About Immaculate Heart of Mary · Sedro Woolley, Washington
Immaculate Heart of Mary is a Catholic parish in Sedro-Woolley, Washington, serving the North Cascade foothills and Skagit Valley as part of the Skagit Valley Catholic Churches family in the Archdiocese of Seattle. The parish worships at 719 Ferry Street and, together with its mission church of St. Catherine in nearby Concrete, forms a bilingual (English/Spanish) Catholic community that partners with Immaculate Conception Regional School and supports the Helping Hands Food Bank. Under the Archdiocese's 2024 'Partners in the Gospel' pastoral plan, IHM now belongs to Parish Family #3, which is pastored jointly with the neighboring Skagit Valley parishes of Immaculate Conception (Mount Vernon), Sacred Heart (La Conner), St. Charles (Burlington), and St. Catherine Mission (Concrete).
- Patron
- Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Rector
- Rev. Thomas G. McMichael
- Diocese
- Archdiocese of Seattle (Northern Deanery, Skagit County) — Parish Family #3 under Partners in the Gospel
Why belong here
Immaculate Heart of Mary welcomes both Sedro-Woolley residents and travelers passing through the North Cascades, offering bilingual worship (English Saturday Vigil and a Sunday Mass, plus a Sunday Mass in Spanish) and a rich sacramental life — weekday Mass, reconciliation on Wednesdays and Saturdays, and overnight Saturday adoration of the Blessed Sacrament. The parish is a true community of service: parishioners knit baptism blankets for every infant baptized in the family parishes, bring communion to the homebound and hospitalized across Skagit County, host a funeral guild, and support the Helping Hands Food Bank and Immaculate Conception Regional School as ministry partners. With more than a dozen lay ministries — Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, lectors, sacristans, ushers/greeters, music ministry, the Knights of Columbus, the Ladies Guild, hospitality, youth altar servers, a young-adult FOCUS Bible study, and more — there is a place for nearly every talent and life stage to serve and worship here.
Mass times at Immaculate Heart of Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday after 9:00 AM Mass
- Saturday 4:15 PM – 4:45 PM
Adoration times
- Saturday 6:00 PM through Sunday 8:00 AM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
Parish Identity & History
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church sits at 719 Ferry Street in Sedro-Woolley, Washington, in the heart of the Skagit Valley. Catholic worship in Sedro-Woolley predates the parish's current name; a 1939-era postcard reproduces the altar of what was then called 'St. Mary's' Catholic Church, and area historians continue to research when the community adopted its present title. The Mikota family, longtime parishioners, are remembered for donating the funds that underwrote the altar that served the parish for decades. Today IHM worships as a vibrant, bilingual, English-and-Spanish community alongside its mission, St. Catherine of Genoa in Concrete.
Worship, Mass & the Sacraments
Immaculate Heart of Mary celebrates weekend Masses on Saturday at 5:00 PM (English), Sunday at 8:30 AM (English), and Sunday at 10:00 AM in Spanish, with a 9:00 AM weekday Mass on Wednesdays. The parish also hosts a special Inclusive Mass at 3:00 PM on the second Sunday of each month to welcome worshippers of all abilities. Confessions are heard on Wednesday after the 9:00 AM Mass and on Saturday from 4:15 to 4:45 PM, and the Blessed Sacrament is adored in a remarkable overnight vigil from 6:00 PM Saturday until 8:00 AM Sunday.
- Saturday Vigil — 5:00 PM (English)
- Sunday — 8:30 AM (English), 10:00 AM (Spanish)
- Wednesday — 9:00 AM
- Confession — Wednesday after Mass; Saturday 4:15–4:45 PM
- Adoration — Saturday 6:00 PM through Sunday 8:00 AM
- Inclusive Mass — 2nd Sunday at 3:00 PM
Parish Family & Leadership
In 2024 the Archdiocese of Seattle grouped Immaculate Heart of Mary into Parish Family #3 under the 'Partners in the Gospel' pastoral plan. The pastor leads this family of faith across the Skagit Valley — Immaculate Conception in Mount Vernon, Sacred Heart in La Conner, St. Charles in Burlington, St. Catherine Mission in Concrete, and IHM itself — sharing vicars and lay staff so that each worship site remains active and accessible.
- Pastor: Rev. Thomas G. McMichael (Fr. Tom McMichael)
- Pastor (Parish Family #3 listing): Rev. Victor Raj Anas Dass, H.G.N.
- Parochial Vicar: Rev. Francisco J. Cancino
- Deacon: Tony Cavazos
- Administrative Assistant: Kassandra Ponce
- Director of Operations: Shari Mentel
- Director of Music & Liturgy: Janette Strand
- Director of Finance: Jamie Cline
- Pastoral Assistant for Grief Ministry: Kitty Pederson
- Facilities Supervisor: Rudy Hernandez
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education for IHM is delivered through the Skagit Valley Catholic Churches regional faith formation program. Parish Religious Education Program (PREP) classes for grades 1–8 meet on Sundays at IHM's Founders' Hall from 9:45 to 10:45 AM, between the English and Spanish Sunday Masses; family registration is $30. First Communion, First Penance, and Confirmation (now received in 7th grade) are prepared regionally and celebrated in the candidate's home parish.
- PREP classes (Grades 1–8): Sundays, 9:45–10:45 AM in Founders' Hall
- First Communion & First Penance preparation
- Confirmation preparation (7th grade)
- Children's Liturgy of the Word during Mass (pre-school through age 7)
- Catechist recruitment across all grade levels
Youth & Young Adult Ministry
Beyond classroom catechesis, IHM supports regional middle-school and high-school youth ministry that gathers on Wednesday evenings at the Immaculate Conception Parish Office and St. Joseph Center each fall through spring. Young adults ages 18–30 are invited to the All Valley Weekly Young Adult Bible Study, which uses the full FOCUS Equip program in chronological order and meets Fridays from 7:00 to 8:00 PM (with on-site gatherings at Immaculate Conception on the last Friday of each month). Youth who have made their First Communion can also serve at the altar as Youth Altar Servers.
- Regional Middle & High School Youth Ministry (Wednesdays)
- Young Adult Bible Study (FOCUS Equip, Fridays 7:00–8:00 PM)
- Youth Altar Server training and scheduling
Liturgical Ministries & Music
Nearly every Mass at IHM is supported by lay ministers, and there is a role for nearly every talent. Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion distribute the Body and Blood of Christ; lectors prayerfully prepare and proclaim the scriptures; sacristans ready vessels, vestments, and altar before Mass; ushers and greeters welcome worshippers and assist during Communion. Music ministry, under Director of Music & Liturgy Janette Strand, welcomes cantors, psalmists, choir singers, instrumentalists, guitarists, and piano or organ accompanists of older-teen and adult ages. The Ladies Guild enhances the prayerful environment of the church with seasonal banners, flowers, and décor, meeting the third Tuesday of each month at 2:00 PM in the St. Elizabeth Room.
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (16+; training provided)
- Lectors, Sacristans, Ushers/Greeters
- Music Ministry — cantors, psalmists, choir, instrumentalists
- Ladies Guild (liturgical décor; 3rd Tuesdays, 2:00 PM)
Service, Outreach & Pastoral Care
Immaculate Heart of Mary lives stewardship through hands-on ministries that reach beyond the parish walls. The Homebound Ministry brings communion and prayer to parishioners in hospitals, care centers, and private homes across Skagit County. The Funeral Ministry walks alongside grieving families in planning the funeral Mass and personalizing the liturgy, while the Funeral Guild prepares the Parish Hall with refreshments and a welcoming atmosphere after each funeral. The parish also partners in the ministry of Immaculate Conception Regional School and actively supports the Helping Hands Food Bank.
- Homebound Ministry — communion visits, training provided
- Funeral Ministry & Funeral Guild
- Baptism Blanket Ministry (knitted blankets for every infant baptized)
- Knights of Columbus — Catholic fraternal service for men 18+
- Hospitality Ministry (after-Mass receptions and the annual Steak Fry)
- Helpers for the Helping Hands Food Bank
School Partnership
Immaculate Heart of Mary is a partner in the ministry of Immaculate Conception Regional School, the regional Catholic elementary school serving families across the Skagit Valley. IHM parishioners support the school through prayer, volunteer service, fundraising, and enrollment of their children, helping sustain Catholic education for the broader valley.
- Immaculate Conception Regional School (regional Catholic elementary school partner)
Contact & Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach Immaculate Heart of Mary by phone at (360) 855-0077 or by email at [email protected]. The parish shares staff and offices across the Skagit Valley Catholic Churches, with the central office reachable at (360) 336-6622. The parish is part of the Archdiocese of Seattle's Northern Deanery in Skagit County and welcomes both longtime residents and travelers exploring the North Cascades.
- Address: 719 Ferry Street, Sedro-Woolley, WA 98284
- Phone: (360) 855-0077
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://www.ihm-sw.org/
- Regional office: (360) 336-6622
- Mission: St. Catherine, 45603 Limestone St., Concrete, WA 98237
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Martin J. Bourke
Listed as a former pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary on third-party parish directories.
- Rev. Thomas G. ('Fr. Tom') McMichael
Long-serving pastor of IHM and the Skagit Valley Catholic parishes (Immaculate Conception, Sacred Heart La Conner, St. Charles Burlington, and St. Catherine Mission, Concrete); continues as regional pastor under Partners in the Gospel.