Immaculate Conception Catholic Church stands on the north side of Stayton, Oregon, a small town in the Santiam Canyon, where it has served the Catholic families of the valley since 1903. Its motto, "Centered on Christ, inspired by the Holy Spirit, we work and pray together to do God's will," the establishment and the present day. From its first rough-sawn building on a four-acre gift of land to today's campus with a parish center, a Grotto, and a brand-new Eucharistic Adoration Chapel, Immaculate Conception has remained a place where generations of Santiam Canyon Catholics have been baptized, married, and sent to their rest at St. Mary's Cemetery.
From Sublimity to Sixth Avenue: The Early Church, 1903 to 1950
Before the autumn of 1903, roughly fifty Catholic households in Stayton made the long journey each Sunday to St. Boniface Church in Sublimity, often over roads that were nearly impassable in winter. As more Catholic families settled in Stayton, a handful of men began to imagine a parish of their own. On February 17, 1903, George Spaniol, Andrew Fery, Emil Forrette, B. Weinrich, John Spaniol, John Brown, Theodore Gehlen, Joseph Zuber, Dr. Charles Brewer, Peter Freres, Nick Geymer, and E. D. Alexander met at the old Daisy Hall in the Streff Building to talk about building a church.
Theo Gehlen Sr. offered four acres of land, and he and John Spaniol were sent to broach the matter with Archbishop Alexander Christie of the Archdiocese of Oregon City (later renamed Portland in 1928). The Archbishop refused. On a later trip, Gehlen fell suddenly ill and died, and George Spaniol took his place. When the Archbishop still would not give permission, the small group decided, in Spaniol's words, to "build the church anyway, and then ask the Archbishop to accept it." A steering committee of John and George Spaniol, Dr. Charles Brewer, and Andrew Fery, aided by Cornel Silbernagel, Nick Fehlen, Joe Fery, Ed Goeders, Barney Pape, and Herman Marking, took up the work.
It was John Spaniol who suggested the title "Immaculate Conception," inspired by a prayer celebrating the Blessed Mother's purity, and the Spaniol family donated the parish's statue of the Immaculate Conception. Andrew Fery designed a forty-by-seventy-foot church. Jordan Jungwirth, drawing on shipbuilding experience, raised a ninety-seven-foot steeple with Cornel Silbernagel, Nick Fehlen, Joe Fery, Ed Goeders, and Barney Pape. The construction, completed on August 14, 1904, was dedicated debt-free by Rev. E. O'Hara under delegation by Archbishop Christie. The choir sang; the Stayton Band played before and after. The first baptism recorded was that of Anna, daughter of John and Mary Pietrok Mertz, in 1904, and the first marriage was Susan Streff to Herman Marking on June 10, 1908.
Father Anthony Lainck of St. Boniface served as the first pastor of both Sublimity and Stayton for twenty-three years, his horse and buggy a familiar sight between the two towns. He came to support the Stayton parish so strongly that his loss was mourned by the whole community. In 1922 a fourteen-by-twenty-four-foot sanctuary was added to accommodate a growing congregation. In 1914 the parish purchased a strip of land along Lone Oak Cemetery, and Joseph Hirzsiefen was the first person buried there in 1915, beginning the long history of St. Mary's Cemetery.
A New Church on the Hill: 1950 to 2000
By 1950 the original building could no longer hold the parish. With Archbishop Howard's consent, a building board was formed under Father Mathias Jonas, and Salem architect Louis A. Schmerber drew plans for a much larger church. Work began the day after Easter, March 26, 1951, and finished the day before Easter, April 12, 1952, at a cost of $250,000. Bishop Francis P. Leipzig of Baker preached the dedication on June 22, 1952, and Easter Mass on April 13, 1952, was the first service in the new building.
The years that followed brought steady growth. The Grotto north of the new church was built with a gift from Mr. and Mrs. Ted Freres, and Fred Kremwinkle donated the statue of the Virgin Mary that stands in it; the Freres families have maintained and redecorated it ever since. Two new organs arrived in 1955, the Stations of the Cross were added in 1962, and a new electronic bell system was installed in 1965 as a memorial to Chris Silbernagel. The parish shared a chapter of Catholic education with the wider community, including St. Mary School and Regis High School, where Father Vincent Cunniff surveyed the land for the new building.
A succession of pastors shaped the parish: Father John Goodrich arrived in 1968, followed by Father Donald McHugh, an Army chaplain; Father Alfred Williams introduced men as Eucharistic ministers and women as lectors; Father Joseph Neuville brought women to the altar as Eucharistic ministers and promoted volunteerism. Father Robert Beltrami, OFM, became the first and only member of a religious order to serve as pastor and was known for visiting parishioners in their homes; in 1987 a section of the communion rail was removed so that communicants could receive standing for the first time. Father (later Monsignor) Gregory Moys arrived in 1990, began small church communities, and oversaw the 1992 landscaping of the grounds, the 1993 remodel that added the reconciliation room, cry room, and bathroom, and a new roof in 1995. Father Richard Wallace, who came in 1997, organized parish listening sessions and, in 1998, a new pipe organ was installed.
The Parish Center Era: 2000 to Today
Father Panneer Selvam arrived in 1998 and launched a $4.5 million capital campaign that added four classrooms and a science room at St. Mary Elementary and a student activities center at Regis High School. The Immaculate Conception portion produced a parking lot across Santiam Street and a fund of $198,000 held in reserve for a future Parish Center. Father Selvam shepherded the parish through its Golden Jubilee in 2002 and replaced the interior wood doors of the narthex with a glass wall looking toward the sanctuary.
Father Steve Geer became pastor in 2008 and worked on another campaign for the schools and the archdiocese; the newly ordained Father Raul Marquez, born in Abejorral, Colombia, joined him as associate pastor and helped build the parish's Hispanic community. After Father Henry Guillen-Vega arrived in 2012, Father Ed Coleman took over in 2011. A lifelong Oregonian and an avid cyclist, Father Ed was often seen riding between towns to say Mass and visit the sick, and he had prayed for a parish center since his arrival. Parishioners Kim Koehnke and Julia Bochsler organized a "Gather Us In" campaign that began in May 2015 with architect Tim Brunner of Axis Design Group. Demolition of the old convent started the day after Easter, April 1, 2016, and Triplett Wellman delivered the new Parish Center on February 1, 2017. Archbishop Alexander Sample dedicated the building on February 8, 2017, and the same statue of the Immaculate Conception found a new Grotto nearby.
Father Luan Nguyen was appointed pastor in 2017. Born in Saigon in 1968, he came to the United States at twenty-four, earned an electrical engineering degree from Portland State University, and entered Mount Angel Seminary in 2000 after rediscovering his earlier calling. He was ordained on June 7, 2008, and served at Our Lady of the Lake in Lake Oswego, St. Joseph in Salem, and as pastor in Brookings before coming to Stayton. Father Luan also serves as pastor of Our Lady of Lourdes in Jordan and its mission St. Patrick in Lyons, and his focus is to help parishioners grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ. Father Suresh Amalraj arrived as parochial vicar in 2017, Father Jossey Kuriakose joined the staff in September 2019, and Father Arul Jegathesh, a member of the Heralds of Good News congregation, came in September 2021. Father Shawn Daniel now serves as parochial vicar, and Deacon Geoff Schmitt assists in ministry.
In early 2025, the parish completed construction of a separate Eucharistic Adoration Chapel where the Blessed Sacrament is reserved for prayer around the clock.
Mass Times and Reconciliation
Immaculate Conception offers Mass every day of the week. The Saturday vigil is at 5:00 PM, followed by three Sunday Masses at 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, and a Spanish Mass at 12:00 PM. Morning Mass is celebrated Monday through Friday at 8:15 AM, with an additional Saturday morning Mass at 8:00 AM. Confessions are heard on Thursdays beginning at 7:00 PM, on Saturdays from 11:00 to 11:30 AM and again from 4:00 to 4:30 PM, and by appointment. The Sacrament of Anointing of the Sick is offered at the 8:00 AM Mass on the first Saturday of each month and by request for anyone facing serious or long-term illness or major surgery.
Spanish-Language Mass and Hispanic Ministry
The Sunday 12:00 PM Mass in Spanish is one of the most visible expressions of the parish's bilingual life. The Hispanic Ministry Coordinator, Catalina Reyes, organizes sacramental preparation, helps families through First Reconciliation and First Communion, and walks alongside adults preparing for Confirmation or marriage through the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults. Catechetical materials and resources from FORMED are available in Spanish, and the annual parish picnic in August follows a bilingual Sunday Mass, usually celebrated at 11:00 AM.
Sacraments and Sacramental Preparation
Infant baptism is offered for children from birth to age seven, with parents asked to contact the parish office at least three months ahead and to have taken a baptism preparation class within the last two years. At least one godparent must be a practicing, Confirmed Catholic whose marriage, if applicable, is recognized by the Church. First Reconciliation and First Communion classes are held for children in 2nd and 3rd grades, with an English session from 8:50 to 9:55 AM on Sundays and a Spanish session from 1:25 to 2:30 PM; parents are required to attend.
Confirmation preparation is open to 6th and 7th graders in the Santiam Vicariate, with 8th graders also accepted this year; classes meet on Monday evenings twice a month as a two-year program, and youth baptized Catholics in grades 6 through 8 are preparing to receive the sacrament in the spring of 2028. The Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) meets on Wednesday evenings from 5:45 to 7:30 PM in the St. Joseph Room from September through May, and a parallel OCIA track is offered for children in 4th through 8th grade. Couples planning to marry must contact the parish at least six months in advance, with twelve months suggested, and take the marriage preparation classes offered with Father Luan. Funeral arrangements begin with a meeting with the pastor before contacting a funeral home, and Mass intentions may be requested for a specific date with a recommended stipend of $10.
Faith Formation for Children, Youth, and Adults
Children's Liturgy of the Word is offered during Sunday Mass, when the priest or deacon invites preschool through second-grade children who are able to leave their parents to gather at the altar for the Gospel, then return for the Liturgy of the Eucharist. Younger children are welcome to play in the vestibule under adult supervision with age-appropriate books and toys. Family Faith Formation classes welcome all ages and include First Reconciliation and Communion preparation and OCIA sacramental prep classes for grades 3 through 8. Regis St. Mary's First Reconciliation and Communion classes are held during the school day for second graders.
Youth Ministry includes a Middle School Youth Group for grades 6 through 8 that meets on one or two Mondays per month from 6:00 to 8:00 PM in the parish center, and a High School Youth Group for grades 9 through 12 with monthly "Second Saturday" events that begin with the 5:00 PM vigil Mass and continue with a social. Adult Faith Formation organizes Lenten Bible studies, small groups, and the annual parish missions, and the parish subscribes to FORMED so that parishioners and their families can use the Catholic video, audio, ebook, and study programs on their own time at no personal cost.
Men's and Women's Ministry
The Santiam Vicariate Men's Group meets on Tuesdays from 6:00 to 7:00 AM in the parish hall, beginning with a warm breakfast before moving into a video and table discussion. Past series have included "That Man is You!," "Metanoia" with Franciscan University president Father Dave Pivonka, "Into the Breach," and "Living Joy" with Real Life Catholic's Chris Stefanick. The group is open to all men, whether single, engaged, or married, parishioners and non-parishioners alike.
The Women's Ministry hosts an annual free Vicariate Women's Retreat at the parish, with past topics exploring authentic womanhood and the feminine genius through the writings of St. Pope John Paul II and the witness of the saints. A Women's Bible Study meets on Wednesdays at 9:30 AM in the conference room of the parish office, and an Endow women's group gathers on Wednesday evenings to study Church documents such as Mulieris Dignitatem, Redemptoris Mater, and Salvifici Doloris.
Eucharistic Adoration and the Nocturnal Adoration Society
The parish's new Eucharistic Adoration Chapel, completed in early 2025, is open Sunday through Friday for adoration before the Blessed Sacrament, with the Divine Mercy Chaplet prayed daily at 3:00 PM. Public adoration hours are Sunday, Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 2:30 to 3:30 PM; Tuesday from 1:00 to 5:00 PM; and Thursday from 7:00 to 8:00 PM. On the first and third Fridays of the month, exposition continues from 9:00 PM Friday until 7:00 AM Saturday, with the Nocturnal Adoration Society - a chapter of the parish since 1963 - taking assigned hours in assigned bands before concluding with Benediction at 6:00 AM.
The Cenacle of the Marian Movement of Priests meets in the church every Saturday morning after the 8:00 Mass for forty minutes of invocation, rosary, and meditation. A Prayer Chain offers confidential prayer support, and Mass intentions may be requested for a specific date.
Music, Altar Servers, and Liturgical Ministries
The Music Ministry welcomes cantors, organists, pianists, and instrumentalists at every weekend Mass, with a choir rehearsing a half hour before the 10:00 AM Sunday Mass and occasional evening rehearsals for holy days. Singers who can hold three- or four-part harmony are particularly sought for the choir. Children in second grade and up who have received their First Communion may train as Altar Servers; adult servers are welcome, too, and training videos are available on the parish YouTube channel. Other liturgical roles for Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, Readers, Sacristans, and the Meet and Greet hospitality team round out the weekend experience, with new families welcomed individually and a coffee-and-donuts gathering on the third Sunday of the month from September through May.
Care for the Sick, the Homebound, and the Bereaved
Ministers to the Sick and Elderly bring Holy Communion to parishioners in their homes, hospitals, and local care facilities; training is provided. The hospital ministry coordinates visits to Catholic patients at Santiam Hospital, with new members shadowing an experienced visitor before committing. The St. Martha Ministry assists grieving families by planning and serving funeral luncheons in the parish center, supported by dishes contributed by parish families. The Bereavement Ministry offers spiritual support to those who have lost loved ones.
St. Mary's Cemetery and the Wider Community
St. Mary's Cemetery, located between North Third and Sixth Avenues along Regis Street, has served the Catholic community of Stayton since 1915, when Joseph Hirzsiefen became the first person buried there. Burial and cremation plots can be arranged through the parish office, and the parish provides a documented policy on gravesite adornment in both English and Spanish. Immaculate Conception belongs to the Santiam Vicariate together with St. Catherine of Siena in Mill City, Our Lady of Lourdes in Jordan and its mission St. Patrick in Lyons, St. Boniface in Sublimity, and St. Mary in Shaw, and members of St. Anthony Council #2439 of the Knights of Columbus, founded in 1923, draw from these parishes. The parish highlights the Stayton Community Food Bank on Wilco Road and Regis St. Mary Catholic School, the only rural Catholic PreK through 12 school in the state, founded by the Sisters of St. Mary of Oregon in 1929 and now combined with the Regis campus.
St. Catherine of Siena, Mill City
Immaculate Conception's mission parish, St. Catherine of Siena at 716 S 1st Avenue in Mill City, offers Saturday Vigil Mass at 5:00 PM on the first, third, and fifth Saturdays of the month, with confessions by appointment through the Stayton parish office. Pastoral care for St. Catherine's is provided through the same staff as Immaculate Conception.