About Immaculate Heart of Mary · Pagosa Springs, Colorado
Immaculate Heart of Mary, in Pagosa Springs, Colorado, is one half of a single Catholic parish community that also worships at Pope John Paul II Catholic Church on the west side of town. Together the two campuses serve about 380 registered families across Archuleta County under the Diocese of Pueblo, with one pastor and a team of deacons running roughly 41 ministries. The parish keeps deep roots in the San Juan Mountains: it traces its origins to Theatine missionaries working the valley since 1873, built its present-name church in 1949, and opened the larger Pope John Paul II church in 2009, with a new chapel and meeting rooms completed in 2019.
- Established
- 1949
- Patron
- Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Rector
- Father Kenny Udumka (current pastor since November 2014; originally from Nigeria)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Pueblo
Why belong here
Immaculate Heart of Mary / Pope John Paul II is a mountain parish with unusually broad reach — a single pastor and deacon team serves 380 registered families across two church buildings and four rural missions in Archuleta County, supported by 41 active ministries. Daily Mass, 24/7 perpetual Adoration, and a lively Holy Hour with Benediction every Thursday anchor the week, with seasonal confession times year-round. Year-round programming for children and youth — Vacation Bible School in the open-air pavilion, faith formation classes, BCYC youth travel — plus strong Catholic outreach into the wider Pagosa Springs community (like the annual Put Hill Good Friday Pilgrimage) make the parish feel like the Catholic heart of the San Juan Mountains.
Mass times at Immaculate Heart of Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:45 PM – 4:45 PM at Pope John Paul II (Summer, April–November)
- Saturday 2:45 PM – 3:45 PM at Pope John Paul II (Winter, December–March)
- By appointment — call 970-731-5744
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration, 24 hours / 7 days a week — visit the parish office for access to the chapel
- Thursday Holy Hour, 12:30 PM – 1:00 PM, ending with Benediction
History of the Parish
Catholic missionary work in Archuleta County began in 1873, when Theatine Fathers — priests mainly from Italy and Spain — began passing through the Pagosa Springs valley and establishing mission chapels for scattered communities: St. James the Apostle (1908) in Trujillo, St. Frances (1908) in Frances, St. John the Baptist (1911) in Pagosa Junction, and Chromo Mission (1922) in Chromo. The first dedicated church, St. Edwards, was built in 1893. As the community grew, the small church became inadequate, and in May 1949 forty-plus families dedicated the new Immaculate Heart of Mary Church. After more than fifty years, the parish again outgrew its space; the Pope John Paul II West Campus was developed beginning in 2000, and Bishop Tafoya dedicated the new church on March 24, 2009.
- 1873 — Catholic missionaries (Theatine Fathers) begin working the Pagosa Springs valley
- 1893 — St. Edwards Catholic Church built
- 1908 — St. James the Apostle mission in Trujillo
- 1908 — St. Frances mission in Frances
- 1911 — St. John the Baptist mission in Pagosa Junction
- 1922 — Chromo Mission
- 1949 — Immaculate Heart of Mary Church dedicated
- 2000 — Planning begins for the Pope John Paul II West Campus
- 2009 (March 24) — Pope John Paul II Catholic Church dedicated by Bishop Tafoya
Parish Staff and Clergy
The parish is led by Father Kenny Udumka, originally from Nigeria, who became pastor in November 2014. He is assisted by associate priests (including Father Samuel Auta, who led the 2025 Put Hill Good Friday Pilgrimage) and a team of deacons — as one parish deacon liked to put it, 'Welcome to our church where a phone call to heaven is a local call.' Katy Reis serves as Office Manager.
- Father Kenny Udumka — Pastor (since November 2014)
- Father Samuel Auta — Associate priest
- Deacon team
- Katy Reis — Office Manager
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
Religious education classes for children are held in the JPII campus's classroom/meeting space, built in the 2018–2019 expansion. The annual Vacation Bible School, now in its tenth year, takes place in the parish's outdoor pavilion — in 2025 it ran 9 AM to noon, June 23–27, on the theme 'Egypt: Joseph's Journey from Prison to Palace.' Teen ministry is coordinated under the 'Ablaze HSYG' banner; high-schoolers travel to Benedictine College Youth Conferences (BCYC) in Kansas in partnership with the Diocese of Pueblo, with a diocesan group leader based at the parish (Shanna Robb, [email protected]).
- Faith Formation / Religious Education for children
- Annual Vacation Bible School — 2025 theme: 'Egypt: Joseph's Journey from Prison to Palace'
- Ablaze High School Youth Ministry (Ablaze HSYG)
- BCYC — Benedictine College Youth Conferences travel ministry for teens
- Epiphany 'Chalking the Door' annual tradition
Outreach and Community Life
The parish continues its historic missionary role across Archuleta County: alongside its two worship campuses it serves four mission churches in surrounding communities, with Masses rotating monthly from June through October. The annual Put Hill Good Friday Pilgrimage is a signature community event, with a priest leading parishioners and friends on foot from Immaculate Heart of Mary up U.S. 160 to Pope John Paul II, followed by Stations of the Cross in the prayer garden and the Good Friday liturgy.
- Four mission chapels served on a rotating monthly schedule, June–October
- Annual Put Hill Good Friday Pilgrimage from IHM to JPII along U.S. 160
- Live-streamed 9:00 AM Sunday Mass for the homebound
- Approximately 41 active ministries at the parish
Campus and Facilities
The Immaculate Heart of Mary campus sits at 455 Lewis Street on the east side of Pagosa Springs and is the parish's namesake 1949 church. The newer Pope John Paul II campus at 353 South Pagosa Boulevard opened in 2009 and was expanded with a day chapel and additional meeting/classroom space completed in March 2019. The two campuses together host daily Mass, perpetual Adoration, faith formation classes, Vacation Bible School in the outdoor pavilion, and the parish offices. Office hours are Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM – 1:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM – 12:00 noon.
- Immaculate Heart of Mary Church — 455 Lewis Street (built 1949)
- Pope John Paul II Catholic Church — 353 South Pagosa Boulevard (dedicated 2009)
- St. Patrick's Adoration Chapel (perpetual adoration)
- Prayer Garden (used for Tuesday Mass in summer and Stations of the Cross)
- Open-air pavilion (Vacation Bible School venue)
- Classroom/meeting space (completed 2018–2019)
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 9 AM–1 PM; Fri 9 AM–12 noon
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Theatine Fathers (Italian and Spanish priests)1873–early 1900s
Missionaries who first brought Catholic life to Archuleta County; they founded missions in Trujillo (1908), Frances (1908), Pagosa Junction (1911), and Chromo (1922).