About St. Anne Catholic Church · Grants Pass, Oregon
St. Anne Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Grants Pass, Oregon, belonging to the Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon. The parish traces its roots to 1857, when Archbishop Francis N. Blanchet celebrated Mass for local Native Americans, and was formally established when the first St. Anne church was blessed in 1896 and dedicated in 1897. Today the parish serves a bilingual (English and Spanish) community with daily and Sunday Masses, a parochial school (St. Anne Catholic School, founded 1992), religious education for K–8 through its Families of Faith program, Hispanic ministry, liturgical ministries, and outreach to mission communities in Cave Junction, Glendale, and Provolt. Its stated mission: 'We are St. Anne Catholic Church. A welcoming community, inspired by the Holy Spirit, we seek to proclaim Christ's loving mission.'
- Established
- 1896
- Patron
- St. Anne (mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Fr. Robert Wolf
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Portland in Oregon
Why belong here
St. Anne is a bilingual parish that lives out its mission to 'proclaim Christ's loving mission' through daily and Sunday Mass in English and Spanish, weekly Confession, and a full sacramental life. Families with school-age children benefit from the parish-run St. Anne Catholic School (K–8) and the Families of Faith faith formation program, while adults can serve as Eucharistic Ministers, lectors, altar servers, greeters, choir members, or catechists. The parish also reaches out to surrounding mission communities in Cave Junction, Glendale, and Provolt, making it a welcoming hub of Catholic life in Josephine County.
Mass times at St. Anne Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays at 3:00 p.m. (per the official parish website)
- Saturdays 3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. or by appointment (per catholicmasstime.org listing)
Parish History — A Timeline of St. Anne
St. Anne's story begins not in Grants Pass but in the surrounding region: Archbishop Francis N. Blanchet celebrated Mass for local Native Americans in December 1857, and the first church and cemetery at Allen Gulch near Waldo were blessed on March 17, 1864. Father Francis X. Blanchet, nephew of the Archbishop, purchased property in Grants Pass in the 1880s hoping to build a church. Grants Pass itself was taking shape — the Oregon and California Railroad arrived in December 1883, the town became part of Josephine County in 1885 and the county seat on January 1, 1886, and was incorporated as a city in 1887.
- 1857 — Archbishop Blanchet visits local Native Americans in what is now Grants Pass.
- 1864 — Father Francis X. Blanchet blesses the first church and cemetery at Allen Gulch near Waldo.
- 1880s — Father F. X. Blanchet purchases property in Grants Pass hoping to build a church by 1886.
- 1883 — Oregon & California Railroad arrives in Grants Pass.
- 1895 — Father Louis P. Desmarais begins raising funds for a Grants Pass church.
- October 11, 1896 — New church blessed; seats 100, measures 40 × 24 feet.
- October 24, 1897 — Archbishop William Gross dedicates the church as St. Anne.
- September 9, 1899 — Father Michael J. Hickey becomes first resident pastor.
Growth in the 20th Century
Through the early twentieth century St. Anne grew beyond a single congregation. From 1905 to 1909, Benedictine priests from Mt. Angel Abbey administered the parish during a diocesan clergy shortage, and the Catholic Extension Society's St. Anthony chapel car visited on March 3, 1910. By 1946 the parish had expanded to serve three mission stations: St. Patrick of the Forest in Cave Junction, Holy Family in Glendale, and Provolt. Father Augustine Meyer began construction of a 300-person parish gymnasium/hall in 1948, which Archbishop Edward Howard dedicated on September 18, 1949, with Father Dan Kelly as pastor.
- 1905–1909 — Benedictine priests from Mt. Angel Abbey administer St. Anne.
- March 3, 1910 — St. Anthony chapel car visits Grants Pass.
- December 1922 — Father George Coupal celebrates his first Mass at St. Anne after ordination.
- 1944–1945 — Masses resumed at St. Patrick (Cave Junction) and Holy Family (Glendale).
- September 1948 — Construction of gymnasium begins.
- September 18, 1949 — Archbishop Howard dedicates the gymnasium/hall.
Building the Present Campus (1950s–60s)
Father Dan Kelly shaped the modern parish. In February 1951 he brought four Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement to give religious instruction, and the sisters opened a parish kindergarten with 23 children in the church on September 8, 1951. In 1954 Kelly purchased six acres on NE 10th Street for a rectory, church, convent, and school; the rectory was built in 1956 and construction began on the present fireproof, long rectangular church in 1959 — designed to seat 700. At the suggestion of Father Edmund Murnane of St. Mary parish in Eugene, the altar was placed in the middle of the church (at what is now the west entrance) so that the people could see both the altar and the priest.
- 1951 — Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement arrive; parish kindergarten opens.
- 1954 — Six acres purchased on NE 10th Street.
- 1956 — Rectory built.
- 1959 — Construction of the present church begins; altar placed centrally.
Clergy & Staff
St. Anne is currently served by a pastor and parochial vicar, with two permanent deacons (one retired), and a team of parish and school staff. The parish office can be reached at 541-476-2240 (fax 541-476-2194). Email addresses follow the format [email protected] to deter spam bots.
- Fr. Robert Wolf — Pastor ([email protected])
- Fr. Joseph Mujaeropiro — Parochial Vicar ([email protected])
- Dcn. Brian Suda — Permanent Deacon / Family and Youth ([email protected])
- Dcn. Robert Chapin — Permanent Deacon (retired)
- Carol Scherf — Parish Manager
- Yvette Burtley — Bookkeeper
- Veronica Lee — Bookkeeper
- Samm Austria-Gerig — School Administrative Assistant
- Mo. Carmela Garcia — Director of Catholic Education ([email protected])
- Carri Pirosko — Lead Catechist ([email protected])
- Nick Kucharik — Coordinator of Music Ministry ([email protected])
- Sr. Consolata Huerta — School Principal ([email protected])
Hispanic Ministry
The Hispanic Ministry at St. Anne celebrates its Spanish-language Mass every Saturday at 7:00 p.m. and offers sacramental preparation (Baptism, Reconciliation, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage) in Spanish. The community gathers for a Grupo de Oración and Bible study, and welcomes visiting religious sisters and lay missionaries to lead parish missions. Three to four bilingual Masses are celebrated each year, depending on the liturgical calendar.
- Santa Misa en Español — Sábados 7:00 p.m.
- Ministerios Hispánicos: Sagrada Comunión, Lectores, Ujieres, Monaguillos, Coro
- Grupo de Oración y estudio de Biblia
- Preparación para sacramentos en español
- Misiones parroquiales
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Anne's faith formation program, Families of Faith, welcomes all families with children in Kindergarten through 8th grade. Its goal is to encourage and equip parents to live and teach the Catholic Faith at home, with one Prep Meeting and one Community Meeting each month. Sacramental preparation for First Communion and 7th/8th-grade Confirmation is built into the program; sacramental candidates attend one additional monthly meeting with at least one parent. The Director of Catholic Education is Mo. Carmela Garcia.
- Families of Faith (K–8) — monthly Prep and Community meetings
- First Communion sacramental preparation
- 7th/8th-grade Confirmation preparation
- RCIC / Sacramental Preparation — contact Emily Suda at 541-476-2240
- Director of Catholic Education: Mo. Carmela Garcia
St. Anne Catholic School
St. Anne Catholic School, founded in 1992 by parishioners, serves children from 3 years of age through 5th grade (the school handbook notes a 'transition from' earlier grades, and references the Archdiocese of Portland standards for the full program). It began as two classes — a first grade and a combined second/third grade — with 38 students; a later wing added five classrooms plus a library and computer lab. The school is fully accredited by the Western Catholic Educational Association; its early childhood program and after-school/summer care are licensed by the Oregon Department of Education's Early Learning Division.
- Early Childhood Education Program (ages 3+)
- K–8 academic program with Religion, ELA, Math, Science, Social Studies, Arts, PE
- After-school child care 2:40–5:30 p.m.; full-day summer program when staffing allows
- Morning assembly at 8:05 a.m.; school day 8:00 a.m.–2:40 p.m.
- Accreditation: Western Catholic Educational Association
- Annual fundraisers: Dinner & Bingo Nights, Jog-A-Thon, Auction Dinner
- Principal: Sr. Consolata Huerta
Liturgical Ministries & Music
Parishioners serve the liturgy as Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Greeters, and Altar Servers, with scheduling handled through Ministry Scheduler Pro. Training and pastoral approval are required before being placed on the liturgy schedule. The Music Ministry, led by Coordinator Nick Kucharik, supports the parish's weekend and Spanish-language Masses.
- Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Greeters, Altar Servers
- Ministry Scheduler Pro — online sign-ups and schedule
- Music Ministry led by Nick Kucharik
- Choir (including Hispanic Ministry Coro)
Outreach & Mission Communities
Following its long-standing pattern as a regional hub, St. Anne continues to serve mission communities beyond Grants Pass, including the historic stations of Cave Junction (St. Patrick of the Forest), Glendale (Holy Family), and Provolt. The parish also welcomes visiting religious sisters and lay missionaries to give parish missions to the Hispanic community.
- St. Patrick of the Forest — Cave Junction
- Holy Family — Glendale
- Provolt mission
- Parish missions for the Hispanic community
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Michael J. Hickeyfrom September 9, 1899
First resident pastor of St. Anne.
- Benedictine priests from Mt. Angel Abbey1905–1909
Administered the parish during a shortage of diocesan clergy.
- Father S. A. Coupalearly 20th century
Pastored St. Anne; his brother Father George Coupal celebrated his first Mass at St. Anne in December 1922.
- Father Augustine Meyerby 1940s
Resumed regular Mass at St. Patrick of the Forest (Cave Junction) in 1944; began alternating weekly Masses between Cave Junction and Holy Family (Glendale) in 1945. Began construction of the parish gymnasium/hall in 1948, dedicated September 18, 1949.
- Father Dan Kellyby 1949
Built gym/dedication in 1949; brought four Franciscan Sisters of the Atonement in February 1951; opened the parish kindergarten in 1951; purchased the 6-acre NE 10th Street site in 1954; built the rectory in 1956; began construction of the present church in 1959.
- Fr. Robert Wolfpresent
Current pastor (as listed on the parish Staff page).