St Anne Church

Introduction

The foundation stone of the first St Anne's Church was laid on 19th February 1949 by the parish priest of Our Lady of the Angels.

History

St Anne's became a parish of its own in 1952, with a priest in charge arriving then. In 1959, responsibility for St Joseph's and the surrounding area was transferred from the parish of Bedworth to the parish of St Anne's, Chapel End. The foundation stone of the new St Anne's was blessed on 11th March 2000. In 2010 the parish celebrated ten years of the new building with a Flower Festival and then with the blessing of the stained glass windows in November.

Music and liturgy

The main Sunday Mass and Masses on Holy Days of Obligation are sung, largely thanks to the organist and singers. Recitation of the Rosary precedes morning Masses.

Parish life

The parish has a representative for the Clergy Training Fund, a diocesan charity funding seminarian training. Parishioners visited the Shrine of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal in 2009. Parishioners visited the Basilica of St Anthony of Padua in Italy in 2007.

Regular events

Every year there are opportunities to go on pilgrimage to Our Lady's shrines at Walsingham in Norfolk and to Lourdes in France. May processions were held, with the congregation processing from the church up the drive and into the garden.

Sacraments and pastoral care

Couples should give at least six months' notice for marriage. Adults wishing to become Catholics are usually received into the Church at Easter, after a preparation programme beginning in early autumn. The parish supports overseas missions through the APF 'red boxes' scheme, administered by a parish organiser. Every other year there are opportunities to visit holy places further afield, including Rome, Assisi, Padua, Subiaco, Nettuno and Fatima.

In October 2013 there was a pilgrimage to the Holy Land, in the footsteps of Jesus, Mary and Joseph. On hot evenings parishioners would bring out chairs and have Mass in the garden by Our Lady's Grotto. Redemptorist priests gave missions, including Masses, visits to parishioners and evening services with confession.