Above the village barn in 1945. This was remodeled into St Anne Church

History of St Anne Parish

(From the church web site)

 In August 1943, four mothers from the Village of Warren area went to the Chancery Office to see Archbishop Mooney regarding religious instruction for the children of the village. The Archbishop assured them that instruction classes would be started, but could give them little assurance of a parish due to the number of priests then engaged as Chaplains in the War

In September 1943, instruction classes were begun in the Sisters' convent on Van Dyke, the Motherhouse of the Slovak-Dominican Sisters.

This arrangement served as a partial solution, but lack of space in the convent, and transportation problems due to the war, were factors to be met and overcome. In the Spring of 1944, Mr. Norman Halmich, then Postmaster and Storekeeper, displayed in his store a petition to be signed by Catholic parents for religious instruction of children in Warren.

            In late June, 1944, the Mission Helpers of the Sacred Heart, four in number, opened a vacation school in an empty store on Chicago Road.  This, too, was inadequate, in space, so the vacation school was mainly held under the trees in the Village Park. In the Fall the same Mission Helpers returned to Warren weekly for Saturday instructions, held in the Village Barn. 

In December, a Christmas Program was conducted in the Barn for the  parents and children.  It was at this meeting that discussion arose regarding the possibility of establishing a parish in Warren.  Enthusiasm ran high, with the result that a total of $2,500.00 was donated for a parish.  The money was forwarded to the Chancery Office for future use.

In March of 1945, announcement was made from the Chancery Office that a parish was to be established in the vicinity of Mound and 13 Mile Roads.  Fr. Frank J. Walsh was given the assignment. 

Among the men attending the next meeting at the Doctor's home was the late Mr. Norman Halmich who graciously donated five acres of land on Mound Road at Arden Avenue.  Later on, foreseeing the future need of the parish he donated another five acres adjacent to the original five, which now comprises the present parish property.

The First Church was the Warren Village Barn, which was purchased for $14,000.  The first Mass was said in the remodeled barn Easter Sunday April, 1946.  At this time there were 225 families.

St. Anne Parish originally comprised twenty square miles, from 12 Mile to 16 Mile Roads, and from Dequindre to Schoenherr.  Due to the enormous growth of the City of Warren, other parishes were established.

Ground for the new Church was broken on April 5th, 1964, and the twenty-year dream became a reality.

In the summer of 1977 plans were made to renovate St. Anne Church.