About Immaculate Heart of Mary · Mansfield, Missouri
Immaculate Heart of Mary is a small Roman Catholic parish in Mansfield, Missouri, in the Ozarks region of the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau. The parish's roots trace to a handful of families who first worshipped in a converted gas station and grew into a modest 1947 native-stone church before being formally erected as a parish on September 1, 1949. Today it is served by Rev. Charles Peirano, who also pastors the mission churches at Ava (St. Leo the Great) and Gainesville (St. William). Weekend Mass is offered on Sunday morning, with a weekday Mass on Friday, and a Coordinator of Religious Education (Annie Gasway) supports faith formation for the community.
- Established
- 1949
- Patron
- Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Charles Peirano
- Diocese
- Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau
Why belong here
Immaculate Heart of Mary is a close-knit rural parish with deep Ozarks roots going back to 1949 and a current church built by the hard work and pledges of its own members. It offers Sunday Mass at 8:30 a.m. and a Friday morning weekday Mass, with a Coordinator of Religious Education (Annie Gasway) supporting faith formation for children and families. For Catholics in the Mansfield area — or anyone traveling through the Ozarks — it is a faithful, family-sized community to pray with, learn from, and belong to.
Mass times at Immaculate Heart of Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 7:30 a.m. (per third-party aggregator; call parish office to verify)
History of Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish
Immaculate Heart of Mary's history begins with a small group of families gathering for Mass in a former gas station in Mansfield. The community was first organized as a mission of Sacred Heart Parish in Mountain Grove. In 1947 parishioners constructed a modest church of native stone, and the Benedictine order served the mission for about twelve and a half years. The mission was formally erected as Immaculate Heart of Mary Parish on September 1, 1949.
- Founded as a mission of Sacred Heart Parish, Mountain Grove
- Original native-stone church built in 1947
- Served by the Benedictines for ~12.5 years
- Established as a parish on September 1, 1949
Diocesan Era and Parish Hall
Three years after the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau was established in 1959, a succession of diocesan priests began serving as pastors. In the early 1970s, parishioners constructed a parish hall largely through their own labor under the direction of parishioner Alvin Herrman. The hall served as the site for religious instruction of children and other parish activities for many years.
- Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau created in 1959
- Diocesan priests begin serving in succession after 1962
- Parish hall built by parishioners in the early 1970s
- Hall used for religious education and parish activities
The Oblates of Mary Immaculate and the New Church
In the mid-1970s, the Oblates of Mary Immaculate (OMI) began serving the parish. Fr. Leonard Baldus, OMI, then the pastor, launched a mailing campaign and parishioners pledged contributions to build a new church complex. The new church was dedicated by Bishop John Leibrecht on June 27, 1987, giving Immaculate Heart of Mary the worship space it uses today.
- Oblates of Mary Immaculate arrive in the mid-1970s
- Fr. Leonard Baldus, OMI — pastor who led the building campaign
- New church complex dedicated by Bishop John Leibrecht, June 27, 1987
Parish Staff
The parish is staffed by its pastor and a Coordinator of Religious Education. Pastoral care is shared across multiple rural mission parishes in Deanery 5 of the diocese.
- Pastor: Rev. Charles Peirano (also serves St. Leo the Great, Ava, and St. William, Gainesville)
- Coordinator of Religious Education (CRE): Annie Gasway
- Mailing address: PO Box 468, Mansfield, MO 65704-0468
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Religious education for the parish's children is coordinated by CRE Annie Gasway, continuing the long tradition of faith formation in the parish that originally met in the 1970s-built parish hall. Families seeking enrollment or more information should contact the parish office.
- Coordinator of Religious Education: Annie Gasway
- Long-standing tradition of on-site religious instruction for children
- Contact the parish office for current program information
Parish Location and Contact
Immaculate Heart of Mary is located on North Roote Avenue in Mansfield, in Wright County in the Missouri Ozarks. Visitors and parishioners can reach the office by phone or by mail at the PO box listed by the diocese.
- Street address: 354 N Roote Ave, Mansfield, MO 65704
- Mailing address: PO Box 468, Mansfield, MO 65704-0468
- Parish phone: (417) 924-3779
- Email: [email protected]
Diocese and Pastoral Region
Immaculate Heart of Mary belongs to the Diocese of Springfield–Cape Girardeau and is grouped in Deanery 5, where the pastor currently serves several rural mission parishes across Wright and surrounding counties.
- Diocese: Springfield–Cape Girardeau
- Deanery 5
- Dean: The Very Rev. Jose Thundathil, CMI
- Also pastored by Fr. Peirano: St. Leo the Great (Ava) and St. William (Gainesville)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Leonard Baldus, OMImid-1970s–1980s
Oblate of Mary Immaculate pastor who launched the mailing campaign and building fund for the new church complex dedicated by Bishop Leibrecht in 1987.
- Fr. Paul Wightman, OMIprior to 2025
Listed as OMI pastor in earlier parish directory listings; succeeded in 2025 by Fr. Charles Peirano.
- Rev. Charles Peirano2025–
Named Pastor in the 2025 Diocesan Pastoral Assignments; previously Parochial Administrator of Sacred Heart Parish, Mountain Grove. Also pastors St. Leo the Great (Ava) and St. William (Gainesville).