About Immaculate Conception · Muleshoe, Texas
Immaculate Conception Catholic Church is a bilingual (English/Spanish) parish serving the small farming community of Muleshoe in Bailey County, Texas, and the surrounding area of the Texas South Plains. Established in 1956 and entrusted to the Diocese of Lubbock, the parish shares its Catholic life with about 1,549 Catholics in Bailey County and draws an average Mass attendance of 237 worshippers each week. The parish operates a school (Immaculate Conception Catholic School) and a mission church, St. Mary Magdalen in nearby Muleshoe, and is currently pastored by Fr. Nahum Lopez. Its main church at 805 E. Hickory Street was severely damaged by a December 2021 fire but the parish continued worship in its fellowship hall and the adjoining Jamaica area, grateful that no one was hurt.
- Established
- 1956
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception (of the Blessed Virgin Mary)
- Rector
- Rev. Nahum Lopez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Lubbock
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception is a welcoming bilingual parish on the South Plains where Mass is celebrated every day of the week in English and Spanish, making it easy for families of both languages to worship and sacramental life to be lived together. The parish runs a Catholic school, a vibrant OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) program, and lay ministries such as the Parish Council, Youth Life, and the Women's Faith Formation Fellowship, so there are real ways for adults, young people, and families to grow in faith and serve. Its mission church, St. Mary Magdalen, extends Catholic presence to more of Bailey County, and the community's response after the 2021 fire — gathering outdoors the very same day to celebrate Mass — is a testament to a parish that is small in number but tightly knit in faith.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:30 pm – 5:55 pm (check parish bulletin for any changes)
- Penance also available by appointment
Parish History
Immaculate Conception was established in 1956 to serve the Catholic families of Muleshoe and Bailey County on the Texas South Plains. Over nearly seven decades the parish has built up a bilingual worshipping community, a parish school, a mission church, and a network of lay ministries. Its defining recent moment came on a December 2021 Sunday morning, when a fire broke out in the choir loft just before the 8 a.m. Mass. Pastor Fr. Heriberto Mercado is credited with calmly evacuating the approximately 200 people in the church; firefighters contained the blaze, but smoke and fire damaged the structure, the choir loft, and some stained-glass windows. No one was injured, and by noon the congregation had reassembled for an outdoor Mass in the parish's Jamaica area. The parish continues to rebuild and grow under its current pastor, Fr. Nahum Lopez, assigned in March 2024.
- Founded 1956 under the Diocese of Lubbock
- Fire of December 2021 damaged the church but caused no injuries
- Mission church: St. Mary Magdalen, Muleshoe
- Operates Immaculate Conception Catholic School
Mass & Worship Schedule
Immaculate Conception celebrates Mass in both English and Spanish throughout the week, a real gift to bilingual families on the South Plains. The Sunday schedule offers an 8:00 am Spanish Mass and a 10:30 am English Mass, with a Saturday evening 6:00 pm English Mass for those who prefer weekend vigil worship. Weekday Masses are celebrated in Spanish on Monday evening and on Wednesday and Thursday mornings.
- Sunday 8:00 am — Spanish
- Sunday 10:30 am — English
- Monday 7:00 pm — Spanish
- Wednesday 8:30 am — Spanish
- Thursday 8:30 am — Spanish
- Saturday 6:00 pm — English (vigil)
Devotions
Immaculate Conception maintains devotional life in addition to the Mass schedule, with specific devotions listed on the parish bulletin and the diocesan parish page. Devotional life is a regular part of the parish's Catholic identity on the South Plains.
- Devotions — check the parish bulletin for current schedule
Parish Ministries & Organizations
A small but active set of lay ministries supports the parish's worship, formation, and community life. Rosie Cabrera coordinates the Parish Council (PCL), Youth Life (YL), and the Women's Faith Formation Fellowship (WFFF), while Andy Martinez directs the OCIA program for adults seeking initiation into the Catholic Church. The parish office staff — secretaries Paula Cervera and Marisol Benzor — keeps the day-to-day life of the parish running.
- Parish Council (PCL) — Rosie Cabrera
- Youth Life (YL) — Rosie Cabrera
- Women's Faith Formation Fellowship (WFFF) — Rosie Cabrera
- Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) — Andy Martinez
- Parish Secretaries — Paula Cervera and Marisol Benzor
Sacraments & Faith Formation
The parish prepares Catholics of all ages for the sacraments of initiation and for marriage. The OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) program welcomes those seeking baptism, confirmation, and Eucharist, while baptisms, weddings, and other sacramental needs are coordinated through the parish office. Catholic school education at Immaculate Conception Catholic School complements family and parish faith formation.
- OCIA / RCIA for adults
- Baptism preparation — contact parish office
- Marriage preparation — contact parish office
- Immaculate Conception Catholic School
Mission Church
In addition to its main church on East Hickory Street, Immaculate Conception ministers to a wider portion of Bailey County through its mission church. This extends the parish's sacramental and devotional presence into more of the Muleshoe area.
- Mission: St. Mary Magdalen, Muleshoe
Parish Staff & Office
The parish is led by Pastor Rev. Nahum Lopez (assigned March 22, 2024) and supported by a small team of parish staff who keep the office and ministries running. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 9:00 am to 1:00 pm.
- Pastor — Rev. Nahum Lopez
- Parish Secretaries — Paula Cervera and Marisol Benzor
- Office phone — 806-272-4167
- Office email — [email protected]
- Office hours — Mon–Fri, 9:00 am – 1:00 pm
Visiting & Contact
Immaculate Conception welcomes visitors and newcomers at its church at 805 E. Hickory Street in Muleshoe. The parish office is open weekday mornings, and the parish maintains an active Facebook page with current news, schedules, and bulletins.
- Address — 805 E. Hickory Street, Muleshoe, TX 79347
- Phone — 806-272-4167
- Email — [email protected]
- Facebook — facebook.com/icccmuleshoe
- Diocese — catholiclubbock.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Heriberto Mercado
Pastor at the time of the December 2021 fire; credited with calmly ushering roughly 200 people out of the church before the 8 a.m. Mass.
- Rev. Nahum LopezAssigned March 22, 2024
Current pastor.