Set a block from Central Avenue in the original Albuquerque townsite, Immaculate Conception Church has stood at 619 Copper Avenue NW since 1884. Known as the downtown parish, ICC is a Roman Catholic congregation of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe with deep roots in the city: its people helped build St. Mary's School in 1893, fed the hungry of Barelas and the surrounding neighborhoods, and kept open a daily schedule of Mass that is unusual for a parish of its size. Today the parish welcomes English-speaking and Spanish-speaking Catholics from across the metropolitan area, supported by a clergy team, a Catholic school, three Catholic Worker houses of hospitality, and an adult faith formation program rooted in the Ignatian tradition the Jesuits left behind.
Mass Times, Reconciliation, and a Liturgical Home
Immaculate Conception offers one of the more generous Mass schedules in central New Mexico. The Saturday Vigil is celebrated at 4:00 PM. On Sunday, Mass is offered at 8:00 AM in English, 10:00 AM in English, and 12:30 PM in Spanish. Daily Mass is celebrated Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 12:10 PM, and Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday at 7:00 AM. On the First Friday of each month, both a 7:00 AM and a 12:10 PM Mass are offered, giving working Catholics in downtown a midday chance to observe the devotion.
The Sacrament of Reconciliation is heard Friday and Saturday from 11:00 AM to 12:00 PM. Visitors are encouraged to enter through the gate on Copper Avenue NW near 7th Street; the parish office, open Monday through Friday from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM and Saturday from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM, can also direct first-time attendees to the chapel and to a priest.
Sunday Mass is livestreamed on the parish YouTube channel, where archived recordings of recent liturgies remain available. The weekly bulletin is published in print at Mass and posted online every Sunday, with the parish calendar embedded for those planning sacramental celebrations, quinceañeras, quinceañera Masses, weddings, or Quinceañera Masses, and Quinceañera Masses, and Quince Años are arranged through the parish office.
A Parish Rooted in 140 Years on Copper Avenue
The story of Immaculate Conception begins with the arrival of the Jesuit Fathers in New Mexico. After Giuseppe Garibaldi expelled the Jesuits from the Naples Province in 1860, Bishop Jean Baptiste Lamy of Santa Fe traveled to Rome and convinced five Jesuits to return with him to the American Southwest, arriving in Santa Fe on August 15, 1867. The Jesuits were first stationed at San Felipe in Old Town Albuquerque, but when the railroad reached Albuquerque in 1880, the population shifted north and the order of the city's growing New Town, now downtown, needed a new parish church.
Father Donato Gasparri, S.J., met with the New Town's civic leaders and chose a site on Copper Avenue for what would become Immaculate Conception. The original 1882 church was dedicated in May of 1884. The Jesuits quickly added a school, with the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati staffing St. Mary's School beginning in 1893.
Over the following decades, a series of Jesuit pastors shaped the parish and the city. Father Alphonso Mandalari, S.J., served from 1892 until 1924, serving on the University of New Mexico Board of Regents, working for an orphanage, supporting the construction of St. Joseph's Hospital (now Lovelace), and welcoming President Theodore Roosevelt to St. Mary's School. Father Patrick J. Kelleher, S.J., arrived in 1944 and oversaw the most ambitious building campaign in the parish's history: a new elementary school, convent, the present church on Copper Avenue, the rectory, and an addition to St. Mary's School, all dedicated in May of 1960. Later pastors, including Fathers Joseph Malloy, Frank Renfroe, Alvin Pilie, Edgar Tiblier, Sidney Lange, Jack Heaney, Edmundo Rodriguez, Rafael Garcia, and Warren Broussard, continued the Ignatian imprint on the parish and launched other area parishes, including Sacred Heart, St. Joseph, Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and San Ignacio. Sister Amadea Heaney, S.C., a Sister of Charity, founded the Amadea Shelter for Unwed Mothers and the St. Mary's Rest Home for Seniors under the umbrella of the Faith and Justice Center, Inc. Brother Mathias Barrett led the Brothers of the Good Shepherd, and Brother Tom Scherman, S.J., visited Catholics at Presbyterian Hospital and made telephone visits with parishioners who were homebound.
In 2020, the Jesuit Provincial, Father Ronald Mercier, S.J., together with Archbishop John Wester and Father Warren Broussard, S.J., announced that the Society of Jesus would be leaving New Mexico. On June 27, 2021, the parish said farewell to Father Warren Broussard, the last Jesuit pastor of the parish, ending an Ignatian presence that had lasted more than 130 years. Since July 1, 2021, Immaculate Conception has continued its work under the secular clergy of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe.
An Inclusive Downtown Parish
The parish describes itself as a Jesuit-founded community rooted in Ignatian Spirituality. Its parish mission, posted in English and Spanish, reads: "United by the love of Christ, Immaculate Conception Parish Community, a Jesuit-founded parish rooted in Ignatian Spirituality, commits itself to: live the Gospel values; celebrate the liturgy with joy; welcome without prejudice; seek God in everyone; serve our community with special care for the poor and marginalized; and be a place of prayer and spiritual strength for everyone."
The Spanish version of the mission, Nuestra Misión Parroquial, makes the same six commitments: vivir los valores del Evangelio, celebrar la liturgia con alegría, acoger sin prejuicios, buscar a Dios en todos, servir a nuestra comunidad con especial atención a los pobres y marginados, y ser un lugar de oración y fortaleza espiritual para todos.
Pastor Father Steve E. Rosera, J.C.L., a diocesan priest of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe who completed his canon law studies at the Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., extends a particular welcome in his letter to visitors: "Immaculate Conception is an inclusive parish, welcoming all people and being a place of prayer and spiritual strength for everyone." The parish continues to make the Ignatian examen and the rhythms of Ignatian Spirituality a regular part of parish retreats and adult formation.
Becoming Catholic and Adult Faith Formation
The parish runs a robust adult faith formation program rooted in the same Ignatian tradition that shaped the parish for more than a century. The Order of Christian Initiation for Adults (OCIA, formerly RCIA) meets on Thursdays from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM in the parish hall, beginning in late August each year. OCIA is the formal initiation process for unbaptized adults and for Christians from other traditions who wish to enter into full communion with the Catholic Church. Catechumens and candidates walk through the ancient steps of inquiry, the Rite of Initiation, the catechumenate, the Rite of Election, the reception of the Sacraments of Initiation at the Easter Vigil, and Mystagogy in the Easter Season.
Father Steve Rosera leads two weekly Bible study opportunities. The Wednesday afternoon group, At Home with the Word, meets at 2:30 PM in the rectory and works through the Sunday lectionary readings using the Liturgy Training Publication's At Home with the Word, which costs $15 per year. An evening Bible Study Group, led by Mr. Luke Wyatt, meets on Wednesdays at 6:00 PM in the Campion Room. Father Steve also leads the Wednesday Night Book Group, which gathers at 6:00 PM on most Wednesdays throughout the year to discuss a range of Catholic authors.
A Thursday evening Theology on Film series gathers for fellowship at 6:00 PM with the film beginning at 6:30 PM, pairing classic and contemporary cinema with theological conversation. The parish also hosts the ACTS retreat program, a lay-led retreat of spiritual renewal built on the four pillars of Adoration, Community, Theology, and Service.
Religious Education for Children
Immaculate Conception runs a parish-based religious education program for children in kindergarten through eleventh grade, with Confirmation preparation included. Classes meet on Sundays from 11:15 AM to 12:15 PM in the St. Mary's School Gym, following the 10:00 AM Mass; Spanish-language classes run during the same hour for families attending the 12:30 PM Spanish Mass. The parish asks parents to register online and offers a reduced fee of $30 per child, with a maximum of $60 per family.
The Office of Faith Formation is co-coordinated by Sister Teresa Aparicio, OLVM, and Mrs. Debbie Garcia, both longtime parishioners with deep experience in parish religious education and the Catholic school. The team welcomes additional catechists to teach, with the parish specifically asking in its summer newsletter for more adults to step into this ministry.
Catholic Worker Houses of Hospitality
One of the most distinctive ministries of Immaculate Conception is its network of Catholic Worker houses, modeled on the houses of hospitality founded by Servant of God Dorothy Day. The parish coordinates three houses in Albuquerque, each with its own charism.
Casa de las Comunidades, located at 444 Chama Street SE at the corner of Chama and Bell in the International District, is staffed by Sister Terese Aparicio, OLVM, who can be reached at 505-265-2371. Casa runs a food pantry and other programs for families and individuals living on the margins of society, with a particular outreach to immigrant families, women, and youth who have experienced abuse. Its vision is to foster human dignity, the awareness of individual human rights, higher development of family values, and higher standards of living in a safe, healthy community environment.
Trinity House, at 1925 Five Points Rd SW, is a House of Hospitality that focuses on the poor and homeless of New Mexico. Its three priorities are co-creating a community of faith, hope, and prayer; alleviating the pain of those in need; and peacefully challenging the social structures that create division and involuntary poverty. Trinity House can be reached at (505) 842-5697 or TrinityHouse@CatholicWorker.biz.
Francis House, at 8016 A Zuni Street SE in the International District, serves the homeless population and others living on the edge. The house provides food, clothing, safety, and compassion, distributing sack lunches and hot soup every day except Wednesday. Father Steve Rosera serves as the contact for Francis House.
In addition to the Catholic Worker Houses, the parish itself continues the Bread and Blessing Ministry, which feeds the downtown homeless on Sunday mornings. The pastoral team also maintains the long Jesuit practice of regularly anointing the sick and bringing Communion to Catholics in the downtown hospitals.
St. Mary's School: A Catholic School on the Parish Campus
St. Mary's School, founded by the parish in 1893 and staffed from the beginning by the Sisters of Charity of Cincinnati, continues to operate as the parish's parochial school. Today St. Mary's is recognized as one of the top Catholic schools in both the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and across the state, serving elementary students from across the metropolitan area. The school holds weekly school Masses, which families from the parish are welcome to attend.
Father Steve and the clergy team of Immaculate Conception serve St. Mary's as chaplains and celebrants of the school liturgies, while Renee Gallegos, a career educator with three decades in Albuquerque-area public schools, serves as principal. Father Steve regularly invites parish families and school families to make St. Mary's their parish school and Immaculate Conception their parish home, describing the relationship between parish and school as a family of families. Families enrolled at St. Mary's are eligible for parish membership and Sacramental preparation, even if their home parish is elsewhere in the Archdiocese.
Parish Ministries and Liturgical Roles
In addition to faith formation and outreach, Immaculate Conception offers a range of lay ministries for parishioners who wish to share their gifts. Liturgical roles include choir member, lector, altar server, and Extraordinary Minister of the Holy Eucharist. Social justice ministries include visiting the homebound, serving the poor, volunteering at food pantries, and the parish's work with the St. Vincent de Paul Society. Other parish groups include youth ministry, men's and women's groups, and the annual parish bazaar.
Permanent Deacons George Sandoval, Ph.D. (Deacon Emeritus), and Stephen Sais assist Father Steve at liturgies and in pastoral ministry. Deacon George assists at the Sunday 8:00 AM Mass and with FOCCUS training for engaged couples preparing for marriage at the parish. Deacon Stephen, an Albuquerque native and U.S. Marine veteran who serves on the St. Mary's School Consultative Council, joined the parish after serving at Queen of Heaven Parish in Albuquerque.
Joining the Parish
Immaculate Conception welcomes new parishioners, returning Catholics, and people exploring the Catholic faith through a dedicated Newcomers section. Visitors who wish to register, return to the practice of the faith, or begin the OCIA process can begin the conversation by phone at 505-247-4271 or in person at the parish office. The parish is actively participating in the Synod process, having hosted listening sessions whose input was forwarded to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops and on to the 2023 Synod of Bishops in Rome. Prayers for the Synod, in both English and Spanish, are part of the parish's regular devotional life.
Stewardship and Giving
The parish supports itself through the Sunday collection, online giving through OSV Hub, and the Annual Catholic Appeal of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe. Stewardship at Immaculate Conception is described by Archbishop Wester as "expressing gratitude to God by giving freely and generously to others. This 'giving freely' can be, as they say, my time, my talent, and/or my treasure." The parish participates in the annual Ave Maria Fund, a permanent endowment that helps sustain the parish's long-term mission, and invites parishioners to consider including Immaculate Conception in their estate planning.
Living and Memorial Bricks, engraved four-by-eight red bricks with three lines of thirteen characters each, can be ordered for the parish Prayer Garden on the south side of the church, with each brick costing $125. Past gifts to the parish remain visible in the building and grounds as a perpetual reminder of the parishioners who built, sustained, and grew Immaculate Conception across more than a century of Catholic life in Albuquerque.
The Clergy Team
Immaculate Conception is currently served by three priests and two permanent deacons. Father Steve E. Rosera, J.C.L., is the parish Pastor, having led the transition from Jesuit to diocesan administration in 2021. Father Robert Bustamante, a diocesan priest and Albuquerque native who previously served at San Juan Bautista Parish in Ohkay Owingeh and as Pastor of San Ignacio Parish, serves as Parochial Vicar. Father Stephen A. Gaertner, O.Praem., a Norbertine priest originally from Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan, who currently serves as Vocations Director for the Norbertines of New Mexico, also serves as Parochial Vicar.
Renee Gallegos serves as Principal of St. Mary's School. Sister Teresa Aparicio, OLVM, and Debbie Garcia co-coordinate the Office of Faith Formation. Jean Ann Chavez serves as the parish business administrator. Karime Ramirez is the parish receptionist, Erne Woodley serves as the Sunday sacristan, Rita Sanchez prepares the church for the Monday, Wednesday, and Friday 12:10 PM Masses, and Henry Sullivan and Jacques Gauvin open and prepare the church for the Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday 7:00 AM Masses.
For more than 140 years, Immaculate Conception has been a steady Catholic presence in the heart of Albuquerque. Welcoming daily communicants, Sunday families, students at St. Mary's, the homeless who line up at the Catholic Worker Houses, and the Spanish-speaking Catholics who fill the 12:30 PM Mass, the parish on Copper Avenue continues the work that the first Jesuits and the Sisters of Charity began in 1884: preaching the Gospel by word and by action, and serving the people of downtown Albuquerque with special care for the poor and marginalized.