The Community of St. Ann’s Catholic Church and its mission of Holy Family ministers to over 1000 Catholic families in Morgan and Lawrence counties.

St. Ann’s Church has grown and progressed steadily since its beginning following the War between the States. Following the Civil War, a small frame building on Alabama Street served as the Church. Mass was held once a month when a priest from Tuscumbia came on horseback to Decatur.

The first resident pastor at St. Ann’s was Father Theodosius Osterreider, O.S.B., who served until 1898. With Father Theodosius at that time was Brother Joseph Zoettle, the creator of Ave Maria Grotto in Cullman.

From Alabama Street, which was in the vicinity of the present day Tri-County Health Department Building, the church moved to Vine Street. Then around 1900, the existing church site was purchased from the Decatur Land Company. The Church building on the corner of 4th Avenue and Johnston Street was completed in 1906 while Father Michael Henry was Pastor.

The next Pastor, Father James E. McDermott, added new living quarters to the church, added the basement, and finished the interior of the Church.

Father Joseph Sheridan served as Pastor from 1917 until 1926. Father Sheridan added additional propery to the Church grounds as more Catholics were living in the area He also installed furnaces and removed the Church debt.

Father Edward Shea succeeded Father Sheridan from 1926 to 1930. The next priests were George F. Moeller, who served from 1930 to 1933, Cornelius Kennedy, who served from 1933 to 1936, and James C. Howard, who stayed for less than a year. In October of 1936 Father Patrick Joseph Buckley served as Pastor of St. Ann’s until his death in 1941.

Father John M. Horgan became Pastor of St. Ann’s in 1954 and remained there for the next seventeen years. During this time the parishioners recognized a need for quality Catholic education for the children of the Parish, and construction of St. Ann’s Catholic School started in February of 1955. The original school contained a convent, auditorium, cafeteria, kitchen, and four classrooms. Father Horgan was honored with the title of Monsignor because of the contribution of St. Ann’s Catholic School.

Father John Peter Sheehan succeeded Monsignor Horgan in 1971. After serving as Pastor for 2 years, Father Sheehan was appointed Associate Director of the Bishop’s Committee for Ecumenical and Interreligious Affairs and the National Conference of Bishops that is based in Washington, DC.

Father Patrick O’Donaghue succeeded Father Sheehan. Because of his leadership Holy Family Mission was constructed in Hartselle to serve the needs of Catholics in that community.

Father Henry McDaid became Pastor in 1981. A major renovation of St. Ann’s was completed during his tenure. Improvements and additions to the Church included increased seating capacity in the sanctuary, expansion of the balcony, re-installation of the steeple, remodeling the basement, and construction of a ramp for the handicapped. St. Ann’s School also had a needed facelift.

Father Michael MacMahon became Pastor in 1987 and helped to pay off the $700,000 worth of renovations to the church and school. He also spearheaded St. Ann’s and Holy Family’s participation in Renew.

Father Liam Sullivan arrived in 1992, and during that time completed a $400,000 renovation of St. Ann’s School and the construction of a $100,000 Social Activities Center at Holy Family.

Father Joe Culotta arrived in 1993 and Sister Janet Fleming OSB came to St. Ann’s in 1995. With the help of the Pastoral and Finance Councils, St. Ann’s and Holy Family became free of debt.

Sister Lois Justin OSF became Principal of Saint Ann’s School in 1996. St. Ann’s and Holy Family both celebrated 125 years of Catholicism in Morgan County in the Fall of 1996. The Faith Community of St. Ann’s and it’s mission Holy Family are presently engaged in a process to merge their separate campuses to provide pastoral, spiritual, and educational activities for the growing Catholic Community in Morgan County. The result of these efforts will be the formation of the Church of the Annunciation.

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