Sts. Anne & Joachim Catholic Church was founded September 5, 1995.  The parish is named after the parents of Mary and the grandparents of Jesus.

Sts. Anne & Joachim provide us with an example of what family life should be:  persons in communion with one another, seeking the glory of God in their relationship of loving and committed service to each other.  We encourage our families to follow the example of Sts. Anne & Joachim as they fulfill their individual vocations.  We strive to follow that same example within our faith community - our Family of Families.

Our first Masses were held September 9 and 10, 1995, with a Saturday Mass at Discovery School and Sunday Mass at Riverview Place Retirement Center.  Numbers in attendance were 120 and 303, respectively.  The parish office was located in the rectory at 2501 58th Ave. S. at that time.

Fr. Val Gross was officially installed as pastor of  Sts. Anne & Joachim parish on October 15, 1995, and an open house/shower was held October 22, 1995, to gather household goods for the rectory and financial gifts for liturgy and Church needs.

In November 1995, we purchased our former parish building at 3329 University Dr. S. contract for deed.  We prepared it for our use during January 1996 and celebrated the Eucharist for the first time in that location on February 3 and 4, 1996.

In December 1999, Fr. Gross was given the title of Monsignor when Pope John Paul II elevated him to the rank of Prelate of Honor to His Holiness.

On November 20, 2001, we moved the parish offices to our newly constructed Parish Center at 5202 25th St. S.  We celebrated our First Mass here on December 16, 2001. 

Five Associate Pastors have served our parish thus far.  In July 1997, Fr. Brian Bachmeier joined us as Associate Pastor and St. Maurice parish in Kindred became our mission parish.  (After Fr. Bachmeier’s transfer in September 2000, St. Maurice became the responsibility of St. John the Baptist, Wyndmere.)  In July 1999, Fr. David Syverson joined us as Associate Pastor and chaplain for Sullivan Middle School.  Fr. Peter Anderl joined us upon Fr. Syverson’s transfer in June 2001 until June 2004. In the summer of 2004, Fr. Charles Fischer and Fr. Robert Pecotte became our two new associate pastors.

In August 2005, after celebrating 42 years of priesthood, Msgr. Gross retired as our founding pastor.  Fr. Brian Bachmeier was appointed Pastor and installed on September 7, 2005.  In June 2006, Fr. Fischer and Fr. Pecotte were transferred and Fr. Wenceslaus Katanga and Fr. Joseph Christensen joined Sts. Anne & Joachim as Associate Pastors.  In June 2007, Fr. Christensen was transferred.