Church of the Immaculate Conception

It was here in Old Town that Saint Junípero Serra celebrated his First Holy Mass in California on July 2, 1769, near the site of the present Immaculate Conception Church, and it was on the hill overlooking Old Town that he planted the cross which marked the site of the Mission and the Presidio.

In 1849, the parish was established with the appointment of Rev. John C. Holbein    as the first pastor.  He laid the cornerstone for the old adobe church in 1851. Masses were celebrated in the homes of residents of Old Town. A chapel dedicated to The Immaculate Conception was dedicated in 1858.  It still stands and is known as the Old Adobe Chapel on Conde Street.  The cornerstone to the present Immaculate Conception Church was laid in 1868 under the direction of Father Antonio Ubach. Due to the populaton swing toward the south, a lack of funding and a devastating fire in Old Town, it was not until July1917  that the church was completed and Masses began to be celebrated. It was dedicatd by Archbishop John J. Cantwell of Los Angeles on July 6, 1919.

In 1998, the church was seismically retrofitted to withstand earthquakes and it was rededicated by Bishop Gilbert E. Chavez. On July 14, 2019, the parish celebrated the 100th Anniversary of the Dedication of Immaculate Conception Church with a Mass officiated by Bishop John P. Dolan.  It now serves over 300 families throughout the San Diego region as well as visitors from around the world.

We are just getting going with the new parish website.  The Church of the Immaculate Conception is a beautiful parish, visited by many people from all over the world.  We know some of you visitors take some amazing pictures of the parish and we ask that you prayerfully consider sharing some of those with the parish staff so that we can enhance the contents of this website.  God bless you in all you do! 

The Church of the Immaculate Conception will be providing live stream and recordings of the live streams via the Franciscan School of Theology on the You Tube Channel called FST EDU1. During this Covid-19 Shelter in Place period please visit the You Tube Channel to see all opportunities for viewing. 



If you have any feedback or concerns please email mgreenlee@fst.edu.

Baptisms & RCIA: By appointment only.  Please e-mail parish@immaculate-conception-sandiego.org

Weddings: By appointment only.  Arrangements must be made at least one year in advance.  Please call the parish office at (619) 295-4141.

Funerals: For arrangements, please call the parish office at (619) 295-4141.

Reconciliation: 4:30 to 5:00 p.m. on Saturdays or after weekday morning Mass.