Our Pastor

 

My Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

 

Welcome to the website for Immaculate Conception Church and School.  Here you will find helpful information and wonderful photos of our parish and school community.

 

My background and history:  I grew up in Robbinsdale, and I am a 1985 graduate of Robbinsdale-Armstrong High School.  I graduated from the College of St. Thomas where I majored in mathematics.  I spent a year teaching high school math in southern Texas before returning to Minnesota in 1991 to enter the St. Paul Seminary and begin studying for the priesthood.

 

My vocation to priesthood took time to develop in my life.  I began hearing God‘s call to the priesthood when I was in high school, but I waited until after college to enter the seminary.  I was ordained a priest for the Archdiocese of St. Paul and Minneapolis on May 25, 1996.

 

My first assignment, as an associate pastor, was at St. John Neumann in Eagan from 1996-2000.  I was the pastor of St. John the Baptist in Jordan, MN from 2000-05, and I was the pastor of St. Pius X in White Bear Lake from 2005-11. Now I am here, and I became your pastor on January 9, 2012.

 

I love being a priest.  The part of priesthood I enjoy the most is celebrating the Eucharist; I feel very humble when I stand at the altar and speak the words of consecration.  In addition to celebrating the Eucharist, I enjoy celebrating all the sacraments, helping people in times of need, and being involved in the regular day-to-day events of people‘s lives.  Being a priest allows me to have contact with many people, young and old, and every age in-between.  Each day as a priest is different.  There is usually something new and surprising on a daily basis.  I know that God will be with me every step of the way.

 

In my free time I enjoy playing golf, spending time with friends and family, and playing music.  I play the piano, accordion, guitar, banjo, saxophone and drums (not all of them well and not all at the same time, of course).

 

God has called me to serve you here at Immaculate Conception, and I feel blessed to share your lives, your ups and downs, and your joys and struggles.  With God’s help and grace, I pray we can grow together in holiness and become more like Jesus Christ.

 

God Bless You,

 

Father John Mitchell