About St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception · Muskegon, Michigan
St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception is a Roman Catholic parish in Muskegon, Michigan, within the Diocese of Grand Rapids. Tracing its roots to the baptism ministry of Father Fredric Baraga among Native Americans in 1833, it is the oldest Catholic community in Muskegon, with the original 1856-57 church replaced by the present building whose cornerstone was laid in 1889. Today the parish serves a bilingual, English- and Spanish-speaking congregation with Mass in both languages, plus Devotion to the Blessed Sacrament, Confession, OCIA, Children's Faith Formation (Catechesis of the Good Shepherd), High School Youth Ministry, and Mary's Heart Food Pantry. The parish has absorbed the French-Canadian St. Jean Baptiste community (2012) and the Italian-American Our Lady of Grace community (2018), making it a multi-generational home for Muskegon Catholics.
- Established
- 1856
- Patron
- St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception
- Rector
- Fr. David Sacha
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids
Why belong here
St. Mary's is a bilingual Catholic community in the heart of Muskegon that warmly welcomes English- and Spanish-speaking families, with a Spanish Mass every Sunday at noon and a bilingual Wednesday evening Mass. It is the historic home of three Muskegon Catholic communities now united under one roof, with active programs for every age: Catechesis of the Good Shepherd for children, a high school youth ministry with retreats, OCIA for adults seeking full communion with the Church, Mary's Heart Food Pantry serving the wider Muskegon community, and weekly Eucharistic Adoration and Confession. If you are looking for a parish with deep local roots, a strong outreach mission, and a place to grow in prayer and discipleship, St. Mary's invites you to make it your home.
Mass times at St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 2:30 PM
- Sunday 3:30 PM
- 30 minutes before each weekday Mass
Adoration times
- Sunday 3:30 PM (Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament)
- 30 minutes before each weekday Mass
Our History
Catholic life in Muskegon began on 'Pigeon Hill' in 1833 when Father Fredric Baraga baptized 21 people. Lumber and immigration in the 1850s brought the parish's German, Irish, and Canadian founders; Father Edward VanPaemel helped build the original 20x30-foot St. Mary's around 1856-57, and the present church was begun with a cornerstone on June 2, 1889. Over the next century St. Mary's gave rise to two daughter parishes – St. Jean Baptiste (1883) and Our Lady of Grace (1924) – both of which have now returned to St. Mary's through merger.
- 1833: Father Fredric Baraga baptizes 21 on Pigeon Hill; chapel to St. Joseph dedicated April 20, 1834.
- c. 1856-57: Fr. Edward VanPaemel and parishioners build original 20x30-foot St. Mary's; timber donated by George Ruderman.
- 1889 (June 2): Cornerstone of the present church laid.
- 1893 (July 27): Thousand-pound statue of the Blessed Virgin Mary raised into the church niche.
- 1912: New parish school built under Fr. Whelan.
- 1935 (May): Fr. K.J. Whelan named Monsignor by Pope Pius XI.
- 2012: St. Jean Baptiste merges into St. Mary (church closed 2015, building sold 2017).
- 2018: Our Lady of Grace merges into St. Mary (final Mass August 26, 2023).
St. Jean Baptiste (1883-2012)
The French-Canadian community broke ground for St. Jean Baptiste in 1873 and on December 8, 1883 – the Feast of the Immaculate Conception – celebrated the first Mass in the basement of the new church, singing the 'Veni Creator' with great emotion. Fr. J. Roch Magnan completed the upper church by 1887. The parish merged into St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in July 2012; the church building was permanently closed in April 2015 and sold in January 2017.
- French-Canadian mission parish of St. Mary's.
- First Mass: December 8, 1883, in the church basement.
- Upper church finished by Fr. J. Roch Magnan by 1887.
- Merged into St. Mary, July 2012.
Our Lady of Grace (1924-2023)
Founded to serve Italian immigrants in Muskegon, Our Lady of Grace began with a 1923 mission led by Italian-speaking Fr. Octavius Zavata from Chicago, and Fr. William Ducey famously vowed to learn Italian himself. The first Mass was offered on Easter Sunday, April 20, 1924, in a converted house at Jackson and Charles streets; a parish spaghetti supper at the Muskegon Armory that spring launched the legendary Italian Spaghetti Dinners. The present Our Lady of Grace church was begun September 12, 1949, and dedicated on Mother's Day, May 14, 1950. It merged with St. Mary in July 2018; the final Mass was celebrated on August 26, 2023.
- Italian-American mission parish of St. Mary's.
- First Mass: Easter Sunday, April 20, 1924.
- Fr. William Ducey learned Italian to serve the community.
- Italian Spaghetti Dinners began in April 1924 at the Muskegon Armory.
- Present church: ground broken September 12, 1949; first Mass May 14, 1950.
- Merged into St. Mary, July 2018; final Mass August 26, 2023.
Parish Staff & Clergy
St. Mary's is led by a pastor with the assistance of two deacons and a team of lay staff for discipleship, faith formation, music, and parish operations. The parish also maintains a Sacramental Emergency Line for after-hours pastoral needs.
- Pastor: Fr. David Sacha ([email protected])
- Deacon: Dcn. Matthew Dugener
- Deacon: Dcn. James Schiltz
- Parish Manager: Adam Raha
- Office Manager: Bereniz Mendez Botello
- Administrative Assistant: Amy Koczur
- Director of Discipleship & Evangelization: Liz Markovicz
- OCIA Coordinator: Lucrezia Esteban, O.P.
- Director of Sacred Music: Jeffrey Ostrowski
- Facilities Maintenance Coordinator: Shane Kamps
- Sacramental Emergency Line: 231-260-6625
Faith Formation & OCIA
Faith formation at St. Mary's is rooted in the Montessori method of the Catechesis of the Good Shepherd (CGS) for children, with a parallel OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) process for those seeking to enter full communion with the Catholic Church. Children's Sacramental Preparation is handled through the Faith Formation program; older children who have not been baptized are welcomed through OCIA for Children, with initiation typically celebrated at the Easter Vigil.
- CGS Level 1 (ages 3-6) and Level 2 (ages 6-9) Atria currently operative; Level 3 Atrium under development.
- Sacramental Preparation (First Communion, Confirmation) for school-age children.
- OCIA for adults – inquiry sessions begin in the spring; Sacraments of Initiation celebrated at the Easter Vigil.
- OCIA for Children (age 7+ who have not been baptized).
- Director of Discipleship & Evangelization: Liz Markovicz ([email protected]).
- OCIA Coordinator: Lucrezia Esteban, O.P. ([email protected], 231-638-1354).
High School Youth Ministry
St. Mary's hosts an active high school youth ministry with regular events and retreats, including the annual 10:10 Retreat, which is open to teens from the parish and the wider Muskegon area. Registration materials are available in English and Spanish.
- 10:10 High School Retreat (e.g., Saturday, February 28, 2026).
- Registration in English and Spanish (Formulario / Inscripción).
Mary's Heart Food Pantry & Outreach
Mary's Heart Food Pantry, formerly Sacred Heart's, relocated to St. Mary's when that parish closed and has since doubled the number of people it serves through a partnership with Love INC (which screens clients) and Feeding America (which supplies at-cost food). The pantry operates Monday through Wednesday from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm out of Lourdes Hall on the parish grounds, and assists clients by connecting them with housing, job training, and healthcare resources. Parishioners can support it through volunteer time, monetary donations (memo: 'Food Pantry'), or by bringing any of a published list of staple foods.
- Open Monday-Wednesday, 1:30-3:30 pm, Lourdes Hall.
- Partners: Love INC, Feeding America.
- Volunteers: 4-8 regulars; 2-3 more needed each day.
- Provides referrals to housing, job training, and healthcare.
- Thanksgiving and Christmas food baskets for families in need.
- Published list of needed foods (canned vegetables, soup, peanut butter, pasta, tuna, cereal, etc.).
Sacred Music
The parish maintains a Director of Sacred Music who oversees liturgical music at the English, Spanish, and bilingual Masses. Direct inquiries and participation through the parish office.
- Director of Sacred Music: Jeffrey Ostrowski ([email protected]).
Parish Mission Statement
St. Mary's states its mission in the words of the Great Commission: 'Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you.' (Matthew 28:19-20). The parish lives this out through OCIA, Children's Faith Formation, Youth Ministry, Mary's Heart Food Pantry, and its sacramental life.
- Mission rooted in Matthew 28:19-20 (the Great Commission).
- Lived through formation (CGS, OCIA, Youth Ministry), sacraments, and outreach (Mary's Heart Food Pantry).
Contact & Visit
The parish office is open during posted office hours at 239 W. Clay Ave., Muskegon, MI 49440, with the main church at 196 W. Webster Ave. The Sacramental Emergency Line (231-260-6625) is available for after-hours pastoral emergencies. Consult the parish bulletin for the most up-to-date Mass and Confession schedules.
- Church: 196 W. Webster Ave., Muskegon, MI 49440.
- Parish Office: 239 W. Clay Ave., Muskegon, MI 49440.
- Phone: (231) 722-2803.
- Email: [email protected].
- Sacramental Emergency: 231-260-6625.
- Related worship site: St. Thomas, 3252 Apple Ave.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Fredric Baraga (missionary)1833-1834
Baptized 21 people on 'Pigeon Hill' and dedicated the first chapel to St. Joseph on April 20, 1834.
- Fr. Edward VanPaemel (Van Pammel / Van Pamel)1850s-1870s; returned 1877-?
Driven force behind the original 20x30 foot St. Mary's (c. 1856-57) and the present church cornerstone in 1889; oversaw transition of the school to the Dominican Sisters.
- Msgr. K.J. (Thomas) Whelan1890s-1940
Paid off the parish debt, built a new rectory, led construction of the 1912 parish school, and was raised to Monsignor by Pope Pius XI in May 1935; served until his death in 1940.
- Fr. William Duceyearly 1920s-?
Co-organizer of the 1923 Italian mission with Fr. Whelan; learned Italian himself and helped found Our Lady of Grace (1924).