About St. Anne's Catholic Church · Sherman, Texas
St. Anne's Catholic Church is the newer of two worship sites that together make up St. Mary Catholic Parish in Sherman, Texas. Built in 2009 across South Travis Street from the historic 1906 St. Mary's Church, St. Anne's was constructed to serve the parish's growing population and is described by the parish as a place where 'mother (Anne) and daughter (Mary) may gaze upon each other with love and tenderness.' Listed by GCatholic as a Mission Church of St. Mary in the Diocese of Dallas, St. Anne's hosts many of the weekend English and Spanish Masses for the parish and is the principal venue for the community's 150th-anniversary celebrations.
- Established
- 2009
- Patron
- St. Anne
- Rector
- Rev. Martin Castañeda
- Diocese
- Diocese of Dallas
Why belong here
St. Anne's is the weekend home of a vibrant, bilingual Catholic community that has served Sherman for more than 150 years. Parishioners find daily Mass in English and Spanish, a robust Eucharistic Adoration schedule in the historic St. Mary's church, sacramental preparation for marriage and RCIA, the Life Teen high school youth ministry, and St. Mary's Catholic School next door. The parish's leadership and laity have been repeatedly praised for the unity they have built between the English- and Spanish-speaking communities, and a visit offers the rare chance to worship in two sanctuaries — the modern St. Anne's and the landmark 1906 St. Mary's — that literally face each other across Travis Street.
Mass times at St. Anne's Catholic Church
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday after 8:00 AM Mass
- Thursday during Eucharistic Adoration, 6:00–8:00 PM
- By appointment (call 903-893-5148)
Adoration times
- Monday – Friday: 8:30 AM – 9:00 PM
- Saturday: 8:30 AM – 4:00 PM
- Sunday: 2:00 PM – 9:00 PM
About St. Anne's Catholic Church
St. Anne's Catholic Church is the newer worship site of St. Mary Catholic Parish, located at 728 S. Travis Street in Sherman, Texas. Constructed in 2009 across the street from the historic 1906 St. Mary's Church, it was built to accommodate the parish's growing population and is formally listed as a Mission Church of St. Mary within the Diocese of Dallas. The parish's official 'About' page describes the placement of the two churches as intentional: 'mother (Anne) and daughter (Mary) may gaze upon each other with love and tenderness.' Both sanctuaries remain in active use for Mass, adoration, weddings, and parish gatherings.
- Built in 2009; dedicated by Bishop Kevin J. Farrell in May 2009
- Located at 728 S. Travis Street, directly across from St. Mary's (727 S. Travis)
- Mission church of St. Mary Catholic Parish, Diocese of Dallas
- GCatholic Church ID 33785
History of the Parish
Catholic life in Sherman began in 1872 when Father Theodore Bufford celebrated the first recorded Mass in a hotel room. Three years later Bishop Claude Dubuis of the Diocese of Galveston established St. Mary's Parish and a small wooden chapel was erected at Travis Street and Eagle Lane. By 1905 the community had outgrown that structure and commissioned the noted Galveston architect Nicholas Clayton to design a new church. The cornerstone was laid on November 26, 1905, and the first Mass in the new sanctuary was celebrated on the Feast of St. Anne in 1906 — a building that would serve the parish for 103 years and is today a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark.
- 1872 – First Mass in Sherman (Phoenix Hotel room)
- 1874/75 – Parish formally established; wooden chapel built
- 1905 – Construction begins on Clayton-designed church
- 1906 – First Mass in the new St. Mary's on the Feast of St. Anne
- 1987 – O'Hanlon family donates land across Travis Street
- 2009 – St. Anne's Catholic Church dedicated across the street
- 2024 – Parish celebrates its 150th anniversary
Clergy & Parish Staff
The parish is led by Father Martin Castañeda, pastor, with Father Merlito Abiog serving as Parochial Vicar. Two deacons — Deacon Jim Adlof and Deacon Chris Schraeder — assist with liturgy, weddings, and sacramental preparation. The parish office is staffed by Nancy Dobbs (Business Manager) and Shannon Henson (Secretary).
- Rev. Martin Castañeda — Pastor ([email protected])
- Rev. Merlito Abiog — Parochial Vicar ([email protected])
- Deacon Jim Adlof — Deacon ([email protected])
- Deacon Chris Schraeder — Deacon ([email protected])
- Nancy Dobbs — Business Manager ([email protected])
- Shannon Henson — Secretary ([email protected])
Faith Formation & School Staff
Faith formation for children and youth is coordinated by Dawn Purcell (Director) and Sandra Salas (Assistant). Stephen Thompson directs Youth and Young Adult Ministry, including the parish's Life Teen high school program. St. Mary's Catholic School, located on the parish campus, is led by Principal Annette Roraback.
- Dawn Purcell — Faith Formation Director ([email protected])
- Sandra Salas — Faith Formation Assistant ([email protected])
- Stephen Thompson — Youth and Young Adult Minister ([email protected])
- Annette Roraback — St. Mary's School Principal ([email protected], 903-893-2127)
Life Teen — High School Youth Ministry
St. Mary's Life Teen program is the parish's high school youth ministry, gathering teens for Life Nights, Eucharistic 'Food for the Soul' mornings, fellowship, catechesis, Bible studies, and service projects. The program's stated vision is 'To Encounter, Equip, and Send Youth to be ambassadors for Christ in their World.' Life Nights typically follow the 4:30 PM Sunday Mass (until 7:00 PM), and 'Food for the Soul' mornings begin with 8:00 AM Mass followed by Adore at 11:00 AM when students are out of school.
- Vision: Encounter, Equip, and Send youth as ambassadors for Christ
- Life Nights after 4:30 PM Sunday Mass until 7:00 PM
- Food for the Soul Eucharistic days during school breaks
- Fellowship, catechesis, Bible study, and service projects
St. Mary's Catholic School
St. Mary's Catholic School shares the parish campus on South Travis Street, providing Catholic education from preschool through eighth grade. The school added a preschool wing in 1988 and has continued to grow alongside the parish community. Principal Annette Roraback can be reached at 903-893-2127.
- PreK–8 Catholic school on the parish campus
- 1988 – preschool addition opened
- 2023 – Catholic Foundation security grant awarded
- Principal: Annette Roraback
Sacraments
St. Mary's Parish prepares parishioners for all seven sacraments at both St. Anne's and St. Mary's churches. Weddings are scheduled through Deacon Jim Adlof; published wedding guidelines list a $920 parishioner fee and $1,120 non-parishioner fee for St. Anne's (lower fees apply at St. Mary's). The parish encourages adequate preparation time for marriage, with required Baptismal certificates, Affidavits of Freedom to Marry, and church fees due before a wedding date is set.
- Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation
- Marriage scheduled through Deacon Jim Adlof
- St. Anne's wedding fee: $920 parishioner / $1,120 non-parishioner
- Priest/deacon services offered freely; stipend customary
- No smoking, food, alcohol, or drugs in the churches
Communications & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone, email, or in person. The parish's Communications Coordinator, Jose R. Acosta, manages parish messaging, and a general '[email protected]' inbox is monitored for inquiries.
- Parish Office: 903-893-5148
- General email: [email protected]
- Communications Coordinator: Jose R. Acosta
- Facilities: Tom Birchall
- Office location: 727 S. Travis Street, Sherman, TX 75090
Notable Heritage & Architecture
The parish's architectural heritage is a point of pride. Across the street from the modern St. Anne's stands the 1906 St. Mary's sanctuary designed by Nicholas Clayton, the same Galveston architect who designed the National Shrine Cathedral of Our Lady of Guadalupe. The older church blends Gothic and Romanesque elements, was built by contractor William Cornish & Sons, and was designated a Recorded Texas Historic Landmark in 2001. The placement of the two churches facing each other — the historic mother church and the newer mission church of St. Anne — gives the parish a distinctive physical setting in downtown Sherman.
- 1906 St. Mary's designed by Nicholas Clayton
- Gothic and Romanesque elements; built by William Cornish & Sons
- Recorded Texas Historic Landmark, 2001
- Two churches face each other across S. Travis Street