94 – St. Ann Roman Catholic Church
St. Ann Roman Catholic Church, established 1995 at 1010 S. Louisa St.
St. Ann (also spelled Anne or Anna) is the mother of the Virgin Mary.
Originally named St. Boniface, the parish was established in 1881 and the current building was dedicated in 1895.
I’ll let Historic Peoria tell the story:
In 1881 members of St. Joseph’s Church asked Bishop Spalding to establish a new parish in the far south side of Peoria to meet the need of the growing Catholic population in that part of the city. St. Boniface Parish was created, bringing the number of Peoria parishes to 5, and the Bishop placed the parish under the Franciscan Fathers. In 1882 a small church was constructed at the corner of Antoinette and Louisa Streets.
This church quickly became too small, and plans were made for an imposing church complex in a Byzantine style of architecture. The new church was to be erected at the Antoinette and Louisa location so the first church was moved a short distance away to a vacant lot at Antoinette and Helen Streets. The new church was dedicated in 1895 and had a school, a bowling alley, and its own band all designed to make the location the site of activity for the neighborhood. Although this landmark building still stands, declining area population and church reorganization have changed the name beginning in 1995 to St. Ann’s Catholic Church. There is still a St. Boniface convent and bowling alley adjacent to the main Church building.
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October 8th, 2006 at 9:33 pm
St. Ann’s or St. Boniface.
October 9th, 2006 at 7:13 pm
… which has an oddly modern interior. Not a fan of that particular design choice.
m.
October 9th, 2006 at 10:41 pm
Drive past there every day. Doesn’t this have a bowling alley in the basement?
October 10th, 2006 at 9:32 am
I’ve never been inside, but I read last night that when it was originally built, it had a bowling alley.
I haven’t dug too much yet, but wasn’t this rededicated just a year or so ago after a major fire, or am I confusing it with another church?
October 10th, 2006 at 11:38 pm
I think St. Martin des Porres is the one that had the fire. It’s the church on Richard Pryor Place that now is called somehting else … St. Matthew’s, maybe?
A co-worker of mine was supposed to get married in that church the very day the fire occurred. She went in during the afternoon and had all her pictures taken. The ceremony was supposed to take place after the 5 p.m. Mass. Well, after the Mass is when the fire was set.
She was hanging out at the Holiday Inn City Center, waiting to go back to the church for the ceremony, when she heard the fire trucks.
Fortunately the priest covers both St. Martin des Porres AND St. Ann’s/Boniface. So they moved the ceremony over there.
Her wedding pics are cool — the ceremony is in one church, all the bridal party formal portraits are in another!
October 12th, 2006 at 4:29 pm
It is St. Anne’s. It was St. Boniface, but when the diocese closed St. Patrick, they merged and changed the name. There is a bowling alley in the basement of the church. St. Anne’s also had a fire, but it was back in the sixties. Both the interior and the exterior of the church were just recently painted in 2004. I did some of the carpentry work during the renovations.
As an aside, St. Martin de Porres was once St. Joseph, and after the fire they had last year, it was rededicated. It is now back to St. Joseph.
October 18th, 2006 at 10:05 pm
Sad to see the St. Ann’s Parish Hall being demolished today. Does anyone know why?
November 4th, 2006 at 12:36 am
— Good Day, I was cripple in my 6 year old child hood. Doctors could
not understand why, when I rose to leave my bed, stepped-down on floor,
my Legs gavw -way.
My Aunt Kathern was sure, a de Porres. St. Ann’s “MEDAL” would get
me able too sstand on legs.! !
It worked I’m assuming, since I was able to walk an be released from
Hospital in two.(2)months. The troubled legs pleaged me through-out my
life. Finaly, in 1982 I was dianosed with mutiple Scl/ MS
I need another medal now,I’m in wheelchair unable to get-out of said,
chair without my Son, Christopher, who is 27 and lives here with ME to
manage my needs. I’m so greatful for him.
If I can somehow, receive a de Porres. St. Ann’s medal I’d be at rest
knowing I suerly would be greatly helped.What do I need to do in referance too this plea.? Please help me.
Sincerely,
Lois victoria Blair
16 D Maple Crest Cir
Holyoke, MA. 01040
413-532-4915
December 30th, 2006 at 12:03 am
St. Boniface was my family’s church when I was growing up. After the fire in the 60’s, we held mass in the basement of the school across the street until the church was rebuilt. I learned to bowl in the basement and there were weekly leagues held there. I attended school at St. Bonface School.
August 6th, 2008 at 11:09 am
I lived across the street at 931 Louisa in the 1960’s. This church was absolutely beautiful. Although not a Catholic at the time, I would sit on the steps outside since the doors were open in the summer and listen to the services. The Parish used to be so full of life with kids from the school crossing the street to church, the nuns in full habits, ceremonies like the May Crowning, etc. My mom and I were in the backyard that terrible Sunday when we saw a nun running to the fire box. After that, the windows literally blew out of the right side onto Louisa Street. There was a fear that the bell tower was going to fall right into the street. As an adult, I converted and finally went to Mass there, however, the interior was modern looking and not what I remember seeing as a child. I was amazed that a huge statue of St Boniface survived the fire and is now in the former organ loft. I have a deep love for St Boniface because of this. It was amazing his statue survived when everything was destroyed. I would love to see old pictures of the way it used to be.