Driving down Highway 70, sandwiched between Clayton and Smithfield, there is a beautiful church, known as Saint Ann Parish. Although this building appears to be new, only completed in 2001, it has a long history dating back to the 1800's.

During the 1800's, Johnston County had only a handful of Catholics. There were no Catholic Churches to celebrate Mass, so families would gather in each other's homes and Mass would be celebrated once in awhile, whenever a priest passing through would visit. As the visits became more frequent (once a month), the town of Smithfield became a "station." Twenty-one years after becoming a station, Smithfield would be raised to the status of "mission." In 1915, a small chapel, named St. Peter, was constructed on North Seventh Street in Smithfield, for the cost of $845.00. By 1929, Mass was celebrated on a bi-monthly basis, and developing from a mission to a "parish" became a reality in 1935 when Mrs. Doyle of Boston had donated $5,000 in bonds with the stipulation that a Catholic Church be built in North Carolina, and that it be named in honor of Saint Ann. Bishop Hafey allocated the money to Smithfield, and thus the first St. Ann building was formed at the cost of $4,536.00. Six years later, in 1941, the rectory was constructed and in 1942, Father McGuirk was named the first resident pastor of St. Ann's Parish. At this time, there were twenty-four Catholics in Smithfield, seventeen in Selma, and two in Clayton.

These numbers would grow significantly, however, as the population of Catholics in Johnston County grew. In 1961, a parish hall was built to help suit the needs of its parishioners. Ten years later, in 1971, the rectory, formerly the chapel, was given a dining room, a study, and a garage. In 1989, a Spanish Mass was added for the large number of Latin Americans who were migrating into Johnston County. In 1992, Father Paul Brant, S.J., predicted that Clayton would soon be flourishing with Catholic families, and he added another Mass to the schedule, which he celebrated at the Clayton High School. His prediction proved to be true, and within a few years the small church on Seventh Street in Smithfield was overflowing, as well as the cafeteria at the Clayton High School.

By 1996, there were 324 registered families and still growing. It became apparent that more room was needed. In October of 1998, with over 500 registered families, Father Joseph G. Mulroney launched the building campaign to construct a new church building that would house all it's parishioners. Raising more than $1.5 million in pledges, the parish purchased 14 acres of land and soon began the long process of construction. On August 21, 2001, the first Mass in the new church was celebrated. The Most Reverend F. Joseph Gossman (bishop of the Raleigh Diocese) dedicated the new church building on June 30, 2002.

Fr. Scott McCue was appointed Administrator of St. Ann in 2002 and was installed as pastor of St. Ann on August 1, 2003. In April of 2007 Bishop Michael F. Burbidge appointed Fr. Scott the Assistant Principal for Spiritual Life at Cardinal Gibbons High School in Raleigh and he assumed that post on July 10, 2007. At the time Fr. Scott left St. Ann, there were over 1100 registered families.

Msgr. Michael Clay is the current pastor of Saint Ann, having arrived on July 10, 2007. He was officially installed as the Pastor by Bishop Michael F. Burbidge on July 24, 2007.

St. Ann, which appears to be a new parish on Hwy 70, is really a church full of history. It has been the home of many parishioners and priests over the past century and a half. This church has gone through the growing pains that all parishes experience, as well as the joy of celebrating Christ's love with one another. This church will stand the test of time, both in construction and within the community inside the walls. God has smiled upon this community, and we pray that He will continue to do so as we gather to grow in faith, love, and charity.