Saint Ann Catholic Church 

This email is our monthly Faith Formation update to let you know about programs happening at Saint Ann and across the Diocese in adult faith formation, OCIA, religious education, sacrament preparation, and more. 

These emails do not replace regular communication channels for our OCIA participants, youth ministry, and Sunday School - if you'd like to receive more regular emails about any of these programs, please contact mandi@stannnash.org. 

We need volunteers for all of our Faith Formation programs, including OCIA, Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, Sacrament Preparation/ Sunday School, and Youth Ministry. Visit our website for more information! 

Join us for a 7:00 PM Mass Saturday, August 9th, at Saint Ann Catholic Church, celebrated by Rev. Joe Hinderer, who will be ordained a priest at 10:00 AM Mass earlier that day at the Cathedral of the Incarnation. A reception will follow both Masses. 

We are looking for one woman to join our Seven Sisters Apostolate and commit to praying a holy hour on Sundays for our Diocesan Director of Vocations, Fr. Luke Wilgenbusch. One of our Saint Ann groups has prayed for Fr. Wilgenbusch since 2022, when our former associate pastor, Fr. Hung Pham, became pastor of Saint Pius. Reply to this email if you are interested.

The next Young Catholic Professionals Executive Speaker event will be held in Saint Ann's Breen Hall on Wednesday, August 20th, from 7:00 to 9:00 PM. The evening's speaker will be Dwayne Keller, co-founder of Leadership Catholic through the Catholic Business League, and Senior VP at Vizient, Inc. 

Parishioner Jon Cooley will lead a weekly eight-week study on the Sermons of Augustine beginning Sunday, September 14th, between the morning Masses. RSVP by responding to this email. 

Cursillo, a Catholic retreat since the 1940s, is a source of spiritual awakening within Central Tennessee. Contact Saint Ann parishioners Ben Pietrzyk at ben.pietrzyk@gmail.com or Tony Frankie at tonyfrankie@gmail.com to attend an upcoming retreat.

Men's Weekends - Sept 25-28, 2025, and February 26 - March 1, 2026

Women's Weekends - Oct 2-5, 2025, and March 5-8, 2026

More information available at nashvillecursillo.com

Our next Parent and Godparent Baptism class is Monday, August 11th, at 6:30 PM. Contact mandi@stannnash.org to learn more or to register.

Mondays, 6:00 PM Young Adult Vespers and Social - Church

Mondays, 6:00 PM Catholics in Recovery - St. Joachim House

Mondays, 7:30 PM Men's Prayer and Basketball - Gym

Tuesdays, 6:30 PM OCIA Meeting and Social - Breen Hall

2nd Tuesdays, 6:30 PM Lighthouse Young Adult Adoration, Praise, & Worship - Church

Thursdays, 10:00 AM The Chosen Group Study - Church Office

Thursdays, 6:30 PM every other week The Chosen Group Study - Church Office

Fridays, 6:00 AM Men's Bible Study - Church Office

Sundays, 7:30 PM Gianna's Group Bible Study for Moms of Young Children - St. Joachim House

Young Adult Bible Studies Join the Young Adult GroupMe to request information

Tuesday - Friday, 4:30 to 5:30 Daily Adoration 

All are invited to witness the Presbyteral Ordination of Deacon Christian Hamrick, Deacon Joseph Hinderer, Deacon Joseph Ngo, and Deacon Justin Farr at 10 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 9, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation. Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville will celebrate the Mass with multiple priests of the diocese serving as concelebrants.

The next meeting of the Catholic Business League is at 7:45 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 14, in the Fleming Center at the Cathedral of the Incarnation. The guest speaker will be Josh Hughes, partner and principal at Anecdote Architectural Experience. Mass is available prior to the meeting at 7 a.m. For more information, visit catholicbusinessleague.org.  

St. Henry Church will host monthly Responding in Faith talks on a wide-range of topics. The first in the series will focus on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ document “Faithful Citizenship” from 9-11 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 16, in the Parish Center Meeting Room. Future talks are planned for Sept. 28, Oct. 16, Nov. 21, Feb. 1, 2026, and March 21, 2026. For more information, email james.powers@vumc.org or irene.boyd09@comcast.net.

Make-a-Will Month is observed in August as a reminder to create or update your will. The Diocese of Nashville's Office of Stewardship and Development is offering a free interactive panel discussion (online, phone, and radio) from noon to 1 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 18, to discuss the importance of having a will. Hosted by Nashville Catholic Radio at 100.5 FM, panelists will include Greg Pope, chief administrative officer of the Diocese of Nashville; John Roberts, chief financial officer of the diocese; Liz Poplin, SVP of Wealth Management at Merrill Lynch; and Tom Riordan, vice president of Mission Partnerships at Catholic Extension Society. All members of the Catholic community are invited to join the tutorial via phone or online. RSVP to Matt Wilson at Matt.Wilson@Dioceseofnashville.com or call 615-783-0770 to submit a question for the panel and receive instructions on how to join online or by phone.

The Nashville Catholic Business Women’s League will meet from 5-7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 20, at Coco’s Italian Market and Cafe. The guest speaker will be Jim Ryan, founder of Jim Ryan Talks. The cost to attend is $25 and includes dinner. To register, visit ncbwl.org/upcoming-events-registration. Registration is due by Sunday, Aug. 17.

Aquinas College will celebrate the beginning of a new academic year with its annual Mass of the Holy Spirit at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 26, in the Aquinas Center. Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville will celebrate the Mass. A luncheon will follow. To RSVP, email aquinasevents@aquinascollege.edu.

There will be a Rachel’s Vineyard Retreat Sept. 5-7 at Passionist Retreat House in Whitesville, Kentucky. Rachel’s Vineyard offers post-abortion healing for women and men suffering from the emotional and spiritual wounds of abortion. For more information or to register, call 270-474-4707 or email retreats@hopeafterabortionky.com, or visit HopeAfterAbortionKY.com. For a full list of retreat dates and locations, visit rachelsvineyard.org.  

The annual Together in Holiness Retreat, presented by the Diocese of Nashville and sponsored by the St. John Paul II Foundation, is set for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 13, at the Catholic Pastoral Center. Registration opens Monday, May 19. Cost is $64 per couple, with childcare available for $5 per child. Early-bird tickets are available through July 28. For more information, click here.  

Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Germantown will host “Cantate Domino,” a workshop for learning to sing and pray Gregorian chant, the music form which gives life to the official texts of the sacred liturgy Sept. 26-28, at the church. Lessons will be taught by Brother Mark Bachmann, OSB, choirmaster of the Abbey of Our Lady of Clear Creek in Hulbert, Okla. Cost is $60 and includes a light breakfast and lunch on Saturday. To register, visit dub.sh/ISaMxy2. For more information, email Matthew Roth at assumptionnashvilleschola@gmail.com.  

As part of the Jubilee Year of Hope, Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville will celebrate a White Mass for healthcare professionals at 5 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 18, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation. The Mass includes special prayers for physicians, nurses, pharmacists, and therapists. The Mass will fall on the feast of St. Luke, patron of physicians. For more information, visit nashvillefaithformation.com.

Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville will celebrate a Red Mass for legal professionals, including judges, lawyers, and government officials, at 12:10 p.m. on Thursday, Oct. 23, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation. All are invited to join for the Mass, which coincides with the feast of St. John of Capistrano, patron of judges. For more information, visit nashvillefaithformation.com.  

The Diocese of Nashville’s Office of Faith Formation will host the second annual Queen of Families Mass at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 26, at the Cathedral of the Incarnation. Bishop J. Mark Spalding of Nashville will celebrate the Mass. The Mass will invoke Our Lady's intercession for families who have experienced the loss of a child through miscarriage, stillbirth, or other circumstances. For more information, visit nashvillefaithformation.com.

Ascension Saint Thomas Hospital is seeking volunteers to serve as Extraordinary Ministers of Communion for patient visitation at both the West and Midtown campuses. Eucharistic Ministers must be practicing Catholics and apply first to become hospital volunteers. A letter of good standing from the pastor must also be provided. Those interested should contact Susan Fussell at 615-222-6602 for additional information.

Listen to Nashville Catholic Radio on 100.5 FM and Streaming 24/7 on NashvilleCR.com...just tell your smart device to play Nashville Catholic Radio for the following local shows:"

Mondays: Around the Diocese 11 a.m., Laudato Si 11:30 a.m.

Tuesdays: Classic We Believe 11 a.m., Parenting Matters 11:30 a.m.

Wednesdays: NashVocations Podcast: Adapted for Nashville Catholic Radio 11 a.m., Faith in Business 11:30 a.m.

Thursdays: Belonging for Young Catholic Adults 11 a.m., Parenting Matters (repeat from Tuesday) 11:30 a.m.

Help is needed on air, in production, promotion, financial, and many new areas to come. Email Jim Crowe (jim.crowe@dioceseofnashville.com) or Ron Fleitz (rfleitz31@gmail.com) for more information.

Visit volunteer.cctenn.org/need to see how you can help Catholic Charities help those in need.  

Retrouvaille is a marriage recovery program for struggling couples who are considering separation or divorce. It is Catholic in origin and orientation but is open to all married couples regardless of religious background. For confidential information about the program: 800-470-2230 or 615-523-0631 or nrv3043@gmail.com or www.HelpOurMarriage.org.

Many families are preparing for Back to School during the month of August, but it might also be a great time to consider effective ways to engage your children in the Mass! 

Holy Heroes offers weekly free Mass preparation for families, including a video, coloring page, Mass quiz, and beginner worksheet. 

Katie Prejean McGrady and her family host weekly five to eight minute reflections on that week's Mass for families. 

Aleteia has the ultimate guide for what to include in your family's Mass bag.

Teaching Catholic Kids and Ascension Press both have great ideas and strategies about family Mass attendance with small children. 

As your parish, we want to be a resource for your family 's domestic church! Click reply to this email with any questions you have about resources, devotions, prayer, etc.

We continue our effort to improve our Mass experience for families with small children and children with sensory needs. Learn more about this effort and find out how you can help here. Part of this project is creating busy bags to be stored at the back of the church; if you want to help with this project, reply to this email!

Pray the family rosary every night with fellow Catholics around the country at 7pm on Nashville Catholic Radio. 100.5FM, streaming at NashvilleCR.com, or ask your smart speaker to "Play Nashville Catholic Radio".

We continue to have copies of Magnifikid available on Sundays and major feasts and holy days. They are placed near the bulletins for children to grab as they come into Mass. Each copy of Magnifikid includes all the readings and prayers of the Sunday Mass with explanations of the difficult words and the meaning of the rituals; a suggested prayer for Morning and Evening; many suggestions on how to live the entire week with the Lord; various games, a comic, and activities to help children learn about Christian life and culture; and a page intended for the parents with suggestions for family prayers. MagnifiKid is for children between the ages of 6 and 12. 

FORMED has just added the Glorious Mysteries to the beautiful video series Mysteries of the Rosary, which takes you to the Holy Land to reflect on the actual sites where these mysteries occurred using gorgeous visuals and professional videography. 

Saint Ann has a parish subscription to FORMED, the premier Catholic video streaming platform! Follow these steps to create your FREE account:

Registration for Religious Education is now open! Visit saintannparish.com/sundayschool to learn more about our program opportunities for the Fall. 

We are still in need of volunteers for our various Religious Education programs. View opportunities and sign up at the above link. If you are especially interested in Catechesis of the Good Shepherd, follow the link to sign up for a specific way to help or join us at one of the following events at St. Joachim House (320 52nd Avenue North):

Saturday, August 16th, 9:15 am to 12:15 pm - Assistant Training

Saturday, August 30th, 9:15 am to 12:15 pm - Atrium Work Day

RSVP by emailing atrium@stanncgs.org. 

We continue accepting inquirers for entry into the church later this year and at Easter. Visit saintannparish.com/ocia to request more information, or attend our inquiry sessions on Tuesdays at 6:30 PM in the Parish Life Center.

We are in need of volunteers for OCIA! Serve on the team, act as a sponsor, or even stop by occasionally to provide food and a testimony from our parish community. Sign up for any of these opportunities at the link. 

Find and request more information here. If you know someone who is seeking God, please prayerfully consider forwarding this email to them.