History

In 1924, Bishop Christopher E. Byrne, of the Diocese of Galveston-Houston, asked Reverend John J. O’Reilley to find a suitable location for a new church, which would accommodate Houston’s westward growth. The new parish would be named for St. Anne, the mother of the Blessed Virgin. Land at the intersection of two dirt roads, McDuffie and Westheimer, was located, and an abandoned four-room farmhouse became the first home of St. Anne Catholic Community.

In May of 1928, Bishop Byrne asked the Basilian Fathers to take charge of the growing parish. Having previously opened St. Thomas College (now St. Thomas High School), the Basilian Fathers sought to apply their cornerstone, “Teach me Goodness, Discipline and Knowledge,” to the development of the burgeoning parish and to the addition of a school. In 1930, the school opened under the direction of five sisters of Divine Providence from Our Lady of the Lake Convent. The school was the first Catholic school in the Diocese of Galveston-Houston to be accredited, and has remained accredited ever since. The school has successfully completed six accreditation cycles.

In over 90 years, the area around St. Anne Catholic School has changed drastically. It is no longer an area of farmers and immigrant families. It is now a bustling street corner in the heart of a major metropolitan city. The school is a microcosm of the City of Houston, fortunate to experience a diverse group of students racially, culturally, and economically. Students come to St. Anne from all areas of Houston and the outlying suburbs.