About Immaculate Conception · Lafayette, Colorado
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Roman Catholic parish serving Lafayette, Colorado, and surrounding Boulder County communities within the Archdiocese of Denver. Founded in 1907 as St. Ida Parish under the Benedictine monks of St. Vincent Archabbey in Latrobe, Pennsylvania, the parish was renamed Immaculate Conception in 1954 when its current church was dedicated during the Marian Year marking the centenary of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception. Today the parish is led by a pastoral team of two priests and three deacons, celebrates a full schedule of weekend and weekday Masses in English and Spanish, and offers a wide range of ministries from OCIA and faith formation to music, mental health support, and outreach through the Neighbor to Neighbor Ministry and Marisol Health Center.
- Established
- 1907
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception (originally Saint Ida)
- Rector
- Fr. Shaun Galvin
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Denver (Metropolitan Archdiocese)
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception is a welcoming bilingual parish where Catholics can worship in either English or Spanish at multiple daily and weekend Masses, including a livestreamed Saturday Vigil. Its ministries reach well beyond Sunday worship: parishioners can join vibrant music ensembles, participate in OCIA to become Catholic, grow in adult faith formation, walk alongside those dealing with mental health challenges, or serve the local community through the Neighbor to Neighbor Ministry and the Marisol Health Center. With three deacons, two priests, a youth minister and a director of religious education, the parish offers a full sacramental and formational life for families, newcomers and lifelong Catholics alike.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 8:30 AM – 10:00 AM
- Sunday: during the 10:00 AM Mass
- Sunday: during every other 12:00 PM Mass when Fr. Jaime is the celebrant
- First Friday of the month: 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM
- By appointment (call the parish office)
Adoration times
- Monday, Wednesday, and Friday: after the 8:00 AM Mass
- Tuesday and Thursday: 6:40 AM
- First Friday of the month: 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM (Exposition and Adoration of the Blessed Eucharist, with opportunities to sign up for the Honor Guard)
- First Friday of the month: 9:00 AM – 7:00 PM (per the Ministry page)
Parish History: From St. Ida to Immaculate Conception
The parish's roots reach back to the late 1800s, when Lafayette's Catholics had to travel to St. Louis Church in Louisville for Mass. A campaign in 1904–1906 raised the funds to establish a parish in Lafayette, and on August 4, 1907 the parish of St. Ida was canonically erected under the Benedictines of St. Vincent Archabbey, with Fr. Virgil Nesslein, O.S.B., as first pastor. The original small church served the community for nearly five decades, surviving economic depression, miners' strikes, the great flu epidemic and the rise of the Ku Klux Klan. By the early 1950s it was no longer adequate, and a new church was built two blocks to the north and dedicated in July 1954. That same year — the Marian Year marking the 100th anniversary of the definition of the Immaculate Conception — the parish was renamed Immaculate Conception. In June 1968 the Benedictines transferred pastoral responsibility to the Archdiocese of Denver, and the parish has been served by diocesan clergy ever since.
- 1907 — Parish of St. Ida canonically established; Fr. Virgil Nesslein, O.S.B., named first pastor
- 1954 — New church dedicated; parish renamed Immaculate Conception
- 1968 — Benedictines transfer parish to Archdiocese of Denver
- 21st century — Planning underway for a new church and pastoral center
Parish Staff & Pastoral Leadership
The pastoral team is led by Fr. Shaun Galvin as pastor, with Fr. Jaime A. Valdez serving as parochial vicar. They are assisted by three permanent deacons — Dcn. John Pontillo, Dcn. Steve Vallero and Dcn. Oscar del Villar — and by Fr. Alfred, who is available for spiritual counseling. Lay staff coordinate religious education, youth ministry, music, Spanish ministry, business operations and facilities.
- Fr. Shaun Galvin — Pastor (ext. 106)
- Fr. Jaime A. Valdez — Parochial Vicar (ext. 105)
- Deacons: John Pontillo, Steve Vallero, Oscar del Villar
- Jami Wilk — Director of Religious Education (ext. 101)
- Jenifer Canning — Business Administrator (ext. 102)
- Lourdes Keefner — Coordinator of Spanish Ministry (ext. 103)
- Patrick Evevard — Youth Minister (ext. 104)
- Denise Beaber — Director of Ministry Development & Music Ministry (ext. 108)
- Joey Wells — Administrative Assistant (ext. 107)
- Ante Skibola — Maintenance Manager (ext. 114)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at Immaculate Conception spans children, youth and adults. Jami Wilk directs Religious Education for children, while Patrick Evevard oversees Youth Ministry. Adults seeking initiation into the Catholic Church — or simply wanting to learn more about the faith — are invited into the OCIA process (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults), the parish's non-judgmental, no-commitment exploration of Catholic life.
- Children's Religious Education — Director Jami Wilk
- Youth Ministry — Director Patrick Evevard
- OCIA / Becoming Catholic — ongoing formation for adults
- Adult Faith Formation — seminars, discussions and at-home study opportunities
Music Ministry
Directed by Denise Beaber, the Music Ministry is described by the parish as very vibrant, with choirs serving every liturgy and special holiday and event Masses. The program welcomes vocalists and instrumentalists of all ages — no auditions are required, only a desire to lead prayer and praise God through song.
- 5:00 PM Saturday Choir — rehearses Tuesday nights at 7:00 PM
- 8:00 AM Sunday Choir — rehearses before Mass on Sundays
- 10:00 AM Sunday Choir — rehearses Wednesday nights at 7:00 PM
- 12:00 PM and 6:00 PM Spanish Mass Choirs — two choirs with separate rehearsals
- 5:00 PM Sunday Choir — rehearses before Mass on Sundays
Pastoral Care, Counseling & Bereavement
Beyond the sacraments, the parish offers ongoing pastoral care through its Bereavement and Funeral ministries, spiritual counseling with the priests (Fr. Shaun and Fr. Alfred), and a Mental Health Ministry that hosts two monthly support groups. The Mental Health Ministry Peer Support Group meets in the Family Room for those personally dealing with mental health challenges, while the Family and Friends Group meets in the parish library for loved ones.
- Spiritual Counseling — Fr. Shaun and Fr. Alfred
- Bereavement Ministry
- Funeral Ministry
- Mental Health Ministry — Peer Support Group & Family & Friends Group, 1st & 3rd Wednesdays, 7:00–8:30 PM (contact Norm Hecht, 301-807-6635)
Outreach & Social Justice
Immaculate Conception takes its mission beyond the parish walls through several outreach initiatives. The Neighbor to Neighbor Ministry partners with the Sr. Carmen Center to provide goods and services to neighbors in need; the Social Justice Ministry examines current issues and works toward just resolutions; and the Marisol Health Center extends parish-based health and family support to the wider community.
- Neighbor to Neighbor Ministry — works with the Sr. Carmen Center; contact Claire Scott (303-926-6805)
- Social Justice Ministry — contact Claire Scott (303-926-6805)
- Marisol Health Center
- Gabriel House
Neocatechumenal Way
The parish hosts Neocatechumenal Way communities that gather weekly for faith sharing and prayer, culminating in a Saturday evening Eucharistic Celebration. This movement within the parish provides a deeper pathway of Christian initiation for adults.
- Tuesday evening community meeting
- Wednesday evening community meeting
- Saturday 7:00 PM Eucharistic Celebration
- Contact: Pregash Devasagayam (303-579-6351)
Visiting Immaculate Conception
Immaculate Conception is located at 715 Cabrini Drive in Lafayette, Colorado. The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, and can be reached at (303) 665-5103. The parish is closed on July 3 and 6 for Independence Day and on Labor Day. Those who cannot attend in person can join the Saturday 4:00 PM Vigil Mass or the Sunday noon Spanish Mass via the parish's YouTube livestream.
- Address: 715 Cabrini Drive, Lafayette, CO 80026-2676
- Phone: (303) 665-5103
- Office Hours: Monday–Friday, 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Website: lafayettecatholic.org
- YouTube livestream of Saturday Vigil and Sunday noon Spanish Masses
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Virgil Nesslein, O.S.B.1907–
First pastor, appointed August 4, 1907, when the parish was canonically established as St. Ida by the Benedictine monks of St. Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania.