About Mary of the Immaculate Conception · Rockville, Minnesota
Mary of the Immaculate Conception is a small Catholic parish located at 113 Broadway Street West in Rockville, Minnesota, in the Diocese of Saint Cloud. It is one of four parishes that together form the Centered on Christ Catholic Community (CCCC), alongside Saint Boniface in Cold Spring, Saints Peter & Paul in Richmond, and Saint James at Jacobs Prairie. The parish describes itself as a community 'where the Church is the heart of our community and Jesus replenishes our soul,' with a mission to be 'His heart of mercy, the voice of hope, and the hands of justice.' As of 2025 it serves roughly 920 members (about 612 Anglo and 308 Latino), and it ministers to a significant Spanish-speaking community through a weekly Mass en español.
- Established
- 1911
- Patron
- Mary of the Immaculate Conception
- Rector
- Father LeRoy Scheierl
- Diocese
- Diocese of Saint Cloud
Why belong here
Mary of the Immaculate Conception offers a tight-knit, bilingual Catholic community in the heart of central Minnesota, with the warmth of a small-town parish and the resources of a four-parish collaboration. Parishioners can worship in English or Spanish, with a Sunday Mass celebrated entirely en español to serve the growing Latino population. The parish shares a Catholic school system (Saint Boniface and Saints Peter & Paul), a wealth of ministries spanning faith formation for children and adults, music and liturgy, youth and teen discipleship, sacramental preparation, and outreach — all under a leadership team that explicitly aims to 'form missionary disciples on fire for Christ.' A New Member Information Form is offered to anyone wishing to join.
Mass times at Mary of the Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- After the Thursday 8:00 AM Mass
Adoration times
- Thursday — Adoration following the 8:00 AM Mass until 7:00 PM
History of Mary of the Immaculate Conception
The Rockville area was first settled by English and Scotch fur traders in the early 1800s who discovered large granite deposits — the resource that gave the town its name. Soon after, German and Bavarian immigrants, pioneers, and farmers settled along the Sauk River. Mostly Catholic, they petitioned Bishop James Trobec of the Diocese of Saint Cloud, and under the guidance of Fr. Hubert Gunderson of St. Wendelin in Luxemburg construction of the church began in 1911. The first Mass was celebrated on December 8, 1911 — the Feast of the Immaculate Conception. The parish's first pastor was Fr. Julius Locnikar, O.S.B., then pastor of Saint James (Jacobs Prairie), who served 1912–1921. The parish was formally passed to the Diocese of Saint Cloud in 1922 and has served Catholics in the surrounding area ever since, with various improvements and additions made to the original structure over the years.
- Construction began 1911; first Mass December 8, 1911 (Feast of the Immaculate Conception)
- First pastor: Fr. Julius Locnikar, O.S.B., 1912–1921
- Passed to the Diocese of Saint Cloud in 1922
- Founded by petition of German and Bavarian immigrant families along the Sauk River
Our Hispanic / Latino Community
In recent years Mary of the Immaculate Conception has welcomed a large and growing number of Latino (Hispanic) residents. In 2024 Bishop Patrick Neary asked MIC to extend its pastoral care to also serve Latinos in the St. Cloud and Waite Park area, and that population was folded into the parish. As of 2025 roughly one-third of the parish's approximately 920 members are Latino, and they are deeply involved in the life and ministries of the church. The 10:30 AM Sunday Mass is celebrated en español, and a Saint John's Abbey priest serves as Sacramental Minister to the Latino community.
- Sunday 10:30 AM Mass celebrated in Spanish (en español)
- Bishop Patrick Neary extended pastoral care to Latinos in St. Cloud/Waite Park in 2024
- Saint John's Abbey supplies a Sacramental Minister for the Latino community
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith Formation at Mary of the Immaculate Conception provides Catholic education and formation for all members of the parish community, 'guided by the Holy Spirit' and aimed at a lifelong commitment to a deeper faith and vibrant spirituality. The religious education program is an ongoing process in which children experience the awareness of religion in their lives; a textbook series is used to ensure progressive and appropriate doctrinal development. Classes are held on Sundays before Mass and are led by volunteer instructors and aides. Virtus training is required for all who volunteer with the program. The parish's Education Commission — a standing committee of the parish council — serves as advisory and consultative to the pastor on evangelization, religious education, youth ministry and family ministry.
- Director of Religious Education coordinates the program
- Classes held Sundays before Mass
- Led by volunteer instructors and aides; Virtus training required
- Education Commission members advise the pastor on faith formation, youth and family ministry
Sacraments
Mary of the Immaculate Conception celebrates the sacraments of baptism, first communion, confirmation, marriage and funerals. The parish retains its own Sacramental Minister (a Saint John's Abbey priest) for the Latino community, and Deacon Larry Sell serves as Director of Sacramental Preparation across the Centered on Christ Catholic Community. Under the planned 'All Things New' consolidation, baptism, first communion and weddings may continue to be celebrated at MIC, while larger solemnities (e.g., Confirmation, some Holy Week services, Holy Days of Obligation) will mostly be celebrated at Saint Boniface, the 'Primary' church.
- Baptism
- First Communion
- Confirmation
- Marriage / Weddings
- Funeral Masses and burials in the parish cemetery
Mary of the Immaculate Conception Cemetery
Adjacent to the parish is the Mary of the Immaculate Conception Cemetery (also referred to on the parish site as Calvary Cemetery), a Catholic cemetery serving the parish and surrounding community. The parish website provides a cemetery map and a grave-search tool for families and genealogists. Under the planned parish consolidation, the cemetery will retain its own income, expenses and endowments and continue to function in perpetuity under a cemetery committee.
- Also referred to as Calvary Cemetery
- Cemetery map and grave-search tool available on the parish website
- Will continue to operate in perpetuity under its own committee
Centered on Christ Catholic Community
Mary of the Immaculate Conception is one of four parishes in the Centered on Christ Catholic Community (CCCC), under the leadership of the Diocese of Saint Cloud. The four collaborating parishes are Mary of the Immaculate Conception (Rockville), Saint Boniface (Cold Spring), Saints Peter & Paul (Richmond), and Saint James (Jacobs Prairie). Together they share clergy, school leadership, ministry staff, finance and communications. The CCCC's mission is 'a culture of unceasing prayer, active discipleship, and healthy teamwork to become amazing Catholic missionary disciples on fire for Christ.' Within 1–3 years the four parishes are slated to consolidate into one parish corporation, with Saint Boniface as the 'Primary' church and MIC, Saints Peter & Paul and Saint James as 'Partner' churches.
- Four parishes: MIC (Rockville), Saint Boniface (Cold Spring), Saints Peter & Paul (Richmond), Saint James (Jacobs Prairie)
- Two Catholic schools (Saint Boniface School and Saints Peter & Paul School)
- CCCC central office: 501 Main Street, Cold Spring, MN 56320
- Planning to consolidate into one parish corporation within 1–3 years (as of 2025)
Clergy & Staff
Mary of the Immaculate Conception is served by the clergy and staff of the Centered on Christ Catholic Community. Father LeRoy Scheierl is the Pastor of the CCCC and Father Joseph VanDenheuvel serves as Parochial Vicar. Father Cletus Connors, OSB, assists as Retired Clergy. Two deacons — Deacon Larry Sell (Director of Sacramental Preparation) and Deacon Dan Dullinger — also minister in the community. A Saint John's Abbey priest serves as Sacramental Minister to the Latino community. The parish shares its music-liturgy, faith-formation, youth, school, and finance teams with the wider CCCC.
- Pastor: Father LeRoy Scheierl (35+ years of priestly ministry in Central Minnesota)
- Parochial Vicar: Father Joseph VanDenheuvel
- Retired Clergy Assistant: Father Cletus Connors, OSB
- Deacon Larry Sell — Director of Sacramental Preparation
- Deacon Dan Dullinger
- Saint John's Abbey priest — Sacramental Minister to the Latino community
Ministries & Parish Life
The Centered on Christ Catholic Community offers a wide range of ministries that Mary of the Immaculate Conception parishioners are invited to participate in. These include faith formation for children and adults, sacramental preparation, music and liturgy coordination, teen discipleship and youth ministry, the parish cemetery ministry, a 'Befriender' ministry, funeral ministry, a volunteer-coordination office, and various parish councils and commissions (including an Education Commission and a Partner Advisory Committee for MIC). The parish encourages every member to join at least one ministry.
- Faith Formation (children & adult)
- Teen Discipleship / Youth Ministry
- Music & Liturgy
- Sacramental Preparation
- Cemetery, Befriender, and Funeral ministries
- Parish Council, Education Commission, and Partner Advisory Committee
Getting Involved / New Members
Newcomers are warmly welcomed. Anyone interested in joining the parish or learning more about its life is invited to fill out a New Member Request / Information Form on the christcatholic.com website, or to contact the CCCC central office directly at 501 Main Street, Cold Spring, MN 56320 (320-204-1111, [email protected]). The parish regularly publishes upcoming events on its website and livestreams Mass and homilies so that homebound members and visitors can stay connected.
- New Member Information / Request Form available on christcatholic.com
- Central office: 501 Main Street, Cold Spring, MN 56320
- Phone: 320-204-1111; Email: [email protected]
- Livestream Mass and homilies via the parish website
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Julius Locnikar, O.S.B.1912–1921
First pastor of Mary of the Immaculate Conception; previously pastor of Saint James (Jacobs Prairie). The parish was then formally passed to the Diocese of Saint Cloud in 1922.