About St. Anne of the Sunset · San Francisco, California
St. Anne of the Sunset is a Roman Catholic parish in San Francisco's Inner Sunset District, founded in 1904 and serving as the founding parish of the Sunset neighborhood. The parish belongs to the Archdiocese of San Francisco and worships in a striking Romanesque Revival church completed in 1932, known for its coral-painted twin towers, massive dome, rose windows, and a remarkable concrete frieze depicting salvation history. The parish is bilingual, celebrating Mass in English and Chinese (Cantonese), and runs St. Anne School (opened 1920), a CCD religious education program, an RCIA process, and a wide range of lay ministries that sustain its active community life.
- Established
- 1904
- Patron
- Saint Anne
- Rector
- Rev. Daniel Nascimento
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of San Francisco
Why belong here
St. Anne of the Sunset is the founding parish of the Inner Sunset neighborhood, with more than a century of continuous Catholic life in San Francisco. Parishioners worship in a landmark Romanesque Revival church adorned with Sister Justina Niemierski's scriptural frieze, gather for Mass in both English and Chinese, and send their children to St. Anne School (open since 1920) and the parish CCD program. A rich calendar of ministries — RCIA, Family Mass, Legion of Mary, Eucharistic Ministers, Music Ministry, the Neocatechumenal Way, St. Anne for the Environment (SAFE), Scouts, athletics, and prayer circles — alongside the long-running annual novena to Saint Anne, gives newcomers many ways to belong.
Mass times at St. Anne of the Sunset
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 20 minutes before the Saturday 5:00 PM Vigil Mass
- 20 minutes before all Sunday Masses
- By appointment: call 415-665-1600
History of St. Anne of the Sunset
St. Anne of the Sunset was founded in 1904 by Archbishop Patrick Riordan, who sent Fr. Joseph J. McCue to gather the area's Catholics — at the time meeting in the ballroom of the Old Park View Hotel — into a parish. The first small wood-frame church, built in 1905 on land donated by Mrs. Jane Callahan, was destroyed in the 1906 San Francisco earthquake and had to be rebuilt. As the Sunset grew, St. Anne's territory gave rise to three new parishes: St. Cecilia, Holy Name, and St. Brendan. The current Romanesque Revival church was built in 1930–1932 by Shea & Lofquist and dedicated by Archbishop John J. Mitty. St. Anne School opened in 1920 under the Sisters of the Presentation, who administered it until 2004. The parish marked its centenary in November 2004 with a Mass celebrated by Auxiliary Bishop John C. Wester (baptized at St. Anne) and Bishop Daniel Walsh (a St. Anne alumnus).
- Founded 1904 by Fr. Joseph J. McCue, sent by Archbishop Patrick Riordan
- First church built 1905 on land donated by Mrs. Jane Callahan; toppled in the 1906 earthquake
- Daughter parishes: St. Cecilia, Holy Name, St. Brendan
- Current church built 1930–1932; dedicated by Archbishop John J. Mitty
- St. Anne School opened 1920; administered by Sisters of the Presentation until 2004
- Centenary Mass celebrated November 2004 by Bishop John C. Wester and Bishop Daniel Walsh
The Church Building
The present church is a Romanesque Revival landmark completed in 1932 by the firm Shea & Lofquist (city architect William D. Shea). Its coral-painted twin towers and massive dome can be seen from across the Inner Sunset, and the interior is lit through great rose windows. Across the front façade runs an extraordinary painted cast-concrete frieze in twenty-five segments, sculpted by Sister Justina Niemierski of Mission San Jose, depicting the whole sweep of salvation history from Abraham to Christ — an artwork catalogued by the Smithsonian American Art Museum.
- Romanesque Revival style, completed 1932
- Architect: Shea & Lofquist (William D. Shea)
- Features: massive dome, uneven twin towers, rose windows
- Front façade frieze by Sister Justina Niemierski, OSM (Mission San Jose)
- Seating capacity: 750
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by pastor Rev. Daniel Nascimento, with parish manager Ken Del Ponte overseeing administration. Rev. Peter Linyong Zhai, SVD serves the parish's Chinese Ministry under the Archdiocese, and retired Santa Rosa Bishop Daniel F. Walsh — a St. Anne alumnus — resides at the parish.
- Rev. Daniel Nascimento — Pastor (also a member of the Archdiocesan Presbyteral Council)
- Rev. Peter Linyong Zhai, SVD — Chinese Ministry
- Most Rev. Daniel F. Walsh — Retired Bishop, in residence
- Ken Del Ponte — Parish Manager (415-665-1600 x21)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
St. Anne offers a full catechetical program spanning childhood through adulthood. The parish CCD (Religious Education) program provides Roman Catholic instruction for public-school children in grades K–8, gathering on Sundays around the 10:00 AM Mass with adult faith formation offered simultaneously for parents. Children in grades K–1 use the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (Montessori style), and grades 2–8 use Loyola Press curriculum.
- Religious Education (CCD) — Sundays, 10:00–11:00 AM Mass, 11:00 AM–12:15 PM class, at St. Anne School
- Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) — Mondays 7:00–9:00 PM, Rectory Conference Room
- Christian Initiation for Children (RCIC) — Sundays 9:00 AM, St. Anne School
- Family Mass — first and third Sundays of the month
- Children's Liturgy of the Word — at the 10:00 AM Mass
St. Anne School
St. Anne School has educated Inner Sunset students since opening in 1920 with 222 pupils under the Sisters of the Presentation, who administered the school until 2004. Today it serves pre-K through eighth grade adjacent to the church, and is supported by the St. Anne Parent Teacher Organization (SAPTO). Bishop Daniel F. Walsh, Bishop Emeritus of Santa Rosa, is among the school's many distinguished alumni.
- Opened 1920; cornerstone laid 1919 by Msgr. William O'Mahoney
- Pre-K through 8th grade
- Administered by Sisters of the Presentation, 1920–2004
- St. Anne Parent Teacher Organization (SAPTO)
- Alumni include Bishop Daniel F. Walsh
Parish Ministries & Community Life
St. Anne's parish life is sustained by dozens of lay-led ministries — liturgical (altar servers, Eucharistic ministers, lectors, music, liturgy committee), formational (RCIA, RCIC, CCD, Children's Liturgy, Family Mass), pastoral (communion to the homebound, ministry of consolation, prayer circles, Legion of Mary), social (athletic department, Scouts, Girl Scouts, D.A.D.S. Club, SAPTO, hospitality), and apostolic (Chinese Pastoral Ministry, St. Anne for the Environment, St. Anne Chinese School).
- Liturgical: Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Music Ministry, Liturgy Committee, Environment
- Pastoral: Communion to the Homebound, Ministry of Consolation, Prayer Circles, Legion of Mary, Hospitality
- Formational: RCIA, RCIC, CCD, Family Mass, Children's Liturgy
- Community: Scouts Troop 15, Girl Scouts, D.A.D.S. Club, Athletic Department, SAPTO
- Apostolic: Chinese Pastoral Ministry, St. Anne for the Environment (SAFE), St. Anne Chinese School
Sacraments
Information about Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, and Marriage is available through the parish office; the CCD and RCIA programs prepare children and adults for the Sacraments of Initiation. Marriage preparation is handled directly through the rectory.
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation — through CCD and RCIA
- RCIA for adults (Mondays 7:00–9:00 PM)
- RCIC for children over 7 (Sundays 9:00 AM)
- Marriage — by arrangement with the parish
Devotions & Parish Traditions
The parish's signature devotion is the annual novena to Saint Anne, hosted by Redemptorist priests every year since 1908 and followed by a procession around the neighborhood beginning in the vestibule of the church. St. Anne is also a bilingual parish, with a long-standing Chinese-language Mass at 12:00 PM on Sundays and a Chinese school and pastoral ministry.
- Annual Novena to Saint Anne (since 1908), hosted by Redemptorist priests
- Neighborhood procession in honor of Saint Anne
- Sunday Chinese Mass at 12:00 PM
- Chinese Pastoral Ministry and St. Anne Chinese School
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Joseph J. McCue1904–1911
Sent by Archbishop Patrick Riordan to organize the parish; founded from the Haight's St. Agnes mission.
- Fr. William O'Mahoney1911–1936
Shepherded the rebuilt parish through the 1906 earthquake rebuilding and the 1915 expansion; laid the cornerstone for St. Anne School in 1919.
- Msgr. Patrick G. Moriarty1937–1970
Long-tenured pastor under whom the current 1932 church served the growing Sunset.
- Msgr. John T. Foudy1970–1990
Returned for the parish's 2004 centenary Mass as a former pastor.
- Fr. Richard S. Deitch1990–1995
Present at the 2004 centenary Mass.
- Fr. Anthony E. McGuire1995–1998
Present at the 2004 centenary Mass.
- Fr. Eduardo A. Dura1998–2006
Pastor at the 2004 centenary celebration.
- Fr. Raymund M. Reyes2006–2014
- Fr. Daniel Nascimento2014–present
Current pastor; also serves on the Archdiocesan Presbyteral Council.