About Immaculate Conception · Mount Vernon, Washington
Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic parish in Mount Vernon, Washington, part of the Archdiocese of Seattle and the Skagit Valley Catholic Churches family. The parish was founded in 1903 and grew from a small brick church on Division Street (built in 1899) into a thriving bilingual community that celebrated Mass in both English and Spanish. In 2015 the parish dedicated a new 700-seat worship space on 15th Street, and the original stained-glass windows were carefully shipped to Iowa for restoration and reinstalled in the new building. Today, under Pastor Fr. Tom McMichael and parochial vicars Fr. Victor Raj Anas Dass and Fr. Francisco J. Cancino, Immaculate Conception serves a diverse congregation of about 1,200 families and partners with Immaculate Conception Regional School, the Tri-Parish Food Bank, and the Youth Migrant Project.
- Established
- 1903
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas G. (Tom) McMichael
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Seattle (Northern Deanery, Parish Family 3 under Partners in the Gospel)
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception welcomes a diverse, bilingual Catholic community in the heart of the Skagit Valley with three Sunday Masses (including two in Spanish) and weekday devotions such as Thursday Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. Parishioners are invited into more than two dozen active ministries — from Faith Formation and the Young Adult Bible Study to the Tri-Parish Food Bank, Knights of Columbus, Marriage Ministry, and the choir — making it easy to find service, fellowship, and a place to grow. The parish also partners in the long-running Immaculate Conception Regional School (Preschool–8), giving local Catholic families a single, strong community of worship, formation, and outreach.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:00 pm – 4:45 pm (English)
- Thursday 6:00 pm – 6:45 pm (Spanish)
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Thursday 1:00 pm – 7:00 pm (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
- Church open for private prayer: Mon/Tue 10:30 am–1:30 pm; Wed/Fri 8:30 am–1:30 pm; Thu 8:30 am–7:00 pm
About Immaculate Conception Parish
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, founded in 1903, is a diverse and bilingual parish in Mount Vernon, Washington, within the Archdiocese of Seattle. The parish describes itself as a community with 'a long history of witness and service in Mount Vernon and its neighboring communities,' partnering in ministry with Immaculate Conception Regional School, the Tri-Parish Food Bank, and the Youth Migrant Project in Burlington. The parish website welcomes visitors and passing-through travelers alike to celebrate the sacraments and proclaim the Gospel together.
Parish History
Founded in 1903 in the Skagit Valley, the parish worshiped for more than a century in the original brick church on Division Street that had been built in 1899. By the early 2000s the parish had grown to about 1,200 families celebrating five Sunday Masses, far beyond the 300-seat original. Pastor Fr. Martin Bourke and parish leaders broke ground on a $5 million new church on 15th Street next to St. Joseph Center, and on November 12, 2015 the new worship space was dedicated. The old stained-glass windows were removed, sent to Iowa for restoration, and reinstalled in the new sanctuary so that the history of the parish would be carried forward in its new home.
- Founded 1903
- Original brick church on Division Street built 1899
- New church groundbreaking early 2000s; $5 million project
- New church dedicated November 12, 2015
- Stained-glass windows restored in Iowa and reinstalled in 2015 sanctuary
The New Church Building
The new Immaculate Conception Church is a one-story worship building that seats more than 700 parishioners and was engineered with seven 60-foot glulam and laminated veneer lumber trusses to create high, arching ceilings. Its two 47-foot entry towers are accented with bronze-like fiberglass domes built from recycled plastic bottles, and a mezzanine accommodates the pipe organ moved from the old church. The building was designed for future expansion, with additional wings and a choir loft envisioned in later phases.
- Seating for 700+
- Two 47-foot towers with bronze-like fiberglass domes
- Seven 60-foot glulam trusses
- Pipe organ mezzanine
- Designed for future expansion
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Tom McMichael, who also serves as pastor of the neighboring Skagit Valley Catholic Churches, and is assisted by two parochial vicars, Fr. Victor Raj Anas Dass, H.G.N., and Fr. Francisco J. Cancino, and Deacon Tony Cavazos. A dedicated lay staff supports operations, music, faith formation, and facilities.
- Fr. Tom McMichael — Pastor
- Fr. Victor Raj Anas Dass, H.G.N. — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Francisco J. Cancino — Parochial Vicar
- Deacon Tony Cavazos
- Sandra Ruiz — Parish Secretary (ext. 120)
- Shari Mentel — Director of Operations (ext. 127)
- Jamie Cline — Director of Finance (ext. 123)
- Janette Strand — Director of Music and Liturgy (ext. 128)
- Karlie Lodjic — English Faith Formation Director
- Regli Wilson — Hispanic Faith Formation & Hospital Ministry (360-420-3583)
- Kitty Pederson — Regional Pastoral Assistant, Grief Ministry
- Rudy Hernandez — Facilities Supervisor (360-899-7231)
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish offers a robust faith-formation program with separate English and Spanish tracks. Classes for grades 1–8 meet after the 9:00 am Sunday Mass, September through May. First Communion/First Reconciliation and Confirmation preparation (7th grade) are offered in both languages, and a regional Middle and High School Youth Ministry meets on Wednesday evenings at the Immaculate Conception Parish Office and St. Joseph Center.
- English Faith Formation: Karlie Lodjic ([email protected])
- Spanish Faith Formation: Regli Wilson ([email protected])
- Confirmation preparation in 7th grade
- Wednesday evening Middle and High School Youth Ministry
Immaculate Conception Regional School (ICRS)
Immaculate Conception Regional School is the parish-sponsored Catholic school serving Preschool through 8th grade in the Skagit Valley. It opened September 13, 1949, with 131 pupils, was blessed by Archbishop Thomas A. Connolly on November 6, 1949, and was originally run by the Sisters of St. Joseph of Newark. In 1996 the Skagit Valley parishes formalized a governance agreement that broadened the school's financial base and gave it its current 'Regional' name. ICRS shares a busing program with Mount Vernon Christian School and is the only Catholic grade school between Everett and Bellingham.
- Opened September 13, 1949
- Blessed/dedicated by Archbishop Thomas A. Connolly, November 6, 1949
- Originally staffed by Sisters of St. Joseph of Newark
- Reorganized as Regional School in 1996
- Preschool through 8th grade
- Shared busing with Mount Vernon Christian School
Music and Liturgy
Music and liturgy are coordinated at the parish by Janette Strand, Director of Music and Liturgy. The Arts and Environment ministry enhances the worship space with seasonal décor, banners, flowers, and visual props, and a choir welcomes older teens and adults to participate. The pipe organ from the original 1899 church was relocated into the new sanctuary's mezzanine.
- Director of Music and Liturgy: Janette Strand
- Arts and Environment ministry
- Parish choir — older teens and adults welcome
Parish Ministries and Service
Immaculate Conception offers more than twenty active ministries that span liturgical service, formation, family life, and outreach. The parish is a key partner in the regional Tri-Parish Food Bank (open Saturdays 10:00 am–2:00 pm) and supports the Youth Migrant Project in Burlington. The Knights of Columbus council and the Salesians (Francis de Sales Association for lay women) form two of the parish's longest-running fraternal communities, while a Marriage Ministry supports couples year-round.
- Liturgical: Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Lectors, Sacristans, Ushers and Greeters, Altar Servers
- Pastoral: Baptism Ministry, Baptism Blanket Ministry, Funeral Ministry, Wedding Coordinator, Homebound Ministry, Grief Ministry
- Formation: Faith Formation, Young Adult Bible Study (Ages 18–30, Fridays 7:00–8:30 pm)
- Service: Tri-Parish Food Bank, Knights of Columbus, Youth Migrant Project (Burlington)
- Community: Marriage Ministry, Hospitality Ministry, Salesians (Francis de Sales lay women), Young Adult Bible Study
Tri-Parish Food Bank & Outreach
Immaculate Conception is a founding partner in the Tri-Parish Food Bank, which distributes nutritious food to anyone in need. The food bank is open Saturdays from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm, with prep work needed Thursday through Saturday. Volunteer contact: Lilia Ortiz, 360-757-8563 or [email protected].
- Distribution: Saturdays 10:00 am – 2:00 pm
- Prep times Thursday–Saturday
- Contact: Lilia Ortiz — 360-757-8563 — [email protected]
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all seven sacraments, with dedicated ministries guiding families through Baptism, First Communion, First Reconciliation, Confirmation, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, and Funeral liturgies. The Homebound Ministry brings Holy Communion to parishioners in hospitals, care centers, and homes throughout Skagit County. Marriage preparation is supported by the parish Wedding Coordinator and the ongoing Marriage Ministry.
- Baptism (with Baptism Blanket Ministry)
- First Communion / First Reconciliation
- Confirmation (7th grade)
- Marriage (Wedding Coordinator; Marriage Ministry)
- Anointing of the Sick and Communion to the homebound
- Funeral Liturgy
Visiting Immaculate Conception
The church is open throughout the week for private prayer, with the most generous hours on Thursdays (8:30 am to 7:00 pm) to accommodate Adoration and the evening Spanish Mass. Visitors are warmly welcomed by the parish staff and by the Pastor's invitation, written on the homepage: 'Whether living here or just passing through, we invite you to join us as we seek to joyfully and faithfully celebrate the Sacraments and proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ.'
- Mon/Tue: church open 10:30 am – 1:30 pm
- Wed/Fri: church open 8:30 am – 1:30 pm
- Thu: church open 8:30 am – 7:00 pm
- Office: 215 N 15th St, Mount Vernon, WA 98273 — 360-336-6622
Skagit Valley Catholic Churches & Partners in the Gospel
Immaculate Conception is part of the Skagit Valley Catholic Churches family, a regional grouping of four parishes, a mission, and a regional Catholic school. In 2024, as part of the Archdiocese of Seattle's Partners in the Gospel strategic pastoral planning process, Immaculate Conception was placed into Parish Family 3 under one pastor (Fr. Tom McMichael), sharing clergy and staff with neighboring parishes while retaining its own identity, Mass schedule, and ministries.
- Family of four parishes plus a mission and ICRS school
- Parish Family 3 under Partners in the Gospel (2024)
- Shared pastor: Fr. Tom McMichael
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Martin J. Bourkethrough at least 2003
Pastor during the groundbreaking and capital campaign for the new church; had been at the parish for six years as of 2003.