About Immaculate Heart of Mary · Hayesville, North Carolina
Immaculate Heart of Mary (IHM) is a Roman Catholic mission parish serving the small mountain community of Hayesville in Clay County, North Carolina. It belongs to the Diocese of Charlotte and operates as a mission of St. William Catholic Church in nearby Murphy. With more than 200 registered families, IHM is counted among the largest faith communities in the diocese despite Hayesville's rural setting. The parish offers weekend and daily Mass in English, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, regular Confession, religious education, and a wide network of lay ministries that care for the homebound, bereaved, and wider community.
- Established
- 1955
- Patron
- Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Augustine O. Ogar, M.S.P. (Parochial Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Charlotte (Roman Catholic)
Why belong here
Immaculate Heart of Mary welcomes everyone — its homepage declares 'All Are Welcome Here / Todos Bienvenidos Aquí' — making it a comfortable home for English-speaking families as well as Spanish-speaking parishioners in Clay County. With more than 200 registered families, IHM is one of the largest Catholic faith communities in the Diocese of Charlotte, yet retains a close, small-parish feel where lay ministers know one another by name. A robust schedule of daily and weekend Mass, weekly Eucharistic Adoration, two Confession slots, religious education, a gift shop, parish fellowship (Coffee & Donuts after Sunday Mass), and outreach to the homebound gives every age and interest a way to belong.
Mass times at Immaculate Heart of Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:30 PM
- Sunday: 8:30 AM
Adoration times
- Wednesday: 3:30 PM – 4:30 PM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
History & Mission
Catholic life in Hayesville began on February 6, 1955, when Glenmary Father Joseph Dean celebrated the first Mass in an office above the Hayesville Drug Store. Four years later, in 1959, a motel/restaurant was purchased for the Catholic mission in Hayesville and converted into a chapel, a convent for the Glenmary Sisters, and offices for their home nursing service. The parish moved to a newly built facility on Highway 64 in 1984, and after 30 years in that building, the present 30,000-square-foot church and parish hall was dedicated in 2014. Today IHM operates as a mission of St. William Catholic Church in Murphy, NC.
- First Mass celebrated Feb. 6, 1955, by Fr. Joseph Dean (Glenmary)
- 1959: former motel/restaurant converted to chapel, convent, and nursing offices
- 1984: parish relocates to a new facility on Hwy. 64
- 2014: current church and parish hall dedicated
- Mission of St. William Catholic Church, Murphy
Mission Statement
The parish community has adopted a clear discipleship statement that guides its lay ministries and outreach: 'We the members of Immaculate Heart of Mary, individually accept as our mission, Jesus' call to discipleship. And collectively, as a parish community, seek to reach out with unconditional love to believers and non-believers alike.' The parish's bilingual banner — 'All Are Welcome Here / Todos Bienvenidos Aquí' — expresses this same open-door ethos in English and Spanish.
Parish Staff & Pastoral Council
Day-to-day ministry is shared between the Missionaries of St. Paul and a committed lay staff. Father Augustine O. Ogar, M.S.P., serves as Parochial Administrator and is assisted by a Parochial Vicar. Lay staff oversee religious education, music and liturgy, parish administration, and pastoral council leadership. The Diocese of Charlotte requires all volunteers to register for a Virtus account (www.virtus.org) to complete safe-environment training and a background check before serving.
- Rev. Augustine O. Ogar, M.S.P. — Parochial Administrator
- Cody C. Killian — Parochial Vicar
- Anne Maliborski — Parish Secretary
- Alma C. Allen — Religious Education Coordinator (also Parish Council Member & Event Coordinator)
- Jackie Wilson — Director of Music & Liturgy Coordinator
- Victoria Ewing Ware — Pastoral Council Chairperson
- Volunteer screening through Virtus (www.virtus.org)
Ministries & Parish Life
Faith and fellowship at IHM are sustained by a wide network of parish ministries — many of them led and named by individual parishioners on the parish website. Volunteers care for the homebound, tend a Memorial Garden, support grieving families, host fellowship after Sunday Mass, and curate a small gift shop. A bilingual Time & Talent sign-up (English and Spanish) and a Flocknote messaging system keep parishioners connected.
- Homebound Ministry — Maureen Ripper, (828) 837-7557
- Memorial Garden — Jackie Wilson, (407) 902-5962, [email protected]
- Bereavement Committee (meals for grieving families) — Jackie Wilson
- Coffee & Donuts after Sunday Mass — Sandy Jersey, (828) 389-6311
- Faith & Goodness Gift Shop (open before/after weekend Masses) — Shirley Forest & Sandy Jersey
- Stewardship Formation — Joanne Moore & Jeannine McNeill
- Flocknote email/text announcements — sign up via [email protected]
Education & Faith (Religious Education)
Religious Education at IHM is coordinated by Alma C. Allen and supported by a team of catechists and contact persons for various programs. The parish's Education & Faith page lists several ministry leaders and notes that some roles remain open — an invitation for new volunteers to step in.
- Religious Education Coordinator: Alma C. Allen — (678) 524-7311, [email protected] (bilingual)
- Richard Whelchel — meets Fridays, 10:30 AM in the Upstairs Kitchen
- Donna Brummert — (828) 389-3686
- Melinda D'Agrosa — (828) 389-6340
- Open ministry roles posted on the Time & Talent page
Facilities: Memorial Garden & Fellowship Hall
On the southwest end of the parish property sits a Memorial Garden maintained by volunteer parishioners — a quiet prayer space open to all. The parish also has a 'Sister Terry Fellowship Hall' where Coffee & Donuts is hosted after Sunday Mass on a rotational sign-up sheet.
- Memorial Garden — visitor hours open; volunteer caretakers welcomed (Jackie Wilson)
- Sister Terry Fellowship Hall — site of weekly fellowship and sign-up sheets
Visiting & Contact Information
Immaculate Heart of Mary welcomes visitors at 1433 Highway 64 West, Hayesville, NC 28904. The parish office can be reached at (828) 389-3758. Sacramental emergencies are handled through the shared St. William line at (828) 837-2000, extension 5. Flocknote messaging and a bilingual Time & Talent form (linked on the website) are the primary ways the parish communicates with and onboards new members.
- Address: 1433 Highway 64 West, Hayesville, NC 28904
- Parish office: (828) 389-3758
- Sacramental emergency: (828) 837-2000 x5
- Email: [email protected] (Flocknote & general inquiries)
- Bilingual 'Forma de Tiempo & Talento IHM' sign-up form