It was in late 1913 that discussions with the Bishop of Galveston, Nicolas Gallagher, were initiated to build St. Ann's Catholic Church in Somerville. The Mayor of the city at the time, Casper Landolt, deeded to the Diocese of Galveston, two lots for the church to be built on. The first structure built burned in 1937; gone with that inferno were most of the church’s records. The new church structure began with erection of the Parish Recreation Center in 1964. Since then the parish facilities have grown to include a sanctuary, a family center, rectory, office, and a religious education building. St. Ann Parish currently has about 100 registered families.
The parish began as a mission with visiting priests. Through the years St. Ann has been home to thirteen resident priests:
Reverend George Elmendrof 1954 - 1962
Reverend Robert Mahoney: 1963 - 1985; d. 9/12/2009
Reverend Richard Tijerina: 1985 -1986
Reverend Eugene Shepard: 1986 - 1995
Reverend Scott Mikkelson: 1995
Reverend Robert Herald: 1996; d. 10/7/2012
Reverend Joel McNeil: 1996 - 1998
Reverend Sunny Sebastian: 1998 - 2001
Reverend Pedro Garcia: 2001 - 2003
Reverend Stephen Nesrsta: 2003 - 2006
Reverend Joseph Geleney: 2007 - 2010
Reverend Nock Russell: 2010 - 2014
Reverend Uche Obikwelu: 2014 - 2016
Bishop Daniel Garcia: 2016-2017
Reverend Ernesto Elizondo: 2017-2020
Reverend Everardo Cázares: 2020-Present
The entire parish plant is a testament to the love, dedication, faith and hard work of the parishioners. As one parishioner put it, "We did not have any money but we knew how to work together." Father Bob summed it up in one word: "trust". The statue of St. Ann: According to accounts, one morning after mass, a person in army clothes showed up at the church and said, "I have this statue for you." He left and no other details are known. The stained glass windows that provide the backdrop for the current sanctuary were the ones that were in the old wooden framed church, with one exception. That window is housed at the Somerville Area Historical Museum. As for the church bell that called Catholics in Somerville to worship, it is still ringing every Wednesday and Sunday at the Baptist Church in Independence, Texas. It still calls Christians to worship.