St. Ann Parish concludes 75th anniversary celebrations
July 29, 2019 at 12:37 p.m.
Festivities marking the 75th anniversary year in St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville, will culminate in an anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M. Aug. 5 at 12:30 p.m. and conclude with gala dinner dance Sept. 29 in Stone Terrace, Trenton.
Immediately following the Mass, parishioners and members of the community at large will be welcomed to the Faith Development Center’s Gallery of Light for a reception attended by priests who have served the parish, clergy from Lawrenceville and surrounding areas and founding members of the parish.
St. Ann Parish was incorporated August 9, 1937, in response to the growing Catholic community in Mercer County. Then-Father Michael McCorristin was installed as its first pastor. The original church, named in honor of the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary, stood until Jan. 2, 1982, when a devastating fire necessitated its demolition and rebuilding.
The structure that replaced it on Lawrenceville Road was completed in December 1985, and can seat 750 worshippers. The congregation has grown from a few Catholic families-when its first Mass was held at the Burke residence on Titus Avenue in 1891- to its current enrollment of 2,600 families.
The main campus includes a rectory, school, convent and faith development center adjoining the church. Masses in English and Slovak are offered at the St. Michael Campus on Brunswick Avenue, Trenton.
The parish began celebrating its diamond anniversary with a weekend kickoff last Sept. 24-25. That event included a charge to the parish by the pastor, Msgr. R. Vincent Gartland to “Share the Spirit and Secure the Future.”
That ongoing theme has proved inspiring, said Christine Barranco, pastoral associate. “It has been an incredible success,” she said. “There’s a real feeling that we are sharing the spirit as a community.”
“Parishioners have participated in all the activities and have had a great time. New ministries have been born out of the celebration,” she said, mentioning in particular the new ministry that picks up day-old bread from Panera Bread in Princeton and distributes it to various ministries and institutions serving those in need.
Anniversary events have included a monthly showings of the ground-breaking series “Catholicism” which engaged the community in a global journey of the living culture of the Catholic Church, an Italian Mass and festival, international covered dish supper, Corpus Christi procession, golf outing and parish participation in Lawrenceville Community Day and the annual Memorial Day Parade.
The entire commemoration has been coordinated by the anniversary committee headed by parishioner Bob Kusek who has been assisted by many parishioners, including some who remember St. Ann’s founding.
For more information about the anniversary Mass or dinner dance, call 609-882-6491.
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Festivities marking the 75th anniversary year in St. Ann Parish, Lawrenceville, will culminate in an anniversary Mass celebrated by Bishop David M. O’Connell, C.M. Aug. 5 at 12:30 p.m. and conclude with gala dinner dance Sept. 29 in Stone Terrace, Trenton.
Immediately following the Mass, parishioners and members of the community at large will be welcomed to the Faith Development Center’s Gallery of Light for a reception attended by priests who have served the parish, clergy from Lawrenceville and surrounding areas and founding members of the parish.
St. Ann Parish was incorporated August 9, 1937, in response to the growing Catholic community in Mercer County. Then-Father Michael McCorristin was installed as its first pastor. The original church, named in honor of the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary, stood until Jan. 2, 1982, when a devastating fire necessitated its demolition and rebuilding.
The structure that replaced it on Lawrenceville Road was completed in December 1985, and can seat 750 worshippers. The congregation has grown from a few Catholic families-when its first Mass was held at the Burke residence on Titus Avenue in 1891- to its current enrollment of 2,600 families.
The main campus includes a rectory, school, convent and faith development center adjoining the church. Masses in English and Slovak are offered at the St. Michael Campus on Brunswick Avenue, Trenton.
The parish began celebrating its diamond anniversary with a weekend kickoff last Sept. 24-25. That event included a charge to the parish by the pastor, Msgr. R. Vincent Gartland to “Share the Spirit and Secure the Future.”
That ongoing theme has proved inspiring, said Christine Barranco, pastoral associate. “It has been an incredible success,” she said. “There’s a real feeling that we are sharing the spirit as a community.”
“Parishioners have participated in all the activities and have had a great time. New ministries have been born out of the celebration,” she said, mentioning in particular the new ministry that picks up day-old bread from Panera Bread in Princeton and distributes it to various ministries and institutions serving those in need.
Anniversary events have included a monthly showings of the ground-breaking series “Catholicism” which engaged the community in a global journey of the living culture of the Catholic Church, an Italian Mass and festival, international covered dish supper, Corpus Christi procession, golf outing and parish participation in Lawrenceville Community Day and the annual Memorial Day Parade.
The entire commemoration has been coordinated by the anniversary committee headed by parishioner Bob Kusek who has been assisted by many parishioners, including some who remember St. Ann’s founding.
For more information about the anniversary Mass or dinner dance, call 609-882-6491.
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