Before the institution of St. Ann Parish, the Catholic people of Shinnston were faced with three difficult options: travel to the nearest Catholic churches which were in Monongah and Clarksburg, attend the services of other Christian faiths, or lose out altogether.
Early in 1923, hoping to arrange for the service of a priest, even on a limited basis, several interested Catholics visited Reverend Father P. H. McDermott, then pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Clarksburg. Through his intercession, arrangements were made for his assistant, Father Patrick A. Mullally to come to Shinnston each week by street car to minister to the community. Sometime early in 1923, by decree of Archbishop Swint, St. Ann Parish was established as a separate entity.
In the new parish, the first baptism recorded was Barbara Josephine Schaffner of Lumberport on May 20, 1923.
The first recorded marriage on June 17, 1923 was that between Joseph Belcastro and Latrina Spino of Shinnston.
The first Masses were held at the funeral-parlor of the Shinnston Furniture and Undertaking Company, which is now the G. C. Murphy Building.
Due to the swift increase in numbers of people attending, arrangements had to be made for a larger room which was found at the Rex Theater, later known as the Anderson Garage Building.
Soon a committee was formed to search for a suitable property to build upon. A harness shop which stood on the site of the present Church was purchased and converted into the first Catholic Church in this entire area extending as far as thirty-six miles on one diagonal. The acquisition also contained a residence which served many years as a rectory.
Within a few years, the little wooden building needed an addition to accommodate its growing body of worshippers. This elongated rectangle, this long, low, glorified harness shop served the community for nearly thirty years.
The present church was built in 1952. The corner stone was blessed and laid by His Excellency, the Most Reverend John J. Swing, D. D., Bishop of Wheeling in May of that year. During the year the church was under construction, from May 1952 until March 1953, all Catholic liturgical services were celebrated in the union hall Owings Local No. 6593, UMWA on Charles Street. The dedication ceremony and solemn blessing of St. Ann Church followed by Mass celebrated by His Excellency Most Reverend Thomas J. McDonnell, Co-adjuror Bishop of Wheeling, took place on June 28, 1953, and the Sacrament of Confirmation was administered on the same date.
The church was renovated according to Vatican II Guidelines in 1968.
The Parish of St. Ann included a mission church, Holy Family located in Spelter, WV until November 30, 2011. The church was a remodeled version of the original building, which was erected and dedicated in 1925. Many good things happened over the years at Holy Family, and many meaningful celebrations of the Sacraments and Word were experienced; however, due to changes in the community population over the last 10 to 20 years, Holy Family was suppressed as a Mission on November 30, 2011. All members of Holy Family were incorporated into St. Ann Parish, Shinnston.
In 1964, a house located on Mahlon Street was purchased to be used for a church rectory. At that time, the old rectory located on Pike Street was converted for use as a catechetical Center. In 1978, the rectory was sold, and the catechetical center was torn down. Construction of a new social hall with the Priest’s living quarters upstairs was begun.
In the early years of the parish, the catechism (religious education) classes were instructed by the priest and a few dedicated volunteer teachers. Special classes were offered for First Holy Communion and for Confirmation, which was administered only every three years in each parish. Sisters of Saint Joseph were brought to Shinnston and Spelter for many years to instruct summer schools during the summer vacation. They enlisted the help of interested adults in organizing the classes and in instructing and transporting the children.
After C.C.D. was chartered at St. Ann’s in 1952, then revitalized in 1962, teachers were trained by Sisters of the Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart. Sixty hours of instruction were required to certify a lay teacher in C.C.D. Instruction. Many local teachers attained the goal. Currently, C.C.D. classes are held in classrooms on the second floor of the parish social hall. There are seven classrooms, one common room, two volunteer coordinators, 6 teachers, and two substitute teachers. There are 49 students in the 2012 C.C.D. class year. All teachers participating in the C.C.D. program must function under the Diocesan Safe Environment Program, and must complete ongoing VIRTUS training courses. These courses are offered on-line as well as in seminar format. Currently, First Holy Communions are celebrated every year, and Confirmations are held every other year.
In June of 1992, St. Ann’s purchased the Harmer and Stout houses that were adjacent to the church. The two houses were torn down, and in September, 1992, a new parking lot was completed for the parishioners of St. Ann’s.
On June 18, 1997, discussions began regarding the building of a Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration Chapel for St. Ann’s. The Chapel would require twenty-four hour a day and seven days a week commitment of individuals for prayer and adoration, as the Blessed Sacrament can never be exposed and alone. This would be a huge obligation for the parishioners of St. Ann’s; however, the building of this chapel was a dream of Fr. Karl R. Wohinc, the current Pastor, and he had faith that the Chapel would succeed. Approval to construct the chapel was given, and construction began with Fr. Karl Wohinc as the general contractor. He had visions in his mind of how the chapel should look, and where everything should be. The Chapel was built without blueprints, and is peaceful, amazing, and beautiful. The sanctuary area was modeled from scripture in the book of Revelations.
On October 24, 1999, the Blessed Margaret of Castello Perpetual Eucharistic Chapel was dedicated. This chapel was the only one of its kind in all of West Virginia, and in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston. The chapel had thrived with prayer and adoration for nearly 20 years. On October 1, 2015, it became necessary to make the chapel an 18 hour chapel. With this change, exposition times for the Host is from 6:00am to 12:00 Midnight wach day. The chapel is supported by over 184 committed adorers and with over 25 substitute adorers. It is open to all denominations, and people from all over come to visit the chapel to adore and to pray.
St. Ann’s is home to 256 households in the Shinnston and surrounding areas. In June of 2012, Rev. Karl R. Wohinc, Pastor for the past 28 years retired, and St. Ann welcomed Rev. Thomas W. Dagle as the new Pastor. Fr. Dagle was at St. Anns until June 20, 2018 when Fr. Akila Rodrigo T.O.R. and Fr. Jude Perara, T.O.R. came to Pastor at St. Ann's.