About Immaculate Conception · Fairmont, West Virginia
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Fairmont, West Virginia, the county seat of Marion County in north-central West Virginia. It belongs to the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston and serves as one of four parishes carved out of Fairmont in 1964 at the direction of the Bishop (along with St. Peter, St. Joseph, and St. Anthony). The parish celebrates Mass seven days a week, offers Saturday confessions, runs active liturgical and faith-formation ministries, and is currently served by Father Kishore (Varaparla). The parish's mission is to reach out lovingly in prayer, formation, and service, and to celebrate Jesus Christ in Word, Sacrament, and Service to all without boundaries.
- Established
- 1964
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception
- Rector
- Father Kishore (Varaparla)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston (Bishop: Most Reverend Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, tenth Bishop)
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception is a welcoming parish that offers a full weekly schedule — Sunday Mass at 8:30 AM and 11:00 AM, a Saturday vigil, and four weekday Masses — along with Saturday confessions and lively devotional life including a monthly Charismatic Mass, weekly Praise & Worship, and a Prayer Shawl Ministry. The parish explicitly invites new members to register as a way of formally belonging, and it offers a network of Liturgical, Religious Education, Administrative, and Parish Activities ministries (Eucharistic Ministers, Ministers of Hospitality, Altar Servers, Faith Formation) where parishioners can practice stewardship of their gifts. Its mission — 'to celebrate with pure love and great Joy, Jesus Christ in Word, Sacrament and Service to ALL without boundaries' — frames a community that values prayer, formation, and outreach equally.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 PM – 5:00 PM (or by appointment)
History of the Parish
Immaculate Conception began in 1931 as a mission church built on Fairmont's East Side to minister to Italian immigrants drawn to the region's coal mines. In 1964, at the Bishop's direction, Fairmont was reorganized into four parishes and Immaculate Conception became an independent parish with Rev. Stephen Wolan as its first resident pastor. The parish today continues that ministry in the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, currently led by its tenth bishop, Most Reverend Evelio Menjivar-Ayala.
- 1931: Mission church built on Fairmont's East Side for Italian immigrant community
- 1964: Established as a parish at the Bishop's direction during the four-parish division of Fairmont
- First pastor: Rev. Stephen Wolan
- Sister parishes created in 1964: St. Peter, St. Joseph, St. Anthony, and Immaculate Conception
- Diocese: Wheeling-Charleston (1850, erected by Pope Pius IX)
Special Devotions & Parish Gatherings
Beyond the regular Mass and confession schedule, the parish gathers for prayer and fellowship in Marian Hall and the church itself. These gatherings are central to the parish's vision of reaching out lovingly in prayer, formation, and service.
- Praise & Worship — every Monday at 6:00 PM, Marian Hall Auditorium
- Charismatic Mass — second Monday of each month at 7:00 PM, Church
- Prayer Shawl Ministry — third Wednesday of each month at 6:00 PM, Marian Hall
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Practical details for scheduling each sacrament are listed on the parish FAQ and individual sacrament pages, with clear advance-notice expectations for marriage and formation requirements for baptism.
- Baptism — contact parish office; parent preparation session required
- Reconciliation — Saturday 4:30–5:00 PM or by appointment
- Eucharist — celebrated at all scheduled Masses
- Confirmation
- Marriage — contact parish office at least six months in advance
- Holy Orders
- Anointing of the Sick — contact Fr. Kishore (304-532-9744), Rosemary Fantasia (304-216-2292), or the Parish Office (304-363-5796)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation is listed as a core ministry area of the parish alongside Liturgical, Administrative, and Parish Activities ministries. The parish invites Catholics to practice the Faith and offers programming through this ministry.
Liturgical Ministries
The parish is always in need of liturgical volunteers and invites parishioners to use their baptismal gifts in service at the altar. Liturgical ministries are organized and scheduled through Ministry Scheduler Pro.
- Altar Servers
- Ministers of Hospitality (ushers/greeters)
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Use of Ministry Scheduler Pro for scheduling
Parish Life & Community Activities
Parish life extends well beyond Sunday worship, with social and devotional gatherings that build community among parishioners of all ages.
- Prayer Shawl Ministry (3rd Wednesday, 6:00 PM, Marian Hall)
- Charismatic Mass (2nd Monday, 7:00 PM, Church)
- Praise & Worship (every Monday, 6:00 PM, Marian Hall Auditorium)
Parish Staff
Immaculate Conception is currently served by Father Kishore (Varaparla) as pastor. Day-to-day sacramental and pastoral care is coordinated through the parish office, with additional contact persons for the Anointing of the Sick.
- Pastor: Father Kishore (Varaparla) — [email protected]; 304-532-9744 / 304-532-9774
- Anointing of the Sick contact: Rosemary Fantasia — 304-216-2292
- Parish Office: (304) 363-5796, Fax (304) 366-4937
Becoming a Parishioner
The parish strongly encourages Catholics to formally register. Registration is the official way to join the parish community and is required to schedule sacraments, obtain sponsor certificates, and receive tax donation statements. It also affects diocesan planning — census numbers help determine priest assignments and how Masses, Confessions, and devotions are scheduled.
- Registration forms available on the bulletin boards in the back of the church
- Forms may be returned by mail or in the collection basket
- An online registration form is available on the parish website
- Open to Catholics over 18 who are not in school
Office Hours & Visit Information
The parish office is open four mornings a week and is closed on a wide range of civil and liturgical holidays. Visitors coming from out of town can reach the church easily from I-79 Exit 136.
- Office Hours: Monday–Thursday, 9:30 AM – 1:30 PM
- Closed: Friday, Saturday, Sunday
- Closed on all U.S. national holidays, Good Friday, Easter Monday, the Assumption (Aug 15), All Saints Day (Nov 1), Immaculate Conception (Dec 8), Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and the day after Christmas
- Directions: I-79 Exit 136 → rotary → Haymond St → Morgantown Ave → Maryland Ave
Online Giving & Catholic Sharing Appeal
The parish offers online giving through a QR code or email link and participates in the diocesan Catholic Sharing Appeal. The parish publicly tracks appeal progress on its homepage.
- Online giving available via QR code / online form
- Catholic Sharing Appeal participation
- Bulletin deadline: 12:00 PM Monday for the following Sunday's publication (email or hard copy; no phone calls)
Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston
Immaculate Conception is one of the parishes of the Diocese of Wheeling-Charleston, the Catholic diocese serving (West) Virginia, established in 1850 by Pope Pius IX. The diocese is currently led by its tenth bishop, Most Reverend Evelio Menjivar-Ayala. The parish links to the diocesan Office of Accountability and shares the diocese's safe-environment reporting resources.
- Diocese erected 1850 by Pope Pius IX; first bishop Richard V. Whelan
- Tenth and current Bishop: Most Reverend Evelio Menjivar-Ayala
- Diocesan reporting: WV Child Protective Services 800-352-6513; Diocese 888-434-6237 / 304-233-0880
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Stephen Wolan1964 –
First resident pastor when Immaculate Conception was established as a parish at the Bishop's direction during the four-parish reorganization of Fairmont.