St. Anne of the Sunset Church in San Francisco
| St. Anne of the Sunset Church | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Religion | |
| Affiliation | Roman Catholic Church |
| Diocese | Archdiocese of San Francisco |
| Province | Archdiocese of San Francisco |
| Leadership | Archbishop of San Francisco |
| Location | |
| Location | San Francisco, California, United States |
Interactive map of St. Anne of the Sunset Church | |
| Architecture | |
| Architect | Shea & Lofquist |
| Style | Romanesque Revival |
| Completed | 1932 |
| Direction of façade | North |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
St. Anne of the Sunset Catholic Church in San Francisco is a parish of the Archdiocese of San Francisco in San Francisco, California.[1] St. Anne is one of four Sunset District Catholic churches and mainly caters to the Inner Sunset area near Golden Gate Park and the University of California, San Francisco hospital campus.
About
The larger, rosy-red church can easily be seen from anywhere in the Inner Sunset and a MUNI streetcar has a line that travels along Judah Street in front of the Church. Every year since 1908, the parishioners of St. Anne's hold a novena honoring their patron saint hosted by redemptorists, in which they have a procession around the neighborhood, commencing in the vestibule of the church.[2]
In addition to English, the church celebrates mass in Cantonese and formerly Arabic.[3][4]
History
The church was founded in 1904. The first church, a small wood-frame structure, was built in 1905 on land donated by a Mrs. Jane Callahan. The church, which then seated up to 450 people, was toppled in the 1906 earthquake.[5] The parish school, St. Anne School, opened in 1920.
Reconstruction for a new church building began in 1930 and was completed two years later in 1932. It was dedicated by Archbishop John J. Mitty.[6] The reconstruction increased the church's seating capacity to 750.
The church is notable for its Romanesque Revival architecture, massive dome, uneven twin towers, great rose windows, and the frieze sculpture that adorns the front facade entrance.[7] The sculpture, created by Mission San Jose Sister Justina Niemierski, depicts a "scriptural account of the whole of salvation history."
Pastors
- Fr. Joseph J. McCue (1904–1911)
- Fr. William O’Mahoney (1911–1936)[6][8]
- Msgr. Patrick G. Moriarty (1937–1970)[9]
- Msgr. John T. Foudy (1970–1990)
- Fr. Richard S. Deitch (1990–1995)
- Fr. Anthony E. McGuire (1995–1998)
- Fr. Eduardo A. Dura (1998–2006)
- Fr. Raymund M. Reyes (2006–2014)
- Fr. Daniel Nascimento (2014–present)[10]
Interior photos
References
- ^ Howe, Jeffery W. (2003). Houses of Worship: An Identification Guide to the History and Styles of American Religious Architecture. Thunder Bay Press. p. 302. ISBN 978-1-57145-970-1.
- ^ Stremel, Kristine. "Redemptorist Novena to St. Anne is Underway in San Francisco". North American Conference of Redemptorists. Retrieved January 25, 2026.
- ^ "Archdiocese of San Francisco Catholic Directory (2023-2024 Edition)" (PDF). Retrieved January 25, 2026.
- ^ Horton, Renee (2001). "Arab-Catholics Find Peace and Security in San Francisco". San Francisco Faith. Archived from the original on January 31, 2003. Retrieved May 1, 2008.
- ^ "History – St. Anne of the Sunset". St. Anne of the Sunset – Catholic Church in San Francisco. January 25, 2026. Retrieved January 26, 2026.
- ^ a b "Annual Novena Will Open in St. Anne's Church on July 18". San Francisco Chronicle. June 4, 1932. p. 9. Retrieved December 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "St. Anne of the Sunset". Public Art and Architecture from Around the World. August 21, 2013.
- ^ "Reception Planned For Msgr. O'Mahoney". The San Francisco Examiner. September 9, 1932. p. 3. Retrieved December 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "Novena to St. Anne of Sunset Opens". San Francisco Chronicle. July 18, 1936. p. 11. Retrieved December 20, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Ho, Vivian; Lyons, Jenna (October 14, 2015). "Police ID drifter they believe killed hiker and shot dog". SFGate. Archived from the original on January 11, 2017. Retrieved December 20, 2025.
- "Gaudencio Cardinal Borbon Rosales". CardinalRating.com. Archived from the original on December 3, 2008. Retrieved May 1, 2008.