About Immaculate Conception · Bumpass, Virginia
Immaculate Conception is a historic Catholic mission church in Bumpass (Buckner), Louisa County, Virginia, founded in 1876 to serve farming families of mostly German ancestry who had settled in the area from Carrolltown, Pennsylvania. Today it is one of four continuously operating Catholic churches in the Diocese of Richmond and serves as the mission church of Saint Jude Parish in Mineral (founded 1974), together providing the only Catholic worship sites for all of Louisa County's 514 square miles. Located along Fredericks Hall Road near the south shore of Lake Anna, Immaculate Conception is cherished by a community of roughly 500 registered families across both churches—about a third of whom are seasonal residents at Lake Anna.
- Established
- 1876
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Peter Barfi
- Diocese
- Diocese of Richmond
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception is part of Louisa County's only Catholic parish community, where—across its two churches (Saint Jude in Mineral and this mission in Buckner)—more than 500 registered families find a friendly, family-sized Catholic home. Many of the seasonal Lake Anna residents say they joined because they felt welcomed right away, and the parish offers the full sacramental life (Mass, Reconciliation, First Eucharist, RCIA, CCD religious education for children) within easy reach of Fredericksburg, Charlottesville, and Richmond. For visitors and year-round parishioners alike, it offers a deep historic setting—founded by German-Catholic farm families in 1876—combined with a warm, small-church community life.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturdays at 4:00 PM at Saint Jude (Mineral)
About Immaculate Conception Mission
Immaculate Conception is the historic mission church of the Louisa County Catholic Community, located at 1107 Fredericks Hall Road in Bumpass (Buckner), Virginia. Founded in 1876, it stands as one of the four continuously operating Catholic churches in the Diocese of Richmond and shares parish life with Saint Jude Church in Mineral (founded 1974). Together the two churches serve more than 500 registered families across all of Louisa County's 514 square miles.
- Founded 1876 on land donated by Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Hay of Philadelphia
- Joint Catholic parish with Saint Jude, Mineral
- Mailing address: 1937 Davis Highway, Mineral, VA 23117-0040
- Diocese of Richmond, Deanery 10
History & Heritage
The parish traces back to 1868, when German-Catholic farming families from Carrolltown, Pennsylvania settled in the Buckner area. With no church nearby, Benedictine priests from Richmond began a monthly trek by train, carriage, and on foot to offer Mass in a chapel room at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Francis P. Grassberger. In 1876 the Hays donated 4.5 acres to Bishop James Gibbons, and the church was completed the following year under the supervision of Henry Campbell and his son Harry. For 75 years it remained a mission served by Benedictine fathers, beginning with Father Leonard Mayer, O.S.B. in 1869.
- 1868: original parish founded as Saint Mary's for German-heritage farming families
- July 31, 1876: land deeded to Bishop James Gibbons
- 1877: church completed and dedicated
- 1905: bell tower and bell added (still in use)
- 1974: merged with Saint Jude (Mineral) by Bishop Walter F. Sullivan
- 1993: elevated to parish status by Bishop Sullivan
- 2003: Virginia General Assembly honored the church's 125th anniversary (House Joint Resolution No. 718)
Clergy & Staff
Immaculate Conception is currently pastored by Rev. Peter Barfi, who also serves Saint Jude Parish in Mineral. Permanent Deacon Rev. Mr. Thomas Fursman assists with parish and cemetery ministry. The Immaculate Conception councils and lay leadership include facility, cemetery, finance, pastoral, worship, community life, social ministry, and musician coordinators.
- Pastor: Rev. Peter Barfi
- Permanent Deacon: Rev. Mr. Thomas Fursman (also Cemetery Director)
- Facility Director: Bob Shriver
- Cemetery Director: Steve Falkenthal
- Finance Council: David Failacci
- Pastoral Council: Wayne Gordon
- Community Life: Karen Donnelly
- Worship: Kathy Fleser & Amy Schnetzler
- Social Ministry: Becky Chidester
Faith Formation & Christian Formation
Religious education is offered jointly with Saint Jude Parish. CCD classes meet on Sunday mornings for 45 minutes during the school year at both Immaculate Conception and Saint Jude, using the diocesan curriculum by grade level with weekly attendance expected. The parish also runs a joint RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) program for unbaptized adults preparing for baptism and for already-baptized Christians seeking full communion with the Catholic Church, supported by sponsors and parishioners over a year or more of teaching, worship, and prayer.
- CCD / Religious Education — Sunday mornings during the school year
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Jody Sowa
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults)
- First Eucharist preparation (second grade or higher)
- Contact for RCIA / First Eucharist: Fr. Cal (Calixtus) at (540) 894-4266
Sacraments
The Louisa County Catholic Community prepares parishioners of all ages for the sacraments. Children in second grade or higher prepare for First Eucharist through formation classes, and adults seeking baptism or full communion participate in the RCIA process. Reconciliation is available Saturdays at 4:00 PM at Saint Jude. Other sacramental needs (Baptism, Marriage, Anointing, etc.) are arranged through the parish office.
- First Holy Eucharist — formation classes for grade 2+
- Reconciliation (Confession) — Saturday 4:00 PM at Saint Jude, Mineral
- Baptism — preparation through the parish office
- Marriage — arranged with the pastor
- RCIA for unbaptized adults and baptized Christians seeking full communion
Immaculate Conception Cemetery
The historic Immaculate Conception Cemetery shares the church's 1107 Fredericks Hall Road address in Buckner and is administered by the parish. Deacon Thomas Fursman serves as Cemetery Director for the larger Louisa County Catholic Community, with Steve Falkenthal coordinating day-to-day needs for the Immaculate Conception site. The cemetery is an active Catholic cemetery of the Diocese of Richmond.
- Location: 1107 Fredericks Hall Road, Buckner, VA 23024
- Active Catholic cemetery, Diocese of Richmond
- Shares grounds with Immaculate Conception Church
- Phone: (540) 894-4266
Visit, Contact & Getting Involved
Visitors and seasonal Lake Anna residents are warmly welcomed at Immaculate Conception. The parish encourages newcomers to come to Mass at either Saint Jude (Mineral) or Immaculate Conception (Buckner), and offers many ways to get involved — from the pastoral and finance councils to worship, community life, social ministry, and music. The mailing address for both churches is 1937 Davis Highway, Mineral, VA 23117-0040.
- Phone: (540) 894-4266
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.louisacatholics.org
- Mailing address: 1937 Davis Highway, Mineral, VA 23117-0040
- Office hours (Saint Jude, Mineral): Monday–Friday 9:00 AM–4:00 PM
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Leonard Mayer, O.S.B.1869–
First Benedictine priest to serve the Buckner community; began the monthly journey from Richmond to celebrate Mass for the Catholic farming families.
- Rev. Rodney L. Rodis
Pastor at the time of the 125th anniversary (2001); received the Virginia General Assembly's commemorative House Joint Resolution No. 718 in 2003.