St. Anne Catholic Church

Our Parish

St. Anne Catholic Church is a personal parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of San Diego, entrusted to the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP) on October 7, 2008 by Bishop Robert H. Brom to serve as the Extraordinary Form (Traditional Latin Mass) parish for the diocese. Located at 2337 Irving Avenue in the Logan Heights neighborhood just south of Downtown San Diego, St. Anne's bills itself as 'the premier traditional parish in San Diego County' and as a community that is 'a family of families, centered on the Blessed Eucharist.' The parish draws the faithful from across the region — including Chula Vista, El Cajon, the Beaches and La Jolla — and offers the Mass, all the sacraments, and devotions according to the liturgical books and rituals in use in 1962.

History of St. Anne Parish

The roots of St. Anne's reach back to 1985, when San Diego families began gathering once a week at a cemetery mausoleum chapel for the Traditional Latin Mass. After each Sunday Mass many remained to pray a Rosary imploring the Immaculate Heart of Mary for a parish of their own. Beginning in 1994 the community sustained a Seminarian Burse supporting priestly formation; by 2008 it had contributed more than $300,000 to Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary. When the daily Traditional Latin Mass was moved into St. Anne's in February 2008, the small 1920s-era Logan Heights church was near closure due to declining attendance. Within six months under first pastor Fr. Carl Gismondi, FSSP, the building was renovated — altar relocated, new marble floor and communion rail installed, hardwood floor laid in the nave — and full parish life was launched. Bishop Brom formally erected St. Anne as a personal parish on October 7, 2008 (Feast of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary).

• 1985: Weekly Traditional Latin Mass begins at a cemetery mausoleum chapel
• 1994: Seminarian Burse started for FSSP's Our Lady of Guadalupe Seminary
• Sept 2007: Daily Traditional Latin Mass begun in San Diego
• Feb 2008: Daily Mass moved into St. Anne's
• May 30, 2008: Fr. Jared McCambridge, FSSP ordained to the priesthood
• July 31, 2008: FSSP District Superior Fr. Eric Flood accepts Bishop Brom's invitation
• September 2008: Fr. Carl Gismondi, FSSP arrives as first pastor
• October 7, 2008: St. Anne Catholic Church formally erected as a personal parish by Bishop Brom and entrusted to the FSSP

Our Priests & Staff

Three full-time FSSP priests are in residence, supported by an office staff and a music director. The parish is led by Fr. John Lyons, FSSP, as pastor, with Fr. Earl Eggleston, Fr. Jesús Valenzuela, FSSP, and Fr. Caleb Insco, FSSP serving as assistants. The office team includes Office Manager / Bookkeeper Irene Flores Vega, Catechism Coordinator Mariel Jiménez-Go, and Wedding & Funeral Coordinator Patricia Ocádiz. Emily Mulvey serves as Music Director leading the choir and choristers program.

• Fr. John Lyons, FSSP — Pastor
• Fr. Earl Eggleston — Assistant
• Fr. Jesús Valenzuela, FSSP — Assistant
• Fr. Caleb Insco, FSSP — Assistant
• Irene Flores Vega — Office Manager / Bookkeeper
• Mariel Jiménez-Go — Office Assistant / Catechism Coordinator
• Patricia Ocádiz — Office Assistant / Wedding & Funeral Coordinator
• Graciela Garcia — Office Assistant
• Emily Mulvey — Music Director (Choir & Choristers)

Liturgical Life & Music

The parish celebrates the Mass and sacraments according to the liturgical books of 1962 — the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite — in Latin. Liturgical music — Gregorian chant, sacred polyphony and hymnody — is led by a parishioner-comprised Adult Choir that sings for the 9:00 AM Sunday High Mass and major feasts. The Marian antiphons change according to the liturgical season. The Brothers of the Little Oratory assist in chanting the hours of the Divine Office as occasion permits.

• Adult Choir (age 18+, Thursday rehearsals)
• Teen Schola (ages 13–18, Wednesday rehearsals)
• Choristers (ages 8–12, Thursday rehearsals; sing on Christmas and Easter morning)
• Marian antiphons changing by liturgical season
• Brothers of the Little Oratory assisting with the Divine Office

Parish Groups & Ministries

St. Anne's offers a 'healthy array of group and social activities' for every age and vocation — what the parish calls 'a family of families.' In addition to the three choirs, groups include the St. Stephen Altar Guild (altar boys), St. Tarcisius for younger boys, the Holy Name Society for men, Our Lady's Guild / Women's Group, the Family Apostolate, the SAYA Young Adult Group, the Youth Group for ages 13–18, Helpers of God's Precious Infants (pro-life), the Rosary Crusade, the Mommy & Me Group, the Cleaning Guild, the Ushers, and the Seven Sisters (who each pray one Holy Hour for one of the priests).

• Choir & Choristers (Adult, Teen Schola, Children's)
• St. Stephen Altar Guild — altar boys
• St. Tarcisius — ages 4–12, third Saturday
• Holy Name Society for Men — second Tuesday
• Our Lady's Guild / Women's Group — third Tuesday
• Family Apostolate — First Friday
• SAYA Young Adult Group — ages 18–35, first & third Wednesday
• Youth Group — ages 13–18, fourth Tuesday
• Helpers of God's Precious Infants (pro-life, San Diego chapter)
• Rosary Crusade
• Mommy & Me Group — babies & toddlers, first Thursday 10 AM in parish hall
• Cleaning Guild
• Ushers — Sundays
• Seven Sisters — pray one Holy Hour for one of the priests
• Legion of Mary
• Homeschool groups
• Parish picnic, annual Fiesta, Christmas pageant

Faith Formation & Catechesis

Faith formation at St. Anne's includes preparation for First Holy Communion and Confirmation, with classes scheduled around Mass times. Adult Catechism meets on Thursday evenings at 7:00 PM in the parish hall. The priests teach various classes for the community and the parish hosts many educational and homeschooling events.

• Adult Catechism — Thursday 7:00 PM in the parish hall
• First Communion class — Saturday 8:30 AM
• Confirmation class — following the 9:00 AM Saturday Mass
• Homeschooling community and educational events

Sacraments

All sacraments are offered according to the 1962 liturgical books. Confessions are heard throughout the day (see the full schedule above). Weddings and funerals are coordinated through the parish office (Patricia Ocádiz). For the sick and homebound, parishioners are encouraged to call the parish office and dial '*' to be transferred immediately to the priest on call.

• Mass & Holy Eucharist (1962 books)
• Confession — extensive daily schedule
• Baptism
• Marriage / Weddings
• Funerals
• First Holy Communion & Confirmation
• Anointing of the Sick / home visits — call parish office, dial '*' for priest on call

The Annual Fiesta & Running of the Saints

Each year around the July 26 feast day of their patroness, St. Anne's hosts its Parish Fiesta — a celebration filled with faith, fun and parish family. The highlight is the 'Running of the Saints,' a tradition imported by first pastor Fr. Carl Gismondi from La Festa dei Ceri in Gubbio, Italy (and its sister celebration in Jessup, Pennsylvania). Two teams — St. Anne in blue and St. Michael in red — race through the streets of San Diego bearing statues of their saints on tall pillars; the team of St. Anne always wins. The day traditionally begins with Solemn High Mass at 9:00 AM, followed by the Fiesta, with the Running of the Saints at 3:00 PM, traditional Mexican music and dancing, food, ice cream, water-gun fights, and games such as 'Dart the Devil.'

• Annual Fiesta near July 26, feast of St. Anne
• Running of the Saints (St. Anne in blue vs. St. Michael in red)
• Begins with Solemn High Mass at 9:00 AM; race at 3:00 PM
• Traditional Mexican music and dancing, food, games

Contact & Visit

Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed at St. Anne's. The parish office is open during regular hours and can be reached by phone or email; bulletins are posted online with the most up-to-date Mass and confession schedule and announcements.

• Address: 2337 Irving Ave., San Diego, CA 92113
• Phone: (619) 239-8253
• Email: [email protected]
• Website: http://stannesd.com/
• Weekend bulletins available as PDFs at stannesd.com (current schedule, parish groups, staff contacts)
• Priest on call — call parish office and dial '*' for the sick / dying