About Immaculate Conception · West Bend, Wisconsin
Saint Mary's Immaculate Conception Catholic Parish is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Roman Catholic parish located in West Bend, Wisconsin, in the historic Town of Barton. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and shares pastoral and administrative staff with neighboring St. Frances Cabrini Parish. The parish traces its roots to the 1856 German-immigrant Catholic community served by Father Caspar Rehrl and the Sisters of St. Agnes, and today it serves roughly 900 families with daily Mass, Eucharistic adoration, RCIA, faith formation, and a robust outreach network.
- Established
- 1856
- Patron
- Immaculate Conception (the Blessed Virgin Mary, conceived without original sin)
- Rector
- Father Jacob Strand
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Milwaukee
Why belong here
Saint Mary's Immaculate Conception welcomes newcomers with a clear invitation to "belong, and give back generously alongside of us," and to "know, love, and serve Christ in joy and in faith." It is one of the few parishes in Washington County offering a weekly Mass in Spanish (Sundays at noon), sign-language interpretation on the second Sunday of each month, low-gluten hosts at every Mass, and a perpetual-adoration chapel downtown — making it unusually accessible. With strong faith-formation programs for children, youth, and adults (including RCIA and Adult Confirmation), a Young Adult ministry, and a hands-on Human Concerns outreach (food pantry, Casa Guadalupe, Family Promise), it offers a parish home for cradle Catholics, returning Catholics, and those just beginning to explore the faith.
Mass times at Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Thursday 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM (Eucharistic Adoration is offered during this time)
Adoration times
- Thursday 5:30 PM – 6:30 PM (in the church, during Confessions)
- Perpetual Adoration at the West Bend Adoration Chapel — see wbadoration.org
About Saint Mary's Immaculate Conception Parish
Saint Mary's Immaculate Conception is a bilingual Catholic parish in West Bend, Wisconsin, situated in the historic Town of Barton. It belongs to the Archdiocese of Milwaukee and shares pastoral, formation, and administrative leadership with the neighboring St. Frances Cabrini Parish, so many of its staff carry 'Shared' titles. The parish serves roughly 900 households and offers Mass in both English and Spanish, with weekday morning Masses Tuesday through Friday and three Sunday liturgies. In his pastor's welcome, Father Jacob Strand writes: "This parish exists to get you to heaven!… Saint Mary's Immaculate Conception is here to help you enter through the narrow gate and become a great saint." The parish's homepage describes itself as "A Beautiful Place to Pray — In the Heart of Barton."
- Bilingual parish (English and Spanish)
- Approximately 900 registered families
- Shared with St. Frances Cabrini Parish, West Bend
- Member parish of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee
History of the Parish
The parish traces its origin to 1856, when Father Caspar Rehrl founded Barton School with the Sisters of St. Agnes to serve the German-immigrant farming community of the Town of Barton. The original church stood at the corner of Barton Avenue and River Road, accompanied by an 1860 pink-sand-brick rectory at 317 River Drive. That frame church was sold for parts in 1905, and a new Immaculate Conception church was built on Jefferson Street in 1909 — the building from which the parish still operates. By the 1940s and '50s the parish school enrolled close to 400 students. After 160 years of continuous operation, declining enrollment (down to 74 K3–8 students) led the parish to close St. Mary School at the end of the 2015–16 school year. The parish redirected the former school building to a homeless-shelter program, mission outreach, and social-justice work, and established tuition partnerships with Holy Trinity (Kewaskum), St. Frances Cabrini, and Holy Angels to keep Catholic schooling accessible to parish families. In 2019 the 1860 rectory was demolished — a loss mourned by neighbors in the Barton Historic District.
- 1856 — Father Caspar Rehrl founds Barton School with the Sisters of St. Agnes
- c. 1900 — A new church is built on Jefferson Street
- 1905 — Original Barton Avenue church is dismantled and sold for parts
- 1909 — Current church built on Jefferson Street
- 1958 — School addition built to handle post-war enrollment
- 2016 — St. Mary School closes after 160 years (oldest continually operating Catholic school in Wisconsin, third oldest in the U.S.)
- 2019 — Former 1860 rectory at 317 River Drive demolished
Pastoral & Administrative Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Father Jacob Strand and Associate Pastor Father Brady Gagne, supported by a team that serves both this parish and the shared St. Frances Cabrini parish. Liturgy and music are coordinated by Beth Habersetzer; pastoral care is handled by Chris Crom; and formation is led by Julie Braun (Child and Family), Seth Breunig (High School and Young Adult), and Mary Abel (Religious Education).
- Father Jacob Strand — Pastor ([email protected])
- Father Brady Gagne — Associate Pastor ([email protected])
- Deacon Zachary Galante — preparing for priestly ordination (2024)
- Deacon Dominic Lazzaroni — preparing for priestly ordination (2024)
- Chris Chlebek — Shared Director of Administration (262-338-2366 x113)
- Rhonda Prim — Office Manager (262-338-5600)
- Beth Habersetzer — Liturgy & Music Coordinator (262-338-5600)
- Tammy Waech — Shared Communications Coordinator (262-338-2366 x118)
- Julie Braun — Shared Director of Child and Family Catholic Formation (262-338-2366 x114)
- Seth Breunig — Shared Director High School and Young Adult Catholic Formation (262-338-5600)
- Chris Crom — Pastoral Care Minister (262-338-5600)
- Amanda Kroening — Catholic Formation Program Assistant
- Mary Abel — Director of Religious Education (262-338-5600)
Faith Formation & Catholic Formation
Faith formation is a core ministry at Saint Mary's. The parish runs a full RCIA process for unbaptized adults and those baptized in other Christian traditions, as well as an Adult Confirmation track for Catholics who have received First Communion but not yet Confirmation. Children's religious education is directed by Mary Abel and the shared formation office of Julie Braun; high school and young adult formation is led by Seth Breunig, with weekly "The Way" youth nights and Thursday Young Adult evenings that combine confession, adoration, Bible study, Lectio Divina, and fellowship.
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Adult Confirmation — Fall and Spring sessions
- Child and Family Catholic Formation
- High School and Young Adult Catholic Formation ("The Way" nights)
- Religious Education for children
- Young Adult Ministry — Thursday evenings
RCIA — Becoming Catholic
The RCIA process at Saint Mary's welcomes unbaptized adults, those baptized in another Christian tradition, and baptized Catholics who were not raised in the faith. According to the parish site, "The RCIA is much more than a 'program.' It is an on-going sacramental process that welcomes individuals who wish to become Catholic." The journey moves through the Rite of Acceptance, the Rite of Sending, the Rite of Election at the Cathedral, and culminates with the elect and candidates receiving the sacraments of Initiation (Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist) at the Easter Vigil.
- Welcomes unbaptized adults, Christians from other traditions, and uncatechized Catholics
- Includes Rites of Acceptance, Sending, and Election
- Easter Vigil reception of Baptism, Confirmation, and Eucharist
- Contact: Julie Braun, [email protected] or 262-338-2366
Liturgy & Music
Beth Habersetzer serves as Liturgy & Music Coordinator, working with the parish's music ministry to support the Sunday and weekday Mass schedule. The parish offers a weekly podcast of homilies ("Homilies and Other Podcasts") and makes Bishop Barron's Sunday reflections available on the homepage, helping parishioners engage with the Liturgy of the Word throughout the week.
- Liturgy & Music Coordinator: Beth Habersetzer
- Weekly homily podcast ("Homilies and Other Podcasts")
- Bishop Barron's Sunday reflections featured on the homepage
- FORMED platform available for parishioners
Human Concerns & Outreach
The Human Concerns office coordinates the parish's social-justice and outreach ministries, partnering with local organizations to serve Washington County. After the 2016 school closure the parish remodeled the lower level of the former school building to host the area homeless-shelter program, mission outreach, and the parish's social-justice ministry.
- Casa Guadalupe Education Center — empowers low-income native Spanish-speaking community members through education and social services
- Full Shelf Food Pantry — 231 Municipal Dr, PO Box 1157, West Bend (serves Washington County)
- Family Promise of Washington County — partnership supporting families facing homelessness
- Pro-life / respect-life ministry
- Social Justice Ministry housed in the former school building
- Area homeless-shelter program (housed in the lower level of the former St. Mary School)
Young Adult, Youth & Family Life
Seth Breunig directs High School and Young Adult Catholic Formation for both shared parishes. Recurring youth events include "The Way" evenings (e.g., Wednesdays 6:30–9:00 PM, with summer youth opportunities listed on the parish news page) and Young Adult Nights (Thursdays 5:00–8:15 PM) that combine confession, adoration, Bible study, Lectio Divina, and social time. Parishioners are also encouraged to support parish life through the Stewardship model highlighted on the homepage.
- "The Way" youth nights — Wednesdays 6:30–9:00 PM
- Young Adult Nights — Thursdays 5:00–8:15 PM
- Healing the Whole Person series
- Summer Youth Opportunities posted in parish news
- Stewardship / 'I'm new to the Parish!' welcome page
Accessibility & Special Accommodations
The parish makes several provisions for parishioners with specific needs. American Sign Language interpretation is provided at the 9:30 AM Sunday Mass on the second Sunday of each month, and low-gluten Hosts are available at every Mass for those with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity — the parish instructs those who need them to present themselves to the priest-celebrant and come for Communion at the very end of the line as the last communicant.
- ASL signing for the hearing impaired — 2nd Sunday of each month at 9:30 AM Mass
- Low-gluten Hosts available at every Mass (instruct the priest-celebrant as you approach)
- Safe Environment Certification required for all parish/school employees and volunteers
Practical Information & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the office by phone (262-338-5600) or by email through individual staff addresses on the Who We Are page. The parish office is open Monday–Thursday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM and Friday 8:00 AM – 12:00 noon. Online Giving, an E-Bulletin signup, printed bulletins, a parish calendar, and FORMED (the Catholic video/content platform) are all accessible from the homepage.
- Parish Office: Monday–Thursday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Friday 8:00 AM – 12:00 noon
- Phone: 262-338-5600
- Online Giving — available through the homepage
- E-Bulletin sign-up and printed bulletins online
- Parish calendar online
- FORMED Catholic content platform — free for parishioners
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Nathan ReesmanThrough at least 2016
Shared pastor of St. Mary and St. Frances Cabrini parishes at the time of the 2016 school closure
- Father Jacob StrandPresent (as of the current parish website)
Current pastor; succeeded Fr. Reesman in leading the shared West Bend Catholic parishes