About St. Anne Roman Catholic Parish · Gilbert, Arizona
St. Anne Roman Catholic Parish is a large, multicultural Catholic parish located at 440 East Elliot Road in Gilbert, Arizona, belonging to the Diocese of Phoenix. The parish began in 1936 as a small adobe mission church built by volunteers in what was then the alfalfa-farming town of Gilbert, and grew to become one of the largest parishes in the United States with over 4,500 registered families. Today it offers daily and Sunday Mass in English and Spanish, perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, a wide range of liturgical and outreach ministries, and a flourishing Hispanic community. Its mission statement reads: 'Fiat Voluntas Tua! (Thy will be done). At St. Anne Roman Catholic Parish we strive to keep Christ at the center of parish life.'
- Established
- 1936
- Patron
- St. Anne (mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Keith Kenney
- Diocese
- Diocese of Phoenix
Why belong here
St. Anne is one of the largest parishes in the United States with more than 4,500 registered families, and it offers something for nearly every stage of life and faith. Mass is celebrated daily in English (with a weekly Spanish Mass on Sundays at 1:30 PM), and the Blessed Sacrament is exposed in perpetual adoration 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. The parish supports an unusually deep bench of ministries — from OCIA and Faith Formation ('Our Life in Christ') to youth ministry, Knights of Columbus, Carmelite sisters, Hispanic ministries, St. Vincent de Paul-style outreach (Friends of the Needy), Respect Life, prayer shawls, prison and jail ministry, and a St. Anne Arts Guild Evangelization (STAAGE) — so newcomers can find a community that fits them quickly.
Mass times at St. Anne Roman Catholic Parish
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Monday: 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM
- Tuesday: 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM
- Wednesday: 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM
- Thursday: 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM
- Friday: 10:45 AM – 11:45 AM
- Sunday: No confessions (regular schedule)
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration: 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year
- Parish Holy Hour: Suspended during summer (June–August); resumes in the regular season
Our Story: A Parish Rooted in 1936 Gilbert
St. Anne began on November 22, 1936, when Father Vincent Mastres celebrated the first Mass in a 70-seat adobe mission church at 20 West Bruce Avenue, built by volunteers with a $3,000 donation from the Catholic Church Extension of Chicago. At the time, Gilbert was being written up as the 'Alfalfa Hay Capital of the World,' and the mission was served from St. Mary Parish in Chandler. On October 22, 1943 it became St. Anne Parish with Father Godfrey Fontaine as its first resident pastor, and over the following eight decades it has grown into one of the largest parishes in the country with more than 4,500 registered families.
- 1936: First Mass celebrated by Father Vincent Mastres in an adobe mission holding 70 people.
- 1943: Mission elevated to St. Anne Parish; Father Godfrey Fontaine becomes first resident pastor.
- 1948: Dominican Sisters from Michigan open a K–4 school (closed 1958).
- 1971: Old adobe church replaced by a 220-seat church dedicated by Bishop Edward McCarthy.
- 1989: New church built at Elliot Road; Bishop Thomas O'Brien dedicates it April 30, 1989 (now the Parish Hall).
- 1998: Present church dedicated by Bishop Thomas O'Brien on April 21, 1998.
- October 2024: Parish celebrated its 80th anniversary.
Leadership & Staff
Rev. Keith Kenney became pastor on August 1, 2022, the same day the Most Rev. John P. Dolan was installed as the fifth bishop of the Diocese of Phoenix. He is assisted by Parochial Vicars Rev. Charlie Goraieb and Rev. Bitrus T. Maigamo (appointed July 1, 2023), with Rev. Dennis Riccitelli serving as visiting priest. The parish office can be reached at (480) 507-4400.
- Pastor: Rev. Keith Kenney (since 2022)
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Charlie Goraieb
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Bitrus T. Maigamo
- Visiting Priest: Rev. Dennis Riccitelli
- Baptism Coordinator: Sister Lupita (480-507-4434)
- Marriage Coordinator: Lita Martinez
- Diocese: Diocese of Phoenix
Liturgical Ministries
St. Anne runs an extensive set of lay liturgical ministries that support every Mass and special celebration. Volunteers serve at the altar, proclaim the Word, distribute Holy Communion, sing and play in the music program, decorate the church for the seasons, manage sound and video, and host fellow parishioners as greeters.
- Altar Servers / Altar Boys
- Lectors
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion
- Sacristans
- Sacred Music
- Art & Environment
- Audio/Visual
- Greeters & Hospitality
- Funerals
- Mass Intentions
- Small Altar Cloths
- Altar Society of St. Anne
Faith Formation & Sacraments
Faith formation is anchored in the parish's 'Our Life in Christ' program, which prepares children and teens for First Communion and Confirmation, and in OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) for adults entering the Church or completing initiation. Sacramental preparation contacts are listed directly on the parish website, and the parish welcomes returning Catholics.
- Faith Formation: 'Our Life in Christ' (children, teens, sacrament prep)
- OCIA – Order of Christian Initiation of Adults
- Baptism: contact Sister Lupita at 480-507-4434
- Marriage Preparation: contact Lita Martinez, Marriage Coordinator
- Anointing of the Sick / homebound visits via the parish office
- Returning Catholics welcome
Outreach & Social Ministries
Parish social outreach is organized through 'Friends of the Needy' (a food and diaper assistance program currently seeking canned goods and diapers for age 4+), the Aid to Women Center, Ministry of Care visits to the sick and homebound, Prayer Shawl Ministry, Prison and Jail Ministry, Respect Life Ministry, the Giving Tree, English Language Learners classes, and Grief Recovery Ministry.
- Friends of the Needy (food & diaper assistance)
- Aid to Women Center
- Ministry of Care (visits to sick/homebound)
- Prayer Shawl Ministry
- Prison and Jail Ministry
- Respect Life Ministry
- The Giving Tree
- English Language Learners
- Grief Recovery Ministry – St. Anne
- St. Anne Adventures (parish activities)
Hispanic & Multicultural Ministries
St. Anne has long served as a multicultural home, with a Sunday Mass in Spanish at 1:30 PM and an extensive network of Hispanic spiritual movements. The Carmelite Missionaries of St. Therese of the Child Jesus (Misioneras Carmelitas de Santa Teresa del Niño Jesús), who arrived from Mexico in 1999, remain a visible presence in Hispanic ministry, and a monastery was built for them in Mexico with parish support, completed in 2002.
- Sunday Mass in Spanish at 1:30 PM
- Ministerios Hispanos
- Apóstoles de la Palabra
- Cenáculo
- Clase de Planificación Natural
- Cursillo
- Escuela de Evangelización San Andrés
- Guadalupanas
- MFCC – Movimiento Familiar Cristiano Católico
- Sunqu Guadalupano – Folkloric and Dance
- Taller de Oración y Vida
- Carmelite Missionaries of St. Therese of the Child Jesus (since 1999)
Prayer Groups, Devotions & Affiliated Communities
Beyond the core parish ministries, St. Anne hosts a wide array of lay communities and devotions — many affiliated rather than staff-run — including third-order Carmelites, men's and women's discipleship groups, homeschool co-ops, and classical education cooperatives.
- Knights of Columbus & Ladies Auxiliary
- Lay Carmelites of St. Therese of the Holy Eucharist (Third Order Carmelites)
- Flame of Love Rosary Group
- Our Lady of the Flame of Love
- St. Sharbel Prayer Group
- St. Dominic of Guzmán Family Cenacle
- Sons of St. Joseph Bible Study
- That Man Is You – TMIY
- Magis Women / Women's Discipleship
- Mission Ecce Homo Men's Group
- Saintly Heart
- Young At Heart Seniors Group
- Heart of Mary Catholic Homeschool Co-Op
- Regina Caeli Academy – Classical Homeschool Hybrid
- Angelicum Academy
- Holy Family Institute of Catholic Faith & Life
- Encountering Mercy SD
- Vacation Bible School
- Youth Ministry – St. Anne
- Young Adults – St. Anne
Parish Office, Visiting & Practical Info
The parish office is at 440 E Elliot Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85234-5989 (phone 480-507-4400, fax 480-507-4800). Summer office hours (June 1 – July 31) are Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM–2:00 PM and Friday 8:00 AM–12:00 PM, closed weekends. The main church doors are open from 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM for private prayer. The parish uses Flocknote for ongoing communication and provides an online registration form for new parishioners.
- Address: 440 E Elliot Rd, Gilbert, AZ 85234-5989
- Phone: (480) 507-4400 • Fax: (480) 507-4800
- Office Hours (summer): Mon–Thu 9 AM–2 PM, Fri 8 AM–12 PM, closed Sat/Sun
- Church open for private prayer: 6:00 AM – 9:00 PM daily
- Online parish registration available via the website
- Communication via Flocknote and weekly bulletin
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Vincent Mastres1936
Celebrated first Mass in the adobe mission church on Nov. 22, 1936.
- Father Godfrey Fontaine1943
Became first resident pastor when mission was elevated to parish status on Oct. 22, 1943.
- Father Loyola O'Dougherty1947
- Father William Collins1949
- Father John Cullinan1952
- Father Cornelius Moynihan1954
- Father Bernard O'Boyle1956
- Father Coleman Casey1965
- Father Vincent Nevulis1968
Oversaw building of the 220-seat replacement church dedicated Aug. 1, 1971.
- Father Charles O'Hern1972
- Father Raul Morales1985
Organized the building fund campaign for the new Elliot Road site.
- Father Douglas Lorig1989
Former Episcopalian; began perpetual adoration in 1993; oversaw construction of the present church dedicated April 21, 1998.
- Father Gregory Schlarb2006
- Father Sergio Muñoz Fita2012–2022
From Spain; member of Servi Trinitatis; first U.S. assignment for that secular institute.
- Reverend Keith Kenney2022–present
Installed August 1, 2022.