About Immaculate Conception · El Paso, Texas
Immaculate Conception Church is a historic Catholic parish in downtown El Paso, Texas, at 118 N. Campbell Street, served since 2014 by the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP). Founded in 1893 by the Jesuit missionary Father Carlos Pinto, S.J., as the English-speaking sister church to Sacred Heart, it became the Provisional Cathedral of the new Diocese of El Paso in 1914 and remained under Jesuit administration until 1959. Today it is the home of the Traditional Latin Mass (the 1962 Missal) for El Paso, Fort Bliss, Las Cruces, Ciudad Juárez, and all of western Texas and southeastern New Mexico, drawing faithful from across the border region for daily Mass, confession, and Eucharistic adoration.
- Established
- 1893
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception
- Rector
- Fr. Kevin O'Neill, FSSP
- Diocese
- Diocese of El Paso
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception is the home of the Traditional Latin Mass and Sacraments for all of far west Texas, southern New Mexico, and the Ciudad Juárez border region. Faithful who love the 1962 Missal find here a full sacramental life: multiple daily Masses, generous confession times (30 minutes before every Mass Monday–Saturday plus 11:30 AM weekdays), and Eucharistic adoration on Thursday evenings and First Fridays, with Exposition following the evening Mass on First Fridays. The parish combines that traditional liturgical life with a tangible heritage — it is a 1893 church on the original downtown El Paso landscape, once the Provisional Cathedral of the diocese, and the very place where the first Knights of Columbus council in Texas was founded in 1902.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before every Mass, Monday–Saturday
- Monday 6:30–6:55 AM and 11:30 AM–12:00 PM
- Tuesday 6:30–6:55 AM and 11:30 AM–12:00 PM
- Wednesday 6:30–6:55 AM and 11:30 AM–12:00 PM
- Thursday 11:30 AM–12:00 PM and 6:00–6:25 PM
- Friday 11:30 AM–12:00 PM and 6:00–6:25 PM
- Saturday 7:00–7:25 AM and 8:30–8:55 AM
- By appointment
- No confessions heard on Sunday
Adoration times
- Thursday 7:00 PM–8:00 PM (Holy Hour following the evening Mass)
- First Friday 7:00 PM–8:00 PM (Holy Hour following the evening Mass)
- Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament follows the evening Mass on First Fridays
Parish History
Immaculate Conception was founded in 1893 by the Jesuit missionary Father Carlos M. Pinto, S.J., the so-called 'apostle and master builder of El Paso,' as the sister church to Sacred Heart for the city's English-speaking Catholics. Bishop Edward Fitzgerald blessed the church on June 11, 1893. The early Jesuits expanded the building in 1902 (paneled steel ceiling, new altar, sacristy converted into a new sanctuary) and added the rectory and Altar and Rosary Society in 1901. St. Mary School opened in 1903 and was run by the Sisters of Loretto for more than 60 years. In February 1902, Marquette Hall in the basement of the church hosted the first meeting of the Knights of Columbus in the state of Texas — thirty-five applicants formed the first El Paso Council and the first K of C council in Texas. When the Diocese of El Paso was erected in March 1914, Immaculate Conception became the Provisional Cathedral of the new diocese until St. Patrick Cathedral opened in 1917. The Jesuits administered the parish continuously for 67 years, until 1959, when Bishop Anthony J. Schuler's successor handed it over to diocesan priests.
- Church built June 1893; blessed by Bishop Edward Fitzgerald, June 11, 1893
- First Texas Knights of Columbus meeting, February 1902, in basement Marquette Hall
- Provisional Cathedral of the Diocese of El Paso, 1914–1917
- 67 years of continuous Jesuit administration ended July 10, 1959
- First diocesan pastor: Fr. Peter F. Ruiz, 1959
- Spanish Mass added under Fr. John Lauretti (post-1971)
- Diocesan Apostolate for the Deaf added under Fr. Francisco Herrera in 1977
- Monsignor William Ryan named 30th pastor in 1988
- FSSP invited by Bishop Mark Seitz in 2014; Fr. John Shannon and Fr. Kevin O'Neill arrive in August 2014
Clergy & Staff
The parish is served by three priests of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter. The FSSP (a Society of Apostolic Life of Pontifical Right established by Pope St. John Paul II) was invited to the parish in 2014 by Bishop Mark J. Seitz, Bishop of El Paso, to bring the Traditional Latin Mass and Sacraments to the region. Contact the parish office at (915) 533-3427 or [email protected].
- Fr. Kevin O'Neill, FSSP — Pastor
- Fr. Anthony Fill, FSSP — Assistant Pastor
- Fr. Michael Caughey, FSSP — Assistant Pastor
Parish Life & Outreach
Immaculate Conception maintains a sacramental and devotional life focused on the 1962 Missal, and supports Catholic formation through its connection to the FSSP's broader apostolate. The parish has hosted Bosco Ministries, an FSSP-affiliated program that enacts the Preventative Method of St. John Bosco through Catholic experiences led by FSSP priests and seminarians — including work projects, pilgrimages, and youth programs designed to build real human connection between clergy and laity. The parish's historic ministries include the long-running Altar and Rosary Society (since 1901) and the Diocesan Apostolate for the Deaf (Sunday noon signed Mass, established 1977).
- Altar and Rosary Society (since 1901)
- Diocesan Apostolate for the Deaf — Sunday noon signed Mass
- Bosco Ministries programs (FSSP-led formation for young men)
- Bilingual preaching (Spanish and English) at the Thursday evening Mass
Sacraments
The parish offers the full sacraments in the Traditional Latin Rite, with the Sacrament of Penance heard 30 minutes before every Mass Monday through Saturday and at 11:30 AM every weekday. For information on Baptism, Marriage, the Anointing of the Sick, First Communion, Confirmation, and other sacraments, the parish directs the faithful to contact the parish office directly.
- Confession: 30 min before every Mass Mon–Sat and 11:30 AM Mon–Fri
- Daily Traditional Latin Mass
- Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick — contact parish office
- First Communion and Confirmation preparation (contact parish office)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Carlos M. Pinto, S.J.1893 (founder/builder)
Jesuit Superior known as the 'apostle and master builder of El Paso'; planned and built Immaculate Conception as the sister church to Sacred Heart for English-speaking parishioners.
- Rev. Edward Barry, S.J.by 1901
Completed the rectory and established the Altar and Rosary Society in 1901.
- Rev. Francis C. Roy, S.J.1901–1922
Long-serving Jesuit pastor who oversaw the 1902 expansion: paneled steel ceiling, new altar, and conversion of the sacristy into a new sanctuary.
- Father John J. McCarthy, S.J.until 1959
The last Jesuit pastor before the parish was handed over to the Diocese of El Paso.
- Father Peter F. Ruiz1959–1971
First diocesan priest to serve as pastor of Immaculate Conception.
- Father John Lauretti1971–
Succeeded Fr. Ruiz; with Fr. A. Dixon Hartford and Fr. Fernandez began offering a Spanish Mass for the first time in the parish's history.
- Father Francisco Herrera1977–
Under his leadership the parish became home of the Diocesan Apostolate for the Deaf with a Sunday noon Mass signed for the hearing impaired.
- Monsignor William Ryan1988–
Became the parish's 30th pastor in 1988.
- Father John Shannon, FSSP2014–
First FSSP pastor; arrived in August 2014 with Fr. Kevin O'Neill — the first time in decades that priests were in residence at the parish.
- Father Kevin O'Neill, FSSP2014–present
Currently pastor; serves the FSSP apostolate in El Paso.