1959

Shrine of St. Anne initiated a drive to raise $175,000 to help fund the school. The city of Arvada appointed an Urban Renewal Authority committee in 1959, and proceeded to build the school. J. K. Monroe, of the firm Monroe, Irwin and Dunham, was retained by Arch Bishop Vehr as the architect.  The Shrine of St. Anne would be the 55th school in the Archdiocese.

1960s

Sunday, January 24, 1960 marked the official ground breaking ceremony.

The school contained 10 classrooms, a gymnasium-cafeteria, a fully equipped kitchen, athletic rooms, an engineer’s work room, a medical clinic and the principal’s office. The total cost of the school was projected at $300,000.

September 5, 1961, was a day of joy and excitement as students, sixth and seventh grades only, walked through the doors of their new school. The 108 new students wore a school uniforms. Boys wore blue pants and light blue shirts with plaid bow ties. Girls had plaid jumpers with white shirts and little plaid half hats. Tuition was $55 per family per year. The Sisters of the Precious Blood taught at St. Anne’s School as well as other nuns.

Sisters of the Precious Blood, standing in front of Shrine of St. Anne School
Sisters of the Precious Blood, standing in front of Shrine of St. Anne School in the 1960s.

1970s

During the 1970s the St. Anne school fell on some financial hard times. In December of 1973 a $12,000 organ was donated to the church by Mr. William Killian. C.O.M.B. (Committee on Ministry to the Bereaved) was formed in 1976, and A.R.M.S. (Arvada Resource for Ministry and Service) began in 1977. On Saturday, June 28, 1980, the parish said goodbye to the Claretians.

1980s

Father R. Walter Nickless moved into the Arvada rectory in June, 1980. He had great interest in the school, and taught religion classes every Friday. Through Father Nickless’ encouragement, a long-range planning committee for the expansion of St. Anne’s school was realized.

In the 80s, 90s and early  21st Century, Kathie Kuehl, former St. Anne’s teacher, took over as principal.

In May 1988, Father Nickless announced that Father John McCormick had been assigned as pastor for the Shrine of St. Anne.

1990s

The first challenge faced by Father McCormick was completion of the school addition so it could open on time in September, but first had to face challenges from severe hail storms and heavy rain that damaged the church. Father McCormick also oversaw many renovations, including the parish center. In November of 1994, he reported to the parish that “Never in our seventy-five year history has this parish shown more evidence of vitality than now”.

Father John McCormick was Pastor from 1988 through the millennium to 2001. The school addition was completed in 1988.

2000s

Father David Croak was assigned to the parish in 2001. The plans for a new addition to the Church and a new rectory were brought to completion during Fr. Croak’s first year as pastor.  In 2009, Father Croak received Papal Honors by being named Chaplain to His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, giving him the title of Monsignor.

2010s

With the retirement of Monsignor Croak, Fr. Piotr Mozdyniewicz was assigned as Administrator in 2010. “Father Peter”, joined the Shrine of St. Anne with lengthy history in his home country of Poland prior to joining the Archdiocese of Denver.

In 2013, Patricia Hershwitzky was appointed principal.

Fr. Sean McGrath
Fr. Sean McGrath

In June 2017, Fr. Sean McGrath, who served as a Parochial Vicar here in the 1990s, returned to the Shrine of St. Anne to replace Fr. Piotr. who was assigned to Holy Trinity, in Westminster.  Fr. Sean comes to us from St. Francis Cabrini Parish in Littleton.

Source: “Shrine of St. Anne, A History, 1920-2010”
Author: Lois Cunniff Lindstrom