History of St. Ann Parish

The sense of erecting a shrine to St. Ann in New Orleans originated with Fr. Hattais who preached Lenten sermons at St. Ann Parish in 1902.  On August 13th of that year, a Confraternity of St. Ann of New Orleans was established.  At that time, the shrine was on St. Philip Street but with the increasing number of devotees a new and larger site was secured in 1920 on Ursuline Avenue and North Johnson Street.  A grand basilica in honor of St. Ann never materialized.  St. Ann Parish in New Orleans was eventually closed and the church was turned over to St. Peter Claver Parish.  The new shrine of St. Ann was relocated to Metairie. St. Ann Church & Shrine in Metairie was originally designated as St. Ambrose Parish, but in March 1973 by decree of Arch bishop Philip M. Hannan, the name of the Parish was changed from St. Ambrose to St. Ann.  The decree added that the Parish would also be designated as the National Shrine to St. Ann, thus the name St. Ann Church & Shrine.

The grotto-like structure in the center of the shrine behind the sanctuary includes the holy stairs whereby people ascend the steps on their knees while praying the Stations of the Cross.  The Stations of the Cross are magnificently depicted in the stained glass window when you reach the top of the stairs.  The window facing the north depicts St. Joachim and St. Ann.  The main window depicts the Holy Trinity - Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  These windows are a memorial to the Louisiana Oyster Industry, the fishermen and their families, who generously donated to the cost and installation of the stained glass windows.  Upon reaching the top of the stairs you will stand face-to-face with a large wood-carved crucifix and also a statue of St. Ann, mother of the Mother of God.  St. Ann and St. Joachim's feast day is celebrated by the Church on July 26th and is celebrated here at St. Ann Church & Shrine with a Novena.  A guest priest celebrates Mass daily and preaches, hears confessions, and leads the people in the annual St. Ann Novena July 18th - July 26th.  We also have a 3-day Lenten Mission.

The tradition of honoring St. Ann can be traced back to 1584.  St. Ann [also known as Anne, Anna, from the Hebrew Channah, meaning "favor" or "grace"] of David's house and line, was the mother of the Blessed Virgin Mary and grandmother to Jesus Christ according to Christian and Islamic tradition.  In the Middle East, veneration of St. Ann can be traced back to the fourth century.  At the encouragement of the Franciscans, Dominicans, Augustinians and Carmelites and with the help of Pope Urban VI, and later with Pope Gregory XIII, a feast day honoring St. Ann became part of the universal calendar of the Church.  Her feast day is shared with her husband, St. Joachim on July 26th.

As mother of the Mother of God and grandmother to Jesus Christ, St. Ann became the patron of married women, and for childless couples a special aid in obtaining children.  Story has it that Joachim and Ann were without children until an angel appeared to them and told that they would conceive a child.  They brought Mary up to be a worthy mother - the Mother of God.

St. Ann, you gave birth to Mary,
whose divine Son brought forth salvation to the world
by conquering death and restoring hope and life to all people.
Help us, we pray, to love as Jesus loved.
Amen.

All are welcome to pray the Stations of the Cross on the Calvary steps in our National Shrine dedicated to St. Ann.  Pray, light a candle, seek the intercession of the Mother of the Mother of Our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.