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St. Ann Mission,
Palisade |
| Our mission... |
| We of St. Ann Parish being of the family of Christ,
commit our lives to Gospel values in the community in which
we live and worship. Through Eucharist, spiritual
development, evangelization and ministry we show that we
love and serve all persons as brothers and sisters in
Christ. |
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History |
| St. Ann's is located at the eastern edge of the Grand
Valley in the heart of fruit orchards and vineyards.
As a mission, this Catholic community of nearly 200
families, (including those from their mission station in
Collbran), has s unique spirit that differs from that of
larger communities. |
| The parish has a limited staff and relies on volunteers
to provide for many of its liturgical, administrative,
educational and community needs. The total involvement
of its parishioners has created a sense of family which is
often absent in larger churches. During both times of
joy and sorrow, the people of his community can be relied on
to offer love, help, and support to one another. |
| The milestones of St. Ann's history goes back over one
hundred years, when priests from Ouray and Aspen visiting
the Grand Valley on horseback. The first settlement
came with the founding of St. Joseph's Church in Grand
Junction in 1884. Clergy from St. Joseph's made
monthly visits to Palisade to celebrate mass in the homes of
settlers. After the founding of a parish in Fruita,
and an increased population of Catholics in the valley due
to an influx of railroad workers, the decision was made to
establish a mission church in Palisade. The church,
dedicated to St. Ann, was built in 1914. From then
forward, Catholics in Palisade have had a church of their
own. |
| In 1961, St. Ann became the mission of the newly founded
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Grand Junction.
Then two years later, St. Ann experienced a Christmas day
fire that destroyed the church interior. Immediately
plans were made to rebuild in a new location. The
present church structure was dedicated in 1965. The
new building corresponded with the church of the
post-Vatican II Council - even its shape conformed to the
understanding of the church as a community of people.
Then in 1976, St. Ann experienced perhaps the most
significant development in the last quarter century:
the presence of full-time staff. Today, St. Ann
prospers as a vibrant community, with a high percentage of
parishioners actively involved in the life of the parish. |
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