About Immaculate Conception · Kellogg, Minnesota
Immaculate Conception is a small rural Catholic parish in the unincorporated community of Conception (within Highland Township, Wabasha County, near Kellogg), Minnesota. Founded in 1861 as part of the original Diocese of St. Paul, it is one of the oldest parishes in southeastern Minnesota and today is clustered with St. Joachim Parish in Plainview as the Saint Joachim and Immaculate Conception parish cluster in the Diocese of Winona-Rochester. The current church, a brick structure originally built in 1903 and rebuilt in 1923 after a fire, continues to serve a faithful rural community with Sunday Mass and seasonal devotions.
- Established
- 1861
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Tojy Jose, OFM
- Diocese
- Diocese of Winona-Rochester (formerly Diocese of Winona; originally erected in 1861 as part of the Diocese of St. Paul, transferred to the Diocese of Winona when it was created in 1889)
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception offers a quiet, generations-old rural Catholic community in the heart of Wabasha County, where neighbors still worship in the same brick church their ancestors built in 1903. As part of the Saint Joachim and Immaculate Conception parish cluster, parishioners receive the full sacramental life — daily and Sunday Mass, faith formation for all ages, RCIA, marriage and baptism preparation, a Catholic cemetery, and seasonal devotions like First Saturday devotions and Stations of the Cross in Lent — under a Franciscan pastor and an active staff who know their people by name.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Parish History
Immaculate Conception parish was incorporated in 1861 within the Diocese of St. Paul, making it one of the earliest Catholic parishes in southeastern Minnesota. The first church, a 20-by-20-foot wood-frame building, was built by local parishioners in 1866 and enlarged a few years later by Father James Trobec. The first resident pastor, Father Peter Jeran, arrived in 1881. The present brick church was completed in 1903 under Father William Griffin and dedicated by Bishop Joseph Cotter; it was rebuilt in 1923 after a devastating lightning-and-fire storm damaged the bell tower on July 2, 1922.
Architecture and Cemetery
The present church is the brick structure built in 1903 and reconstructed in 1923, retaining the original 1903 walls but adding new interior pillars and a basement for stability. The property, originally five acres donated by Timothy Ryan in 1861, includes the parish cemetery that has been part of the land since Miles McDonough's original 1855 claim.
Parish Cluster with St. Joachim
Since 2008 Immaculate Conception has been formally clustered with St. Joachim Parish in Plainview, sharing the pastor, staff, faith formation program, and bulletin under the name 'Saint Joachim and Immaculate Conception Churches.' The cluster relationship is historically rooted: Plainview's parish was founded in the 1880s by Father Patrick Murray, who had been sent to Conception by Bishop John Ireland as pastor.
Faith Formation and RCIA
Faith Formation is led by Director Sharon Schouweiler (phone 507-534-3321 ext. 13) and serves children in grades 1–6, Confirmation preparation for grades 7–9, and adults through RCIA ('Becoming Catholic') and Adult Faith Formation. A Spanish-language registration form is available, and the parish runs a Totus Tuus youth program each summer. The parish also supports the program year-round through a Scrip gift-card fundraiser.
- Children's Liturgy of the Word
- Grades 1–6 faith formation
- Confirmation preparation (grades 7–9)
- RCIA — Becoming Catholic
- Adult Faith Formation
- Totus Tuus youth program
- Spanish-language faith formation (Formación en la Fe)
Sacraments and Pastoral Care
Through the cluster arrangement, Immaculate Conception offers the full sacramental life of the Catholic Church. Families are asked to contact the parish office (507-534-3321) to arrange baptisms, marriages, anointing of the sick, and funerals; Funeral Mass resources and Catholic cemetery services (St. Joachim Cemetery, Plainview) are coordinated through the parish office.
- Baptism preparation
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Funeral Mass resources
- St. Joachim Cemetery (Plainview)
Parish Staff and Leadership
The cluster is led by Father Tojy Jose, OFM (Pastor), with Deacon Scott Schwalbe assisting. Lay staff include Parish Secretary Ally Klavetter, Bookkeepers Barb Ferk and Janet Hall, Faith Formation Directors Sharon Schouweiler and Karen Evers, Faith Formation assistant Michelle Schmidt, and Maintenance staff Shawn Adams and Lynette Kruger. Pastoral Council chairs are Michelle Weisz (St. Joachim) and Rachel Wilson (Immaculate Conception); Finance Council chair is Don Dose; cemetery contacts are Jim Lewis (St. Joachim) and Bruce Hall (Immaculate Conception).
- Pastor: Fr. Tojy Jose, OFM — 507-534-3321 ext. 11
- Deacon Scott Schwalbe — 507-534-3321
- Parish Secretary: Ally Klavetter — ext. 0
- Faith Formation Director: Sharon Schouweiler — ext. 13
- Faith Formation: Karen Evers (Immaculate Conception), Michelle Schmidt (St. Joachim)
- Bookkeepers: Barb Ferk, Janet Hall
- Maintenance: Shawn Adams, Lynette Kruger
- Pastoral Council Chairs: Michelle Weisz (St. Joachim), Rachel Wilson (Immaculate Conception)
- Finance Council Chair: Don Dose
- Cemetery Contacts: Jim Lewis (St. Joachim), Bruce Hall (Immaculate Conception)
Visiting the Church
Immaculate Conception Church is located at the intersection of Wabasha County Roads 18 and 14 in Highland Township, in the unincorporated community of Conception near Kellogg, Minnesota. Because no mail is received at the physical address (22032 County Road 18), all parish correspondence is handled through the St. Joachim parish office at 900 West Broadway, Plainview, MN 55964.
- Physical address (no mail): 22032 County Road 18, Highland Township, Kellogg, MN 55945
- Mailing address: 900 West Broadway, Plainview, MN 55964
- Phone: 507-534-3321
- Email: [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Felix Tissot1856–c.1866
Mission priest from St. Felix, Wabasha, who served the early settlement; celebrated the first Masses in Timothy Ryan's home.
- Father James TrobecAfter Tissot
Succeeded Father Tissot in Wabasha and enlarged the first wood-frame church from 20×20 ft to 30×30 ft.
- Father Peter JeranFrom 1881
First resident pastor of Conception; also served mission parish St. James, Oakwood. Rectory built under his pastorate.
- Father Patrick MurrayFrom 1883
Sent by Bishop John Ireland; transferred to found Plainview's parish (St. Joachim) in 1887 after building its first church.
- Father William GriffinFrom 1901
Oversaw construction of the brick church; dedicated by Bishop Joseph Cotter on October 28, 1903.