About St. Ann · Williamsburg, Ohio
St. Ann Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Williamsburg, Ohio, serving the small Clermont County community in the southeastern part of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati. Originally founded in 1947 as a humble Catholic Mission in a converted log cabin, St. Ann has grown into a beloved local church, with its current Colonial American-style building completed in 1959. Since July 1, 2012, St. Ann has been clustered with three neighboring parishes — Holy Trinity (Batavia), St. Louis (Owensville), and St. Philomena — first as "Clermont Catholic Communities" and now as Holy Family Parish under the Archdiocese's Beacons of Light initiative. Weekend worship at St. Ann centers on a single Saturday Vigil Mass at 3:30 PM, with confession offered just before Mass and monthly Holy Hour adoration on third Saturdays.
- Established
- 1947
- Patron
- St. Ann (Saint Anne), mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandmother of Jesus; venerated as patron of mothers and grandmothers.
- Rector
- Father Thomas H. McCarthy
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Cincinnati (Holy Family Parish family of parishes / Beacons of Light SE-5)
Why belong here
St. Ann offers the warmth of a small-town Catholic mission church with the resources of a four-parish family. Weekend worship is centered on a Saturday Vigil Mass at 3:30 PM, preceded by the Sacrament of Reconciliation from 2:45–3:15 PM, and the parish gathers monthly for Eucharistic Adoration on third Saturdays from 4:30 to 5:30 PM. Across Holy Family Parish, parishioners can join liturgical ministries (altar servers, lectors, greeters, ushers), Scouting (Troop 741 and Pack 741), a Thursday-evening adult faith formation class with Father McCarthy, and a twice-monthly Men's Faith and Fellowship group led by Deacon Kelly — a community where every member's time and talent genuinely matters.
Mass times at St. Ann
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:45 PM – 3:15 PM (St. Ann)
Adoration times
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 5:30 PM at St. Ann on Third Saturdays Only
History of St. Ann Church
St. Ann began in 1947 as a Catholic Mission worshiping in a converted log-cabin diner. The first Mass was offered on October 12, 1947 by Monsignor James Hoban, and the present Colonial American-style church was completed in the spring of 1959. St. Ann has been at the heart of Catholic life in Williamsburg for nearly eighty years.
- April 1947 — Log cabin (formerly a diner) and ~4 acres purchased to establish the mission
- October 12, 1947 — First Mass celebrated by Monsignor James Hoban
- Spring 1959 — Current Colonial American-style church completed
- 1990 — St. Ann begins sharing a pastor with Holy Trinity, Batavia
- July 1, 2012 — Clustered with Holy Trinity, St. Louis, and St. Philomena as Clermont Catholic Communities (Father Jerry Hiland)
- 2015 — Father Martin Bachman assigned to the region
- 2022 — Father Thomas H. McCarthy named pastor of the Beacons of Light SE-5 region
- November 7, 2025 — Decree from Archbishop Casey approving merger into Holy Family Parish (effective January 1, 2026)
Clergy and Parish Staff
St. Ann is served by the clergy and staff of Holy Family Parish. Father Thomas H. McCarthy is the pastor; he is assisted by Father Timothy Schehr, weekend associate Father Ryan Ruiz, and three deacons — Mike Muse (who also serves as Director of Administration & Facilities), Joseph Leep, and Kelly Mocahbee. The parish office team supports worship, music, faith formation, finances, and facilities across all four parish churches.
- Father Thomas H. McCarthy — Pastor
- Father Timothy Schehr
- Father Ryan Ruiz — Weekend Associate
- Deacon Mike Muse — Director of Administration & Facilities
- Deacon Joseph Leep
- Deacon Kelly Mocahbee
- Pat Powers — Director of Music & Ministries
- Pam Edwards — Director of Parish Life & Engagement
- Jonathan Morasse — Religious Coordinator
- Alysha Haungs — Accounts Receivable (Offerings, Tuition, Cemetery)
- Teri Mocahbee — Human Resources and Accounts Payable
- Jessica Teke — Administrative Assistant
- Marie Lung — Principal (Parish School)
- Stephanie Scott — Administrative Assistant / Cub Scout Committee Chair
- Denny Florea — Buildings and Grounds
- Matthew Waldman — Buildings and Grounds
- Lottie Waldman — Staff
Liturgical Ministries
Volunteers from all four Holy Family parishes are welcomed into the liturgical ministries at St. Ann. Training is provided before new ministers are added to the schedule.
- Altar Servers — open to youth in 4th grade and above; assist the priest/deacon during Mass and other liturgies
- Greeters and Ushers — welcome parishioners at the door, help with seating, take up the collection
- Lectors — read the first and second readings at Mass; training provided
Faith Formation for Adults and Youth
Across Holy Family Parish, Father McCarthy teaches a Thursday-evening adult faith formation class; recordings of past classes are available on the parish YouTube channel. A twice-monthly Men's Faith and Fellowship group, led by Deacon Kelly, includes food, faith, and fellowship.
- Adult Faith Formation — Thursday evenings with Father McCarthy (schedule on parish calendar; past classes on YouTube)
- Men's Faith and Fellowship Group — twice monthly, 7:00–9:00 PM (1st Wednesday at Holy Trinity Connelly Hall; 3rd Wednesday often off-campus)
- Youth Ministries — parish-wide youth program
- Baptismal Preparation Class — First Saturdays of the month by registration
Scouting and Youth Programs
Holy Family Parish charters an active Boy Scout troop and Cub Scout pack, drawing boys from the four parish churches and neighboring school districts.
- Boy Scouts Troop 741 — boys-only troop, Scouting America, grades 5 through age 18; frequent outdoor activities and community service
- Cub Scout Pack 741 — boys-only, K–5; contact Committee Chair Stephanie Scott ([email protected])
Sacraments
The parish celebrates the seven sacraments across Holy Family Parish, with most arrangements handled through the central parish office. Couples should contact Father McCarthy at least six months before a wedding, and families may pre-plan funeral Masses with Pam Edwards.
- Anointing of the Sick — call the office for Father McCarthy when a family member is ill or dying
- Marriage Preparation — arrangements made 6 months prior; contact Father McCarthy directly
- Baptismal Preparation — class on the first Saturday of the month by registration (contact Pam Edwards)
- Funerals — scheduled through Pam Edwards (typical time 11:30 AM Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri)
- Burial plots — available at St. Philomena or St. Louis cemeteries; contact Jessica Teke
Funeral Planning and Bereavement Ministry
Pam Edwards, Director of Parish Life & Engagement, accompanies families through funeral planning and can help with advance (pre-planned) Funeral Masses as well. Because of Eucharistic Exposition on Thursdays at St. Louis, Thursday funerals are normally held at St. Ann, St. Philomena, or Holy Trinity.
- Schedule or pre-plan a funeral Mass through Pam Edwards at the parish office
- Funerals typically at 11:30 AM, Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri
- Funeral Planning Booklet available from the parish office
Parish Patron — St. Ann (Saint Anne)
Saint Anne is venerated in Catholic tradition as the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary and the grandmother of Jesus Christ, and is widely honored as the patron of mothers and grandmothers. The parish celebrates her annually with a special St. Ann Feast Day gathering on the parish grounds.
- Traditional feast day of St. Anne — July 26
- Parish St. Ann Feast Day celebration — next scheduled June 11, 2026 (RSVP to parish office)
- Volunteers welcomed for setup and cleanup of the annual feast
Becoming Holy Family Parish (Beacons of Light SE-5)
St. Ann has been part of an evolving regional collaboration that, on November 7, 2025, was formally consolidated into Holy Family Parish by decree of Archbishop Dennis Casey — effective January 1, 2026. The four churches — Holy Trinity (Batavia), St. Ann (Williamsburg), St. Louis (Owensville), and St. Philomena (Batavia-Stonelick-Owensville) — share one pastor, one parish office, and one staff. No parishes or schools are being closed as part of the merger.
- Pastor — Father Thomas H. McCarthy
- Shared parish office located next to St. Louis Church
- Beacons of Light — Archdiocese of Cincinnati parish vitality initiative
- 2026 Parish Vitality Report published by the Archdiocese
Visit, Contact, and Getting Involved
St. Ann Church is located at 370 South Fifth Street, Williamsburg, Ohio 45176. Parishioners and visitors may contact the shared parish office by phone at (513) 732-2218 or email at [email protected]. Ministries across the Holy Family family — liturgical service, music, faith formation, Scouting, men's fellowship, and funeral ministry — are open to new participants at any time.
- Address — 370 South Fifth Street, Williamsburg, OH 45176
- Phone — (513) 732-2218
- Email — [email protected]
- Website — https://holyfamilyparishrcc.org/st-ann-2
- Saturday Vigil Mass at 3:30 PM; Confession 2:45–3:15 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor James Hoban1947
Celebrated the first Mass in the log-cabin mission chapel on October 12, 1947.
- Father Jerry Hiland2012
Overseer of the 2012 four-parish regional merger into Clermont Catholic Communities; previously pastor of St. Louis and St. Philomena.
- Father Martin Bachman2015
Assigned to the four-parish region in 2015.
- Father Thomas H. McCarthy2022–present
Named pastor of the region in 2022; received the November 7, 2025 decree formally merging the four parishes into Holy Family Parish effective January 1, 2026.