2. The icons, sacred items (vessels, vestments, etc.) are quite beautiful and deepen our mutual expression of adoration;
St. Ann's is a great parish to be a part of. Divine Liturgy (known as the Mass in the Roman Rite) is lovingly and reverently offered by Fr. Michael where it is totally focused on the worship of God, not on ourselves as we find in many other Catholic parishes. If you want feel-good, nice nice, watered-down worship, this isn't the place for you. Homilies are at the right length, not too short, not too long, and always well thought out with the objective of teaching us the Faith.
My family and I dropped in for Liturgy one Sunday and thought we would go quietly unnoticed as is typical at most Roman Catholic services. However, at the end of this Melkite service, to our surprise, we were asked to join the parishioners for after-service coffee. The parishioners were kind, welcoming and a complete delight! Never before had my family felt so welcomed at church. The Divine Liturgy is beautiful and very spiritual. We have now attended St Ann for 3 years, our young children have wonderful church friends and we feel we are part of a special church family. If you are looking for a spiritual center and a community who is genuine and real – look no further than St. Ann!
I suppose I am a little biased, as I was basically born into this church. I was baptized at the previous St. Ann's location on Williams St. in Danbury. The church means so many things to me. It is certainly a community, but really more like a family. I feel both lucky and blessed that I didn't move too far away, that we can still be a part of this church. My wife is Roman Catholic, but she fell in love with St. Ann immediately. She had no qualms about getting married there or bringing our kids there. It has made me so happy to have them baptized in the same church, and that they are growing up in the same spiritual setting I did. But also that they are growing up in this incredible cultural setting, since the church has such strong ties to the Holy Land - especially Lebanon.
1. The Divine Liturgy is transcendent. If you want to commune with God, there is no better or more beautiful way.
3. The people are enthusiastic in their expression of worship and friendship - we sing the entire liturgy as one.
If you are thinking about trying out a church, all I could say is we are really worth a shot. It's truly a special place.
And if the homily leaves you to wanting more, all you have to do is chat with Fr. Michael. He always gives you the time of day if you would like to talk, whether it's for Confession, spiritual guidance, or good old fashioned friendly banter. He is extremely intelligent, is very insightful, and is very respectful. Not to mention he is a very close friend of mine. :-)
4. The deacon is chill.
You might be wondering - what is "Melkite Catholic". Well, I can't really give you a detailed, formal answer. But I would say it is like the best that the Roman church has to offer and the best that the Orthodox church has to offer. I usually just tell people we are under the Pope - but we are basically like an Orthodox church - just think "My Big Fat Greek Wedding". That usually gives some idea. It's also worth mentioning (maybe my bias coming through again) St. Ann's is likely one of the most family friendly and family oriented churches I can imagine. Ironically, we don't cater to kids or babies - there is no quiet room in the back. Instead, people are happy to see children and babies, and if they are crying I would say most of our parishioners are far more likely just to smile at the little one, then ever sneer. Fr. Michael has literally said how happy the sound of crying babies and restless little ones, as they are the life of the church.
I love and enjoy all the events and the delicious food and pastries and look forward to every event. God bless.
If you are looking for God-centric and reverent worship, a parish to help you grow in holiness, clergy who are dedicated, and with the perk of feeling welcomed, St. Ann's is the place for you! Trust me, you will not regret being a part of a great place to call home.
Speaking of banter, the parishioners are very friendly. Even though when reviewing a church it is most important to highlight quality of worship, spirituality, and how it helps you grow in holiness, I will say the people here are great folks, and will most likely drag you down for coffee or tasty Lebanese food within the span of your first visits.
I Love St.Ann Melkite Catholic Church, I have experienced the warmth and the welcome of the parishioners when I moved from Lebanon to the US. Father Michael is a wonderful priest that we are lucky to have. During a hard time this year when my husband suffered a trauma, the whole parish was praying for him and sending him best wishes, Father Michael visited John every day at the hospital, we could not have made it through without his prayers and guidance, we are so thankful.
Of course I love St. Ann - I am a deacon serving this parish. So please allow me to suggest a few things that make St. Ann unique:
St Ann Melkite Greek Catholic Church is a US Church based in Danbury, Connecticut. St Ann Melkite Greek Catholic Church is located at 181 Clapboard Ridge Rd, Danbury, CT 06811, USA.
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