About Immaculate Conception · Sacramento, California
Immaculate Conception Parish is a Roman Catholic parish in the Oak Park neighborhood of Sacramento, California, established in 1909 by Bishop Thomas Grace and entrusted to founding pastor Father William F. Ellis. The parish serves a historic, largely bilingual community, with weekend Masses offered in both English and Spanish and a monthly Spanish Mass of Healing (Misa español de Sanación). Located at 3263 1st Avenue in the Diocese of Sacramento, the parish is known for its Romanesque Revival church (designed by architect Frank Shea and dedicated on December 8, 1915), its parish school originally staffed by the Holy Cross Sisters, and a robust St. Vincent de Paul food-distribution ministry to neighbors in need.
- Established
- 1909
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary, under the title of the Immaculate Conception
- Rector
- Rev. Luis F. Urrego
- Diocese
- Diocese of Sacramento (Southern Suburbs Deanery)
Why belong here
Immaculate Conception offers a genuinely bilingual Catholic home in the heart of Sacramento's historic Oak Park neighborhood, with weekend Masses in both English and Spanish, a Bilingual weekday Mass Tuesday through Friday, and a beloved monthly Misa español de Sanación (Spanish Mass of Healing). The parish sustains a parish school staffed by the Holy Cross Sisters and a Religious Education program for grades K–8, while its active St. Vincent de Paul Conference feeds neighbors in need through twice-monthly food distributions. Confession is offered multiple days a week, an RCIA process meets Wednesdays at 7:00 pm, and the parish is grounded in more than a century of Sacramento Catholic history.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursdays after the 9:00 am Mass
- Fridays after the 9:00 am Mass
- Saturdays 4:00 pm to 4:45 pm
History of Immaculate Conception Parish
Founded in 1909 by Bishop Thomas Grace and pastored from the start by Irish-born Father William F. Ellis, Immaculate Conception Parish grew up with the Oak Park neighborhood. A Solemn Mass was offered at the Oak Park bandstand on Trinity Sunday of 1910 to mark its public launch, and parishioners first worshipped in a wooden building along Broadway while the present church site was still occupied by a Chinese laundry. The completed Romanesque Revival church, designed by architect Frank Shea, was dedicated on December 8, 1915 (the Feast of the Immaculate Conception) and blessed on May 6, 1916.
- 1909 — Parish established by Bishop Thomas Grace; Father William F. Ellis named founding pastor.
- Trinity Sunday 1910 — First Solemn Mass at the Oak Park bandstand.
- December 8, 1915 — Bishop Grace dedicates the church site.
- May 6, 1916 — Completed church blessed; total cost $21,000.
- September 1922 — Founding pastor Father William Ellis dies at age 42 after caring for flu victims.
- 1930 — Parish school built, staffed by the Holy Cross Sisters.
- 1933 — Father John H. Ellis dies; Monsignor Patrick O'Sullivan becomes third pastor.
- 1958 — Monsignor O'Sullivan named Pastor Emeritus; Monsignor Thomas A. Kirby becomes fourth pastor.
Architecture and Buildings
The present church is a Romanesque Revival structure designed by architect Frank Shea, who also designed a nearby Catholic church. Construction was completed in less than eighteen months at a total cost of $21,000. The Ellis brothers personally purchased additional lots around the church to allow for future expansion of the parish complex, and the original rectory still stands on the property.
- Style: Romanesque Revival
- Architect: Frank Shea
- Site dedicated: December 8, 1915
- Church blessed: May 6, 1916
- Construction cost: $21,000
- Original rectory still standing
Parish School and Religious Education
A parish school has been part of Immaculate Conception since 1930, when it was built under Father John Ellis and staffed by the Holy Cross Sisters, who continued to instruct the children for generations. The parish also runs a K–8 Religious Education program supported by a monthly second collection.
- Parish school built in 1930
- Staffed by the Holy Cross Sisters (Congregation of Holy Cross)
- K–8 Religious Education program
- Monthly second collection for Religious Education on the 3rd Sunday
St. Vincent de Paul Outreach
The parish's St. Vincent de Paul Society is one of its most visible works of mercy, distributing food to parishioners and other neighbors in need within the parish boundaries. Distributions take place outdoors at the triangular parking lot near 1st Avenue, 33rd Street and Broadway, and the Conference gathers monthly in the Pastoral Center.
- Food distribution: 3rd and 4th Saturdays, 10:00 am to 12:00 noon
- Location: triangular parking area at 1st Ave., 33rd St. and Broadway
- Conference voicemail: (916) 452-4874
- Monthly meeting: 3rd Thursday of each month, Pastoral Center Conference Room
- Always seeking new volunteers
Monthly Second Collections
Three monthly second collections underwrite the parish's physical plant, faith formation and outreach.
- 1st Sunday — Building Fund
- 3rd Sunday — Religious Education K–8
- 5th Sunday — St. Vincent de Paul
Sacraments
Preparation is required for the sacraments of Baptism and Marriage; the parish office should be contacted before arranging funerals. Adult initiation is offered through the RCIA process.
- Baptism — preparation required, call parish office
- Wedding — preparation required, call parish office
- Funerals — call parish office before final arrangements
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults) — Wednesdays 7:00 pm
Visit, Call, Connect
Immaculate Conception Parish is located at 3263 1st Avenue in the Oak Park neighborhood of Sacramento. The parish office can be reached by phone, fax or email, and the parish website publishes Mass and Confession times as well as ministry information.
- Address: 3263 1st Avenue, Sacramento, CA 95817
- Phone: (916) 452-6866
- Fax: (916) 452-3879
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: immaculateconceptionsacramento.org
- Diocese: Diocese of Sacramento (Southern Suburbs Deanery)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father William F. Ellis1909–1922
Founding pastor; Irish-born; organized the first Holy Name Society in the Diocese of Sacramento; founded the Elk Grove mission; served as WWI chaplain at Mather Field; died in September 1922 at age 42 after tending the 1918 influenza epidemic.
- Father John H. Ellis1922–1933
Brother of the founding pastor; oversaw construction of the parish school in 1930, staffed by the Holy Cross Sisters; died October 1933.
- Monsignor Patrick J. O'Sullivan1933–1958
Had first served IC as an assistant from 1911 to 1918; third pastor for 25 years; named Pastor Emeritus in 1958; celebrated his 50th anniversary of ordination in June 1959.
- Monsignor Thomas A. Kirby1958–
Former diocesan Chancellor; appointed fourth pastor in 1958 when Monsignor O'Sullivan became Pastor Emeritus; unearthed yellowed parish records documenting the original $1,000 loan for the temporary church.
- Rev. Luis F. Urregopresent
Current pastor per the Diocese of Sacramento directory; leads the parish's bilingual English/Spanish liturgical life.