mass and the sacraments, St. Ann runs a number of parish-wide activities rooted in community and outreach. The St. Ann Council of Catholic Women awards an annual scholarship to a graduating senior, and the parish gathers each spring for the St. Ann Spring Dinner. The St. Ann Chicken Barbecue Dinner — begun in 1976 — is a recognized tradition in southwest Minnesota. Parishioners also host visiting missionaries for evening meals and support the annual Rice Bowls collection for Catholic Relief Services.
- St. Ann Council of Catholic Women (CCW) — annual senior scholarship
- St. Ann Spring Dinner
- St. Ann Chicken Barbecue Dinner (annual tradition since 1976)
- Missionary hosting program at Divine Mercy Hall
- Rice Bowls (CRS) Lenten collection
- Baccalaureate Mass and luncheon for graduating seniors
Parish Staff and Clergy
St. Ann is led by Pastor Father Peter Schuster, with Father Antony Arokiyam serving as Parochial Vicar. Day-to-day operations are coordinated by Parish Administrator Dana Clarke, Faith Formation is led by Diann Timmerman, and Dave Schreiber serves as custodian. The parish office can be reached at (507) 836-8030 or [email protected].
- Fr. Peter Schuster — Pastor
- Fr. Antony Arokiyam — Parochial Vicar
- Dana Clarke — Parish Administrator ([email protected], c/(507)360-3536)
- Diann Timmerman — Faith Formation ([email protected], c/(507)401-1038)
- Dave Schreiber — Custodian
Buildings and Campus
The St. Ann campus centers on the church at 2747 29th St and the adjoining Divine Mercy Hall on Maple Avenue. Divine Mercy Hall, which opened in 1993, houses the original stained glass windows from the 1910 church and serves as the hub for faith formation classes, parish dinners, and community gatherings.
- Present Church of St. Ann — dedicated July 25, 1954 by Bishop Edward Fitzgerald
- Divine Mercy Hall — opened August 15, 1993; preserves stained glass from the original 1910 church
- Parish Office — 2747 29th St, Slayton, MN 56172
Cluster Parishes
St. Ann is part of a tri-parish cluster served by the same pastoral team, alongside St. Mary in Lake Wilson and St. Columba in Iona. The wider network also includes St. Gabriel (Fulda), St. Anthony (Westbrook), and Immaculate Heart of Mary (Currie) for shared Holy Week and Lenten schedules.
- St. Mary Parish — Lake Wilson, MN
- St. Columba Parish — Iona, MN
- St. Gabriel — Fulda, MN
- St. Anthony — Westbrook, MN
- Immaculate Heart of Mary — Currie, MN
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. John Cummiskeycirca 1910–1911
First resident pastor of St. Ann
- Fr. Frank English1911–1915
Replaced Fr. Cummiskey less than a year after his arrival
- Fr. Lawrence Gavin
- Fr. Patrick Kearney
- Fr. Charles Cavanaugh
- Fr. William Gorman
- Fr. John Misch
- Fr. William Schimek
- Fr. Raymond Snyder
- Fr. Warren Ryan
- Fr. Thomas McHugh
- Fr. Raymond Redder
- Fr. Donald Zenk
- Fr. Donald Halloran
- Fr. Hilary Brixius
- Fr. John Ozbun
- Fr. James Berning
- Fr. Matthew Vanissery
- Fr. Mark McNea
- Fr. Patrick Arens
- Fr. James Seitz
- Fr. Gregory Parrott
- Fr. Thien Van Nguyen
- Fr. Peter Schusterpresent
Current pastor