{"id":87,"date":"2026-09-15T19:36:41","date_gmt":"2026-09-15T19:36:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/staging2026.stannesrcc.com\/history\/"},"modified":"2026-09-16T02:26:48","modified_gmt":"2026-09-16T02:26:48","slug":"parish-history","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/parish-history\/","title":{"rendered":"Parish History"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<a class=\"skip-link\" href=\"#main\">Skip to main content<\/a>\n<header class=\"site-header\" id=\"top\">\n  <div class=\"header-inner wrap\">\n    <a class=\"wordmark\" href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/\">\n      <span class=\"wordmark-text\">\n        <span class=\"wordmark-name\">Saint Anne Parish<\/span>\n        <span class=\"wordmark-sub\">Roman Catholic Church \u00b7 Peterborough<\/span>\n      <\/span>\n    <\/a>\n    <button class=\"nav-toggle\" id=\"navToggle\" aria-expanded=\"false\" aria-controls=\"primaryNav\" type=\"button\">\n      <span class=\"nav-toggle-bar\"><\/span><span>Menu<\/span>\n    <\/button>\n  <\/div>\n  <nav class=\"primary-nav\" id=\"primaryNav\" aria-label=\"Primary\">\n    <ul>\n      <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/\">Home<\/a><\/li>\n      <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/mass-times\/\">Mass Times<\/a><\/li>\n      <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/bulletin\/\">Weekly Bulletin<\/a><\/li>\n      <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/calendar\/\">Calendar<\/a><\/li>\n      <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/information\/\">Sacraments<\/a><\/li>\n      <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/forms\/\">Forms<\/a><\/li>\n      <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/kofc\/\">K of C<\/a><\/li>\n      <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/womens-group\/\">Women\u2019s Group<\/a><\/li>\n      <li><a href=\"#top\" aria-current=\"page\">About<\/a><\/li>\n      <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/contact\/\">Contact Us<\/a><\/li>\n    <\/ul>\n  <\/nav>\n<\/header>\n<main id=\"main\">\n\n  <section class=\"page-hero wrap\">\n    <h1>Parish History<\/h1>\n  <\/section>\n\n  <section class=\"history wrap\">\n    <div class=\"history-panel\">\n      <p>In the 1940\u2019s there was a large population growth in Peterborough, particularly in the north end of the city. War time housing and the newly built Brookdale subdivision was putting a strain on the existing St. Peter\u2019s and St. Mary\u2019s schools. The Separate School Board purchased land with the intention of building a school. In 1948 the building of St. Anne\u2019s School commenced and opened the following September, 1949. Father F. K. Malane was assigned as spiritual director. At this time, families of the school and other Catholics living in the area attended St. Peter\u2019s Cathedral. In response to a request of the people, Bishop Berry granted permission to celebrate Mass in the school\u2019s auditorium and thus was born the Mission of St. Anne\u2019s. The first Mass celebrated at the Mission of St. Anne\u2019s was February 26, 1950.<\/p><p>On May 14, 1956, the Parish of St. Anne\u2019s was established when Bishop Webster advised Fr. Gregory Wolff of his appointment as founding pastor. The Parish boundaries were north of Parkhill from the Otonabee River to the Canadian National Railway to the Lindsay line. St. Anne\u2019s was now its own parish detached from the Cathedral. Fr. Gregory Wolff officially took over and celebrated the first Mass in the parish June 10, 1956. The parish had no rectory or church.<\/p><p>In September, 1956 a combined funds canvas with the objective of building a church began. Peter Gagliardi, a parishioner at that time, was one of the volunteer canvassers. He remembers fairs and draws being held to help raise funds. When the campaign ended $150,000 had been pledged.<\/p><p>In early 1957, O\u2019Gorman and Associates of North Bay designed the church and the building contract was awarded to M.J. Finn. Sod turning occurred July 8, 1957.<\/p><p>The church\u2019s corner-stone was laid December 15, 1957. Peter Gagliardi was there. He remembers a clear sunny day and a full parking lot. The workers spread the mortar and Fr. Ray Garvey, with a couple of assistants, picked up and laid the cornerstone in its place. Bishop Webster blessed the cornerstone which contains a time capsule from the students of St. Anne\u2019s School.<\/p><p>The new church was completed, blessed and dedicated June 11, 1958. The total cost for the church, rectory and furnishings was $240,000. In June, 1967 a fiberglass statue of St. Anne was erected in front of the church. Fr. Wolff announced at the end of that year that the entire debt had been paid off.<\/p><p>Towards the end of the 1960\u2019s the changes of the Second Vatican Council started coming into effect. Included among them were the elevation of and carpeting of the sanctuary; the removal of the communion rail; the erection of the ambo and a new altar facing the congregation.<\/p><p>The parish continued to thrive and grow under the leadership of many priests and soon came to include a second school, St. Paul\u2019s. Both schools experienced renovations and additions to accommodate the growth in population.<\/p><p>Many parish activities were established and most met in the house next to the church that had once served as a rectory. The house was small, drafty and mostly inadequate for the needs of the parish. The members of the Quilters\u2019 Group recall those old days in the Old House when it was so hot that they cooked in the summer and so cold they froze in the winter. There was an increasing need for something more suitable.<\/p><p>Finally in 1996, something was done about it and plans were started on the building of a new larger parish centre. Sod turning for the parish centre was April 21, 1997. Thanks to work from over 200 volunteers the projected cost of $1.2 million decreased to $800,000. In September 1997, St. Anne\u2019s had its own large, modern, air conditioned Parish Centre. Now groups like the Quilters, Women\u2019s Group, Knights, Brownies and others have a suitable place to meet and even store their belongings!<\/p><p>Through pledges and a huge fundraising campaign, chair Peter Roach delightedly announced early completion of the mortgage payments. On December 31, 2002 our Parish Centre was completely paid for \u2013 10 years early!<\/p><p>Today St. Anne\u2019s continues to be a flourishing parish with a Women\u2019s Group, Knights of Columbus, Brownies, sports teams, Liturgy Committee and Children\u2019s Liturgy, among others. We are indeed Building Faith, Building Community and Building the Future.<\/p>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/section>\n\n<\/main>\n<footer class=\"site-footer\">\n  <div class=\"footer-columns wrap\">\n    <div class=\"footer-col\">\n      <h3>Contact Us<\/h3>\n      <p>Saint Anne Roman Catholic Church<br>859 Barnardo Ave<br>Peterborough, ON K9H 5W2<\/p>\n      <p>Office Hours: Mon, Tue, Thu, Fri, 9:30 AM\u20133:00 PM<\/p>\n      <p><a href=\"mailto:office@stannespeterborough.ca\">office@stannespeterborough.ca<\/a><br><a href=\"tel:+17057453229\">(705) 745-3229<\/a><\/p>\n      <p><a href=\"https:\/\/maps.google.com\/?q=859+Barnardo+Ave+Peterborough+ON+K9H+5W2\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Open in Google Maps<\/a><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"footer-col\">\n      <h3>Quick Links<\/h3>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/mass-times\/\">Mass Times<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/bulletin\/\">Weekly Bulletin<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/calendar\/\">Calendar<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/information\/\">Sacraments<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/forms\/\">Forms<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/interac\/\">Interac Instructions<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"footer-col\">\n      <h3>Get Involved<\/h3>\n      <ul>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/kofc\/\">Knights of Columbus<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/womens-group\/\">Women\u2019s Group<\/a><\/li>\n        <li><a href=\"mailto:office@stannespeterborough.ca\">Volunteer<\/a><\/li>\n      <\/ul>\n    <\/div>\n  <\/div>\n  <div class=\"footer-bottom wrap\">\n    <img decoding=\"async\" class=\"diocese-crest\" src=\"https:\/\/stannesrcc.com\/public\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/09\/diocese-crest.png\" alt=\"Coat of arms of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peterborough\">\n    <p>A parish of the <a href=\"https:\/\/peterboroughdiocese.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Roman Catholic Diocese of Peterborough<\/a><\/p>\n    <p class=\"copyright\">\u00a9 2026 Saint Anne Roman Catholic Church \u00b7 Diocese of Peterborough<\/p>\n  <\/div>\n<\/footer>\n\n<script>\n(function(){\n  var toggle = document.getElementById('navToggle');\n  var nav = document.getElementById('primaryNav');\n  function setNavOpen(open){\n    toggle.setAttribute('aria-expanded', open ? 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