St. Anne Catholic Church is the only Catholic Church in Grants Pass, and we have been called to respond in word and deed to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. From our modest beginnings in downtown Grants Pass in 1897 to the beautiful campus we enjoy today, St. Anne Catholic Church is an increasingly dynamic and growing faith community. It is time, however, for a new church.

Liturgical Enhancement Needs
The foundation and centerpiece of our Catholic faith is the Sacraments, especially our celebration of the Eucharist identified in the documents of the Second Vatican Council as the “source and summit” of our faith. Our current church, built in 1959, is woefully inadequate as a physical place to celebrate the Sacraments. Parishioners predominantly see our priests - celebrants of the Mass - from the side. Because of this configuration of the pews “on the side,” many of our parishioners have a hard time feeling like they are actually participating in the celebration of the Mass. Our priests feel like they are literally “preaching to the choir” which is positioned directly in front of the Ambo. The celebrants have to constantly twist this way and that to get any eye contact with our members.

Welcome Center

Entrance
We have two entrances to our current church, a situation that hinders community building and literally divides our community.

Narthex
Our dingy and uninviting Narthexes are too small and limited for all our needs. They do not create the bright and welcoming atmosphere we desire nor provide the space and facilities we need. The sense of community that is built when church members come together before and after Mass is missing in our current church. We need a single, central, welcoming area inside and outside for parishioners to greet one another in Christian fellowship before and after Masses.

The restroom facilities are small and cramped. While they are handicap accessible, they are not compliant with ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) codes. This makes it nearly impossible for use by our members and visitors with disabilities.

In addition the Narthex does not include room for those needing private space for special services. Brides currently are forced to prepare for their weddings in the school facilities or elsewhere.

Worship Center
A church is both the people and the physical structure. Improvements are needed to enhance the experience of our parishioners at liturgies. Our 57 year old church is showing its age and feeling “tired.” An often heard complaint is that “It does not ‘feel’ like a church.”

• Our existing church is an uninviting place to worship. It simply does not feel like a sacred place of worship.
• Our first Sacrament of Initiation – Baptism – does not have a sacred, visible, or permanent position in the church. We currently use a portable Baptismal Font – a bowl on a portable table – that must be set up, taken down, and stored in a closet. We offer Baptism by immersion for those new members of our faith who may want it by dragging a large, plastic tub into the church.
• The existing and “unusual” floor plan of the worship space creates multiple challenges.
• The current floor plan has most of the pews, and consequently the participants in the Mass, sitting to the sides of the Altar. Such arrangements create multiple, visual obstacles to fully seeing and engaging in the Mass. Many parishioners feel more like observers than active participants. It is almost as though they are an afterthought.
• Because of the lack of a center aisle, the distribution of communion, the keystone of our sacramental lives, is awkward at best. Parishioners approach the Altar from the sides rather than the front. This causes undue congestion and an uneven flow of bodies, and it creates a major distraction from that most sacred of moments – receiving the body and blood of Christ.
• It is difficult to celebrate a wedding with no center aisle in the church. Consequently, many parishioners choose other churches than their own “home” church, where they may have been members their entire life. In addition we offer no bride’s room, so brides must prepare for their wedding at the school or off-site.
• Our members with limited mobility find it difficult to attend Mass and other functions at our church. We have limited spaces in the church for those attending Mass in wheelchairs.
• We have no Cry Room for parents whose young children might create distractions for others.
• The church’s technology systems do not meet the needs of our members. The audio system is inadequate because of pew configuration and the existence of many hard surfaces. Members often have difficulty hearing the priest and readers during services. A modern visual system is non-existent. Diocesan, parish, and other video presentations must project images onto a wall.
• The current church is dark, literally and figuratively, especially during the winter months. Lighting is inadequate making it hard for some parishioners to follow the readings at Mass. The overall atmosphere can be dingy and uninviting.
• Heating and cooling costs are expensive because the church was built with little insulation and non-efficient, non-double paned windows. Additionally, our current HVAC system is old and in need of periodic and expensive repair. It is challenging to keep the worship space comfortable without incurring extra expense.
• Currently, those who help prepare the liturgical environment for Masses have no place to do their work comfortably. Space dedicated for flower preparation for Masses, funerals, and special liturgical events is found in the Heating & Air Conditioning Room, which has no sink or running water.

Altar & Ambo

• The Tabernacle is not positioned directly behind the Altar. Archbishop Sample has directed that all newly constructed churches position the Tabernacle directly behind the Altar.
• The Sacristy – the place where our priests vest and prepare for liturgy – is narrow and awkward. Additionally, our current Sacristy has insufficient cabinet space.
• Our choir area now faces the Altar but is to the side of each area of pews.
  Safety and Efficiency
• We have been informed that the existing church is not up to current, seismic, code standards. In fact our heavy, tile roof might totally collapse into the sanctuary should we experience even a moderate earthquake. We need a seismic upgrade for the safety of our parishioners, guests, and clergy. The cost of a seismic upgrade is, however, prohibitive.