About St. Ann's · Bonners Ferry, Idaho
St. Ann's Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish serving Bonners Ferry and the broader Boundary County area of far northern Idaho, within the Diocese of Boise. The parish traces its origins to 1895, when Bishop Alphonse Glorieux sent a local Catholic carpenter to build the first church, and today it continues as a worshipping community centered on daily and weekly Mass, Eucharistic adoration, and a range of lay ministries. After the historic 1963 church was destroyed by an arson fire on April 21, 2016, the congregation rebuilt on the same block and dedicated the present building on August 14, 2018, led by Bishop Peter F. Christensen. The parish is currently administered by Fr. Antony Chinnabathini, supported by parish secretary and bookkeeper Tammy Schirado.
- Established
- 1895
- Patron
- St. Ann, Mother of the Blessed Virgin
- Rector
- Fr. Antony Chinnabathini (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Boise
Why belong here
St. Ann's offers daily Mass in a small, easy-to-know rural parish in the Idaho Panhandle, with a robust schedule that includes weekday Mass Monday through Friday, a Saturday vigil, and two Sunday Masses. The parish gathers around devotion to the Eucharist through First Friday adoration, a First Saturday rosary and Mass, Divine Mercy Chaplet, healing services, and weekly confession — a depth of devotional life unusual for a parish of its size. Visitors and members are warmly welcomed by Fr. Antony Chinnabathini and a lay community that includes an Altar Society, a Men's Group, a Youth ministry, and a Sunday coffee hour after Mass, making it a true spiritual home in Bonners Ferry.
Mass times at St. Ann's
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 4:15 PM – 4:45 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM – 8:40 AM
- Soon after daily Mass or by appointment with the parish priest
Adoration times
- First Friday: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM (Adoration with Healing service, Divine Mercy Chaplet, and Benediction)
- Every Friday after Mass
History of St. Ann's Parish
Catholic worship in the Bonners Ferry area goes back to the Jesuit missionaries who served the Kootenai Tribe from at least 1846. The parish itself was founded in 1895 through the efforts of Bishop Alphonse Glorieux and local Catholic carpenters John Mulfield and Tom Desmond, with the first Mass celebrated on May 25, 1895. The congregation outgrew the original building during the lumber-boom years and expanded it in 1913. A new, larger church and rectory were built at 6712 El Paso Street and dedicated on December 13, 1963; that building stood for more than fifty years before being lost to arson on April 21, 2016.
- First Mass: May 25, 1895
- Steeple purchased: November 2, 1895
- Expanded due to lumber industry growth: 1913
- First permanent resident pastor arrives: 1922
- New church and rectory at El Paso Street dedicated: December 13, 1963
- Old church extensively renovated: 1980–1984
- Church destroyed by arson: April 21, 2016
- New church dedicated by Bishop Christensen: August 14, 2018
The Kootenai Mission and Early Catholic Presence
Long before Bonners Ferry was officially established in 1893, Jesuit missionaries to the Kootenai Tribe were present in the region from at least 1846. Around 1890, the Jesuits built a crude log cabin chapel with a cedar-bark roof covered in clay to serve the Kootenai Indians; the roof later collapsed and the mission church was rebuilt in 1907. All three mission churches in the area were dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel, forming an important thread of the Church's frontier history in the Idaho Panhandle.
- Jesuit missionaries to the Kootenai arrived by at least 1846
- First Kootenai mission chapel built circa 1890
- Mission church rebuilt 1907 and dedicated to St. Michael the Archangel
The 2016 Arson and Rebuilding
On April 21, 2016, the 1963 church was destroyed by an arsonist's incendiary device — an explosion heard by residents as far as two miles away. The fire continued to smolder for more than twelve hours and virtually everything inside was lost. A few sacred items survived and were incorporated into the new church: a large stained-glass cross from the choir loft, a ceramic image of the Blessed Mother, and a window of Our Lady of Guadalupe. With the support of the Diocese of Boise and Bishop Peter F. Christensen, the parish rebuilt on the original parking lot, and the new St. Ann's was dedicated on August 14, 2018.
- Fire cause: incendiary device / arson
- Total loss of interior furnishings
- Relics salvaged and reinstalled in the new church
- New building dedicated August 14, 2018 by Bishop Peter F. Christensen
The Old St. Ann's and the Pearl Theater
After the parish moved to its new building in 1963, the older St. Ann's church on Ash Street continued in use and was extensively renovated in 1980–1984, including a new porch, roof, windows, insulation, and a remodeled basement. It was later converted into the Pearl Theater, a community performing-arts venue located at 7160 Ash Street in Bonners Ferry — a tangible link between the parish's earlier history and the wider Boundary County community.
- Renovations 1980–1984 cost roughly $400,000 in cumulative improvements
- Converted to Pearl Theater, 7160 Ash Street, Bonners Ferry
Parish Staff and Clergy
St. Ann's is currently administered by Fr. Antony Chinnabathini, who is supported by Tammy Schirado as Parish Secretary and Bookkeeper. Parish office hours are Tuesday through Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Thursday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
- Administrator: Fr. Antony Chinnabathini — phone 208-451-4900 — [email protected]
- Parish Secretary & Bookkeeper: Tammy Schirado — phone 986-205-0316 — [email protected]
Fr. Antony Chinnabathini, Administrator
Father Antony Chinnabathini was born in 1971 in Govindapuram in the Diocese of Nalgonda, India, the seventh of nine siblings. After early ministry as an assistant priest and parish priest, he returned to Nalgonda in 2000 and served as rector of Our Lady of Fatima Shrine in Fathimapur (2000–2006), rector of St. Francis Boarding School (2006–2011), and procurator for the Diocese of Nalgonda (2011–2018). He joined the Diocese of Boise in 2018, served as parochial vicar at St. George Catholic Church in Post Falls from 2019 to 2021, and was then appointed administrator of St. Ann's in Bonners Ferry, where he continues to minister.
- Born 1971, Govindapuram, Diocese of Nalgonda, India
- Rector, Our Lady of Fatima Shrine, Fathimapur (2000–2006)
- Rector, St. Francis Boarding School (2006–2011)
- Procurator, Diocese of Nalgonda (2011–2018)
- Joined Diocese of Boise in 2018
- Parochial Vicar, St. George, Post Falls (2019–2021)
- Administrator of St. Ann's from 2021
Parish Ministries and Fellowship
Beyond the sacraments, St. Ann's life is shaped by lay-led ministries and a strong tradition of fellowship. The parish bulletin regularly lists gatherings such as the Men's Group, the Altar Society, and Youth Ministry, and a coffee hour or breakfast is held after Sunday Mass. Altar servers are recognized each year on Father's Day with certificates of appreciation.
- Altar Society
- Men's Group
- Youth Ministry
- Altar Servers
- Sunday Coffee Hour / Breakfast after Mass
Sacraments and Sacramental Life
St. Ann's celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments, with regular opportunities for Reconciliation, daily Eucharist, and Anointing of the Sick through the First Friday Healing Service. Families seeking Baptism, Marriage, First Communion, Confirmation, or other sacramental preparation are invited to contact the parish office to arrange preparation with the pastor.
- Eucharist: daily and weekend Masses
- Reconciliation: before weekend Masses and by appointment
- Anointing of the Sick / Healing: First Friday
- Baptism, Marriage, First Communion, Confirmation: contact parish office
Visiting and Becoming a Member
In his welcome message, Fr. Antony extends a warm invitation to long-time members and first-time visitors alike, calling St. Ann's 'a spiritual home where each person is valued and encouraged to deepen their relationship with Jesus.' The parish offers a New Member Registration so newcomers can formally join the community, receive parish updates, and participate in activities.
- Open invitation to visitors and newcomers
- New Member Registration available through the parish
Contact and Location
St. Ann's Catholic Church is located in the northern Idaho town of Bonners Ferry, the county seat of Boundary County, near the Canadian border. The parish mailing address, phone, and email are listed below, and the parish office is open Tuesday through Wednesday from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Thursday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
- Address: 6712 El Paso Street, Bonners Ferry, ID 83805
- Parish phone: 208-267-2852
- Fr. Antony's phone: 208-451-4900
- Secretary's phone: 986-205-0316
- Parish email: [email protected]
- Priest email: [email protected]
- Website: www.stannbonnersferry.org