About St. Anne · Seattle, Washington
St. Anne Catholic Church is a parish on Queen Anne Hill in Seattle, Washington, founded in 1908 and historically tied to the Redemptorist Fathers who built the original wood-frame and stucco church for 400 people. Today it is one of three parishes of the Northwest Seattle Catholic Parish Family (with Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady of Fatima) under the Archdiocese of Seattle, served by a pastor and parochial vicar with a school that has educated Queen Anne children since 1923. Worship is offered in English, with a Saturday Vigil, a livestreamed Sunday morning Mass, and weekday Masses in the side chapel.
- Established
- 1908
- Patron
- St. Anne (mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Patrick W. (Fr.) Freitag
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Seattle
Why belong here
St. Anne offers a warm, multigenerational Catholic community on Queen Anne Hill where families have worshipped since 1908, anchored by an 100-year-old parish school and a recently renovated church with a beloved baptismal font. As part of the Northwest Seattle Catholic Parish Family (with Sacred Heart of Jesus and Our Lady of Fatima), it pairs a strong Catholic elementary school with faith formation for children and youth, RCIA for adults exploring Catholicism, Alpha groups, Adult Faith Formation (scripture study, theological updates, faith-and-profession sessions), and a year-round livestream of the 11 a.m. Sunday Mass for those who cannot attend in person. Coffee & Donuts after Mass on the 2nd and 4th Sundays make it easy to meet parishioners and staff, and the parish explicitly invites newcomers to 'test drive' any ministry with a mentor before committing.
Mass times at St. Anne
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM
- Wednesday: 5:00 PM (after Wednesday Mass)
- Confessional is located south of the baptismal font on the east wall
Parish History
The parish was founded in 1908 when 40 Queen Anne Hill families petitioned Bishop O'Dea for a church of their own. Redemptorist Fr. Patrick Byrne was named to establish it; after he fell ill, Fr. Joseph Chapotan became the first pastor and dedicated the original wood-frame and stucco church on December 20, 1908. The parish school opened in 1923 under the Sisters of the Holy Names, the convent followed in 1930, and the current church replaced the 1908 building in 1962–1963. In 2008 Archbishop Alex Brunett led the parish's centennial Mass of Dedication after a major renovation of the church.
- 1906 — Bishop O'Dea appoints Redemptorist Fr. Patrick Byrne to found St. Anne
- 1908 — Fr. Joseph Chapotan (first pastor) dedicates the original church, Dec. 20, capacity 400
- 1923 — School opens Sept. 4 with 150 students and five Holy Names Sisters
- 1930 — Convent completed; called 'a miniature monastic church of jewel-like artistry'
- 1959 — Msgr. Quain dies Dec. 22; Fr. Bernard Cremer becomes pastor
- 1962–63 — Present church built for $611,520 under Fr. Cremer; dedicated by Archbishop Connolly
- 2008 — Centenary celebrated Dec. 14 with major church renovation
- 2024 — Joins Northwest Seattle Catholic Parish Family under Partners in the Gospel
Worship & Liturgy
St. Anne celebrates Mass in English on a Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning pattern, with weekday Masses in the smaller side chapel. The Sunday 11 a.m. Mass is livestreamed and recorded for those at home or in the hospital. Confessions are offered Saturday afternoons and Wednesday evenings, and the rosary is prayed in the side chapel before the Saturday Vigil.
- Saturday Vigil — 5:00 PM
- Sunday — 11:00 AM (livestreamed)
- Wednesday — 5:30 PM (side chapel)
- Thursday — 8:45 AM (side chapel)
- Confessions — Saturday 3:30 PM and Wednesday 5:00 PM
- Rosary — Saturday 4:30 PM in the side chapel
Becoming Catholic & RCIA
The parish welcomes inquirers and routinely starts new RCIA groups for adults preparing for Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist. Pastoral staff are described as 'eager, respectful and experienced with walking with others on their Christian journey,' and visitors are invited to stay for Coffee & Donuts after Mass on the 2nd and 4th Sundays of each month to meet parishioners and staff.
- RCIA — journey with adult catechumens and candidates
- Sponsors — accompany those preparing for the Sacraments of Initiation
- Coffee & Donuts — 2nd and 4th Sundays after Mass
Sacraments
All seven Catholic sacraments are ministered at St. Anne, with pages on the parish website describing each. Weddings begin with an inquiry email to Jessica Harris followed by marriage preparation with Fr. Freitag or Fr. Dominic; anointing of the sick and funerals are arranged by calling the parish office. The 2008 renovation created a dedicated baptismal font whose 'living water' pours gently over the sides.
- Baptism — for infants and children
- First Communion / Confirmation — preparation for parish youth
- Holy Matrimony — contact Jessica Harris ([email protected])
- Anointing of the Sick — by phone (206) 282-0223
- Holy Orders — discernment information on parish website
- RCIA — for adults seeking full initiation
Faith Formation for Children, Youth & Adults
Faith formation is one of the largest ministry areas at St. Anne, with programs for every age. Parents of 1st–5th graders lead weekly sessions in three age groups; the parish also runs Children's Liturgy of the Word during Mass, a Youth Confirmation team, RCIA for adults, an 11-week Alpha series, and Adult Faith Formation covering scripture study, theological updates, and integrating faith with professional life.
- Elementary Faith Formation (grades 1–5) — parent-led, weekly, three age groups
- Children's Liturgy of the Word during Mass
- Youth Confirmation team
- Adult Faith Formation — scripture study, theological updates, faith-and-profession sessions
- Alpha — 11-week small-group discussion series
- RCIA Team & Sponsors
St. Anne Catholic School
St. Anne School is a ministry of the parish and one of 13 Catholic elementary and middle schools in the Archdiocese of Seattle's North Seattle deanery. Founded September 4, 1923 with 150 students taught by the Sisters of the Holy Names, the school today serves more than 260 students in Pre-Kindergarten through 8th grade under Principal Sean Haffey and a lay faculty, and is currently undergoing its 2025–2026 WCEA accreditation cycle.
- Opened Sept. 4, 1923 with 150 students and five Holy Names Sisters
- More than 260 students, Pre-K through 8th grade
- Three-time WCEA-accredited; 2002 major expansion and remodel
- Principal — Sean Haffey
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is served by a pastor and parochial vicar who lead all three parishes of the Northwest Seattle Catholic Parish Family, supported by an operations director, music director, director of evangelization, director of finance, director of communications and development, a pastoral associate deacon, and an administrative assistant. Fr. Freitag grew up at Our Lady of Fatima parish, attended Queen Anne High School and Gonzaga University, and worked as an auditor before entering seminary.
- Fr. Patrick W. Freitag — Pastor
- Fr. Anthony M. (Tony) Kitema — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Angus McDonell — Pastoral Associate
- Mark Abadir — Director of Operations
- Brigid McMahan — Director of Finance
- Charlie Hiestand — Music Director
- Jessica Harris — Director of Evangelization
- Ann DeVita — Communications and Development Manager
- Sean Haffey — St. Anne School Principal
- Olivia Paige — Administrative Assistant
Northwest Seattle Catholic Parish Family
On July 1, 2024, as part of the Archdiocese of Seattle's Partners in the Gospel strategic pastoral planning initiative, St. Anne was grouped with Sacred Heart of Jesus (downtown Seattle) and Our Lady of Fatima (Magnolia) into the Northwest Seattle Catholic Parish Family, sharing one pastor (Fr. Freitag), one parochial vicar (Fr. Kitema), and two parish schools. The three parishes describe themselves as 'a vibrant community growing together in faith,' sharing one mission of living the Gospel through three churches and two parish schools, and are currently working through Phase 3 of the planning process — 'Who do we want to become?'
- Formed July 1, 2024 under Partners in the Gospel
- Sacred Heart of Jesus — downtown Seattle
- Our Lady of Fatima — Magnolia
- St. Anne — Queen Anne Hill
- Shared pastor: Fr. Freitag; shared parochial vicar: Fr. Kitema
- Shared family website: nwseattlecatholic.org
Serving the Community
St. Anne invites parishioners to serve in any of its ministries 'as much as you are able' at any given time, and even offers a 'test drive' model in which interested volunteers are paired with a mentor to try a ministry before committing. The parish runs catechist recruitment, a Parish Council, faith formation teams, and outreach across the parish family.
- Become a catechist for parish adults and youth
- Join the Parish Council
- Serve on the RCIA team or as a sponsor
- Lead an Alpha group
- Children's Liturgy of the Word volunteer teams
Visiting & Contact
St. Anne's parish offices sit at 1411 1st Ave W on Queen Anne Hill (98119). Weekday Masses are held in the side chapel — visitors should enter through the door closest to the parking lot, next to the grotto of St. Anne and the Blessed Virgin. The parish office can be reached at (206) 282-0223 or [email protected], and bulletins and announcements are shared through the Northwest Seattle Catholic Parish Family website at nwseattlecatholic.org.
- Address — 1411 1st Ave W, Seattle, WA 98119
- Phone — (206) 282-0223
- Email — [email protected]
- Sunday Mass livestream — stanneseattle.org/livestream
- Newsletter — nwseattlecatholic.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Patrick Byrne, C.Ss.R.1906–1908 (appt.)
Redemptorist appointed by Bishop O'Dea to found St. Anne; bought the property but became too ill to build.
- Fr. Joseph Chapotan, C.Ss.R.1908–
First pastor; built the original wood-frame and stucco church dedicated December 20, 1908.
- Msgr. Thomas P. Quain1920s–1959
Legendary third-era pastor who built, rebuilt, or planned nearly every existing structure except Banchero Hall — school (1923), convent (1930), parish hall.
- Fr. Bernard Cremer1959–ca. 1972
Served 13 years; ran the campaign and oversaw the 1962–1963 church built for $611,520; loved flowers — roses he planted still bloom on the east side of the rectory.
- Fr. Paul Magnano
'Native son' of St. Anne, later Archbishop's Vicar for Clergy, concelebrated the 2008 centennial Mass.
- Fr. Steve Sallis2008
St. Anne Priest Moderator at the centennial Mass of Dedication.