About Immaculate Conception · Colville, Washington
Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in Colville, Washington, in Stevens County in the state's northeast corner. It is the lead parish of a tri-parish Catholic community that also includes Sacred Heart Parish in Kettle Falls and Pure Heart of Mary Parish in Northport, sharing one pastor and a single staff. Founded in 1861 and long associated with the Jesuit missions of the Colville Country, the parish today worships at 320 North Maple Street and serves roughly 300 parish families in the region. The community describes itself as 'a Catholic community called by God to live out the message of Christ in love and service to all people.'
- Established
- 1861
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Kenneth (Kenny) St. Hilaire
- Diocese
- Diocese of Spokane
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception welcomes visitors and newcomers as part of a tight-knit tri-parish Catholic family that covers the Colville, Kettle Falls, and Northport communities. The parish offers daily and weekend Mass in multiple locations, regular Confession and Eucharistic Adoration (including First Fridays), a K-8 Religious Education program that meets on Sundays, an OCIA (RCIA) process for adults discerning becoming Catholic, and adult faith formation through 'Mystery of Faith' on Tuesday evenings. Outward-focused ministries — the Friendship Feast community meal, PREPARES diaper distribution, Knights of Columbus Coats for Kids, a Prayer Line, and a Flowers & Grounds team — give parishioners concrete ways to live out the Gospel in Stevens County.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:00 PM (Colville)
- Thursday 7:15 AM (Colville)
- Saturday 3:00 PM (Colville)
- Sunday 8:00 AM (Colville)
Adoration times
- Saturdays in Kettle Falls: 30 minutes before Mass
- Sundays in Colville: 1 hour before Mass
- Sundays in Northport: 30 minutes before Mass
- Thursdays in Colville: 7:15 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.
- First Fridays in Colville: 7:45 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.
- All other Fridays in Colville: 7:45 a.m. – 8:45 a.m.
About Immaculate Conception Parish
Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish is the Catholic community serving Colville, Washington, and the surrounding Stevens County area. According to the parish website and GCatholic, the parish dates to 1861, making it one of the oldest in the inland Northwest. The parish worships at 320 North Maple Street in Colville and describes itself as 'a Catholic community called by God to live out the message of Christ in love and service to all people.'
- Tri-Parish Catholic community with Sacred Heart (Kettle Falls) and Pure Heart of Mary (Northport)
- Parish address: 320 N Maple St, Colville, WA 99114
- Parish phone: (509) 684-6223
History
Immaculate Conception grew out of the Catholic mission tradition of the Colville Country, where French-Canadian and Iroquois Hudson's Bay Company employees at Fort Colville (est. 1825) had been praying for a priest since 1835. Fathers Blanchet and Demers finally arrived in November 1838. Jesuits from St. Paul's Mission, Colville, established and attended to Immaculate Conception Mission through the early 1880s; in 1883 it became a parish in its own right and was administered by Jesuits of the Turin, California, and Oregon Provinces into the 1920s. The Sisters of Charity of Providence staffed the associated Sacred Heart School during this era. By the late 20th century the parish had become a predominantly non-Native community within the Diocese of Spokane, and the present 8,900-square-foot church was completed and dedicated by Bishop William Skylstad in March 1998.
- Founded 1861 (per GCatholic)
- Original mission served by Jesuits of the Turin, California, and Oregon Provinces
- New $1.7M church dedicated March 1998 by Bishop William Skylstad
- 307 parish families funded most of the new church; $300K loan from Diocese of Spokane
Parish Staff
The parish's small staff is led by a single pastor who serves the wider Tri County North community, supported by an office manager and lay pastoral and finance councils.
- Rev. Kenneth (Kenny) St. Hilaire — Pastor
- Pam Milliette-Gotham — Office Manager
Religious Education (K–8)
Religious Education classes are offered for children in Kindergarten through 8th grade almost every Sunday from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. in the Immaculate Conception Parish Hall in Colville. Catechists are parish volunteers who support the formation of children in faith, prayer, virtues, and the lives of the saints in a fun, engaging environment.
- Schedule: Sundays 10:30–11:30 AM, ICP Parish Hall
- Contact: [email protected]
- Calendar and enrollment form available on the parish website and at the ICP Parish Office
Adult Faith Formation & OCIA
The parish runs two adult-faith offerings during the school year. 'Mystery of Faith' is a Tuesday-evening adult faith formation series held in the ICP Library, with each session standing alone. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) walks unbaptized adults, Christians from other traditions, and uncatechized Catholics through the sacraments of initiation.
- Mystery of Faith — Tuesdays 6:15 p.m., ICP Library, September–May
- OCIA (RCIA) — contact the parish office at (509) 684-6223
Ministries & Groups
Immaculate Conception offers a wide range of liturgical and parish-life ministries. Liturgical roles include lectors, altar servers, music ministry, and funeral ministry, while parish-life ministries include Baptism Preparation, the Prayer Line, and Flowers and Grounds. Pastoral and Finance Councils guide the parish's vision and finances in partnership with Fr. Kenny.
- Liturgical: Lector, Altar Server, Music Ministry, Funeral Ministry
- Formation: Baptism Preparation, Religious Education, Mystery of Faith, OCIA
- Parish life: Prayer Line, Flowers and Grounds, Pastoral Council, Finance Council
Outreach & Charity
Outreach is a central part of the parish's identity, with several ministries meeting concrete needs across Stevens County. The Friendship Feast provides a community meal (currently curbside from the ICP parking lot during the church's renovation), and PREPARES distributes free diapers for children from birth through age five on the third Saturday of each month. The Tri County North Knights of Columbus sponsor Coats for Kids and support parish events.
- Friendship Feast — Thursday 11:30 a.m., ICP parking lot / curbside
- PREPARES diaper distribution — 3rd Saturday, 11:30 a.m.–1:00 p.m., ICP Parish Hall
- Knights of Columbus Tri County North — Coats for Kids, parish event support
Tri-Parish Catholic Community
Immaculate Conception shares a single pastor (Fr. Kenneth St. Hilaire) and staff with Sacred Heart Parish in Kettle Falls and Pure Heart of Mary Parish in Northport, forming the 'Tri-Parish Catholic Community' (sometimes referred to as 'Tri County North'). Together they offer Mass, Confession, Adoration, Religious Education, OCIA, and shared outreach ministries across the three communities. Fr. Kenny also shepherds Immaculate Conception Parish in Republic and St. Patrick Parish in Curlew.
- Immaculate Conception — Colville (lead parish, 320 N Maple St)
- Sacred Heart of Jesus — Kettle Falls
- Pure Heart of Mary — Northport
- Immaculate Conception — Republic
- St. Patrick — Curlew
Getting Involved & Contact
The parish invites newcomers and visitors to sign up for Flocknote by texting MYPARISHFAMILY to 84576 to stay in touch. The parish office can be reached at (509) 684-6223 (after-hours prompts reach the priest on call for sacramental emergencies), or via the contact form on the parish website. In-person visits are welcome at 320 North Maple Street, Colville, WA 99114.
- Phone: (509) 684-6223
- Email: [email protected]
- Flocknote: text MYPARISHFAMILY to 84576
- Facebook: Immaculate Conception Parish (Colville) group
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Darrin Connall1998 dedication (and surrounding years)
Pastor when the new $1.7M church was dedicated in March 1998; three former pastors were reported to be in attendance at the dedication.
- Rev. Kenneth (Kenny) St. Hilairepresent
Current pastor, serving the Tri-Parish Catholic community of Immaculate Conception (Colville), Sacred Heart (Kettle Falls), Pure Heart of Mary (Northport), Immaculate Conception (Republic), and St. Patrick (Curlew).