Welcome to our Parish!
On behalf of all the members of our parish, our parish staff and our entire parish family, I would like to welcome you to St. Ann Catholic Church and Parish. St. Ann’s began serving the Catholic community of Channahon as a mission church in 1975 and was raised to the status of a parish in its own right on April 8, 1990.
The most important part of the Catholic Church is the parish. This is because it is in the parish that our people first encounter the Risen Lord in Baptism, receive His Body and Blood in the Eucharist, and receive forgiveness of our sins in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. We hear the proclamation of the Word of God, we receive the love and care of other people of faith as we interact together as the Body of Christ in the world and raise our children in the Catholic faith. All this happens in our parish.
God engages His people on a daily basis at St. Ann’s. There’s a line in the poem Hound of Heaven by Francis Thompson that goes like this, “As we run away from God, God runs after us.” This always shocks us, the idea that God thirsts for us; that God hungers for us, that even though God doesn’t need us, God runs after us.
This is just one of the amazing spiritual Truths that you and your family will find at our parish. God does love you and wants to be part of your life. My hope and prayer for you is that you will experience a most Blessed encounter with the Lord and with His Holy People here at St. Ann’s. Never forget this - God Wants You, God thirsts for You, God hungers for You! We have a truly great and glorious God and He is present to us right here at St. Ann’s! Ad Multos Annos!!!
With Every Best Wish and Prayer,
Rev. John Klein
Pastor, St. Ann Catholic Church and Parish.