Immaculate Conception Clarksburg

Immaculate Conception Clarksburg Mass Schedule
8:00 am Mon/Tues/Thurs/Fri/Sat
7:00 pm Wed
4:30 pm Sat
8:00, 9:15 (Spanish), 11:00 am Sun This latter place took Clarksburg as its mission.

The State of West Virginia was not a year old when Our Parish came into being. The Diocese of Wheeling was still very long and Clarksburg was yet a small town. It would seem pertinent to devote some time to the city wherein our Parish is located and the Diocese of Wheeling of which we are a unit. There is a tradition that a trapper named John Simpson visited the present site of Clarksburg in 1764.

However it was not until 1772 that Daniel Davisson, who acquired four hundred acres of land within which the present city is located, made a permanent settlement. The settlement received its name from George Rogers Clark, who had become a famous Indian fighter. It became recognized as a town by the General Assembly of Virginia in 1785 and became also the County Seat of the new Harrison County. Clarksburg, at first, consisted of small groups of log cabins, huddled closely together for greater protection from Indian raiders. It is interesting to find a fortification nearby, called Nutter's Fort, to which the settlers fled at the slightest sign of danger. The fort no longer exists but it is pointed out that the old Roosevelt Wilson High School is built within its palisades. By 1796 Clarksburg had almost 40 houses, a courthouse, and a jail. Later it possessed a post office and received mail passing East and West. An event happened in 1824, which was destined to bring fame to the city. Thomas Jonathan (Stonewall) Jackson was born in a log cabin in the present Main street between Third and Fourth streets. The building of the northwestern Turnpike in 1836 was a blessing to Clarksburg, especially when a system of stagecoaches was established. But the wonder of the age dawned with the arrival of the first Baltimore and Ohio Railroad train in 1856. This date is of very special interest to us, because as we shall see, it was to be the occasion of the establishment of our parish eight years later. Parishes, such as we know today with well defined boundaries, were practically unknown in our diocese at that time. God only knows how many private homes became temporary churches when mass was celebrated in them to accommodate the people of the vicinity. Clarksburg before 1864 was one of these "missions," cared for by priests coming intermittently from places as far as Brownsville, Pa., Cumberland, Preston County and Weston. Soon after it became evident that the Catholic population was growing. A priest came from Weston once a month and celebrated Mass in private homes. Finally Bishop Whelan decided that the time had come to establish Clarksburg as a parish, with a resident priest. Father Daniel O'Connor, who was the pastor at Weston, resigned and was appointed pastor of Clarksburg. It is noted that before the coming of the railroad in 1856 there is no evidence of Catholic life here. The Irish workers, who had built the railroad in its westward extension from Baltimore to the Ohio River, were the first Catholics to come. They had been recruited in the west of Ireland, principally from the counties of May, Galway, and Roscommon. They had been pauperized by the Great Famine of earlier years and were glad of the opportunity to escape the miserable conditions under which they had been forced to live. They brought nothing with them, because they had nothing to bring. They possessed however, a sturdy manhood and a deep attachment to the Faith. When Father O'Connor became pastor of Clarksburg, he found nothing here but, as he tells us, a fenceless grave yard which had been donated by Major James Jackson. It is interesting to note that this cemetery was later abandoned and is now Jackson Memorial Park on the East End of the City. The new pastor set himself immediately to the task of building a church. Property was purchased from Major James Jackson on the East Side of Elk Creek. The actual site chosen for the church was on the junction of Pike and the present Sandy Boulevard. Father O'Connor tells us that the bricks used in the building were made on the grounds to the number of two hundred thousand. Begun in 1864, the Church was completed and dedicated to the Blessed Virgin under the Title of her Immaculate Conception, August 5, 1865. Father O'Connor notes that the total cash for grounds and Church did not exceed $12,000.00. This was a goodly sum in those days, contributed by workers who were few and poorly paid. It is Father O'Connor's boost as well as his tribute to the generosity of the parishioners that the debt was liquidated within a year.

09/07/2026

The Saint of the Day is brought to you by Dynamic Catholic.

SEPTEMBER 7 | DO NOT WORRY
Saint Cloud
A.D. 522–560

Take a moment to review your day yesterday. Or, if you are reading this in the evening, review today. What did you worry about most during the day?

Whatever it is, Jesus has the same answer: “Do not worry.” (Matthew 6:25)

Saint Cloud had a lot of reasons to worry during his 38-year stint on this earth, but he learned to turn those worries into prayer.

Cloud was born into the royal family in France in 522 AD. When he was young, his father was killed in battle, and this set off a vicious power struggle within the family. Two of Cloud’s brothers were brutally murdered by their own uncles. Cloud managed to escape this fate by fleeing to bishop Regimus, who would later become a saint. Later, he was able to find protection under his grandmother, Saint Clotilde.

Though Cloud’s life presented plenty of reasons to worry, he continually turned to God in prayer. Each time he did, his trust in God grew.

Eventually, Cloud decided to devote himself totally to God. He renounced his royal claim and chose the monastic life, a radical departure from the pursuit of power and security that had defined his early years. Saint Cloud lived the rest of his life in complete dependence on God. How many worries do you think he surrendered to God in his lifetime?

Most people spend a lot of time worrying. We are anxious about so many things.

It’s natural to have a passing concern about this or that, but as that concern crosses our minds, we find ourselves at a fork in the road.

One fork in the road leads to the land of rumination. Our minds delight in ruminating on problems. We think all our worry and anxiety is working toward a solution, but it isn’t. We think all this ruminating is accomplishing something. It isn’t.

The other fork in the road leads high into the mountains. It is the path of prayer. This is definitely the road less traveled. We would rather worry uselessly about things we cannot change than pray with purpose to the One who can change all things.

When you are anxious or worried, observe yourself, do you pray? If not, why not.

Trusting God is the antidote for worry and anxiety. Prayer is a simple expression of trusting God. Turn your worry into prayer.



WHAT HAVE I BEEN WORRYING ABOUT THE MOST LATELY? HOW CAN I TURN THAT WORRY INTO AN OPPORTUNITY TO PRAY?

I will turn worry into prayer.
Feast Day: September 7

Feast Day Shared By: Saint Regina

Patron Saint of: Nail Makers and Against Carbuncles

Also Known As: Saint Clodoald

Symbols: A Chalice

09/06/2026

09/06/2026

09/05/2026

The Saint of the Day is brought to you by Dynamic Catholic.

SEPTEMBER 5 | TRUTH, BEAUTY, GOODNESS
Saint Teresa of Calcutta (Mother Teresa)
A.D. 1910–1997

“We still have it.”

This is ultimately what Mother Teresa's life announced to the world. Christians can still completely captivate the people of their time by embracing the profoundly simple teachings of Jesus in a practical way each day.

Just as the first Christians intrigued the people of their time, Mother Teresa intrigued the whole world in the last quarter of the twenty-first century. Her life announced to all men and women of goodwill, Christian and secular alike, that holiness is possible.

It has been said that people find their way to God via truth, beauty, and goodness. Why were people fascinated with Mother Teresa?

Truth. There was a foundational truth to her life that boldly reminded everyone that people were created to be loved, and that our love of others is not based on what they can do for us or what special talents they have. Rather, our love of others is based on the intrinsic value of each human being and springs from God alive within us.

Beauty. There was also a foundational beauty to her life. Her overflowing joy in the face of life's most desperate situations animated beauty in very real and tangible ways. This was especially apparent when placed side by side with the ugliness and cruelty we hear about every day in the world news.

Goodness. Her goodness became a worldwide symbol of selfless service in a culture obsessed with comfort and self-gratification.

The reason truth, beauty, and goodness are so central to our experience of God is because they are three things people never get bored with. We live in a time when people are gorging on entertainment of every type, and yet we live in an age of boredom. Hundreds of millions of people of all ages are bored.

Mother Teresa was a champion of truth, beauty, and goodness. She didn't have to wake up each day and remind herself to be so. She had a powerful set of routines and rituals that she practiced with unerring discipline. These daily routines and rituals were habits of the heart, mind, body, and soul, and they kept her grounded and focused. They reminded her of what mattered most and protected her from getting distracted, seduced, and mesmerized by shiny illusions.

What are the daily routines and rituals that keep you grounded and focused on what matters most each day? Do you notice the difference between the days when you are faithful to those habits and other days when you neglect them?



HOW DO I CELEBRATE TRUTH, BEAUTY, AND GOODNESS?

I will embrace daily rituals that ground me in truth, beauty, and goodness.
Feast Day: September 5

Feast Day Shared By: Saint Laurence Giustiniani

Patron Saint of: World Youth Day, The Missionaries of Charity, and The Archdiocese of Calcutta

Also Known As: Mother Teresa

Symbols: A Blue Ribbon

Canonized: September 4, 2016

Canonized By: Pope Francis

Beautiful.
09/05/2026

Beautiful.

Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with that person, and they with me. Revelation 3:20 The following is a meditation by St…

09/04/2026

Fr. Freddie’s Homily
August 30, 2026

Today's readings invite us to reflect on the cost and beauty of discipleship. Both Jeremiah and Jesus reveal that following God's call is not always easy. It often involves suffering, rejection, and sacrifice. Yet, they also show that God gives His faithful servants the strength to persevere.

In the first reading, Jeremiah expresses his frustration and pain. Called by God to be a prophet, he encounters ridicule and opposition rather than acceptance. At times he even wishes to stop speaking in God's name. However, he discovers that God's word has become "like a fire burning in my heart." No matter how difficult his mission becomes, he cannot abandon it. Jeremiah teaches us that true faith is more than an obligation; it is an inner conviction that gives us the courage to remain faithful even in moments of discouragement.

The Gospel presents a similar challenge. After Peter acknowledges Jesus as the Messiah, he struggles to accept Jesus' prediction of His suffering and death. Peter wants a Messiah of glory without the cross. Jesus firmly corrects him, reminding him that God's ways are different from human expectations. Salvation comes not through power and success but through sacrificial love.

Jesus then teaches all His disciples: "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me." The cross represents the sacrifices and struggles that come with being faithful to God's will. For some, it may be illness, family responsibilities, forgiveness, or remaining true to Christian values in a challenging world. Jesus does not promise a life free from difficulties; rather, He promises to walk with us through them.

The heart of the Gospel is found in Jesus' paradoxical teaching: "Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." Our world encourages self-preservation, success, and personal gain. Christ teaches that true life is found in self-giving love. Just as a seed must die to bear fruit, Christians discover their deepest joy when they offer themselves to God and to others.

Together, Jeremiah and Jesus remind us that authentic discipleship involves both fire and cross: the fire of God's word burning within us and the cross of faithful commitment carried each day. When we remain faithful despite difficulties, we discover that God's grace is stronger than our struggles. May we, like Jeremiah, allow God's word to burn in our hearts and, like Christ, embrace the path of faithful love, trusting that beyond every cross lies the promise of resurrection and new life. Amen.

09/03/2026

The Saint of the Day is brought to you by Dynamic Catholic.

SEPTEMBER 3 | THOUGHT DETERMINES ACTION (PT. 1)
Saint Gregory the Great
A.D. 540–604

What is your most dominant thought? The answer to that question will tell you a lot about who you are and what you are doing with your life.

Human thought is creative. What you think, becomes. What you allow to occupy your mind forms the reality of your life and affects the whole world for generations to come. Thought determines action.

Saint Gregory the Great’s life was full of impressive accomplishments and decisive action to lead the Church. But all of it flowed from his most dominant thoughts. So what did he focus his mind on? The life and teachings of Jesus.

Gregory was born around 540 in Rome to a noble family. He was well educated and expected to make good use of his position by going into public office. He did so and quickly rose through the ranks. Yet, even as a young man Gregory felt in his heart a call to contemplative life. When his father died, Gregory turned the estate he inherited into a monastery where he spent his days contemplating Scripture and diving into prayer.

Just five years later, Pope Pelagius II made Gregory a deacon and commanded him to be one of his Ambassadors to Constantinople. Gregory would have preferred to remain at his monastery, but he obeyed the pope and did his best to support Rome’s interests. After Pelagius died, Gregory himself was elected pope. He would go on to lead the Church through a time of division and turmoil. He reformed the papacy and the Church in Rome by drawing people back to contemplating Jesus’ example and then living it out.

Your actions are determined by your last most dominant thought. As you move from one activity to the next in your day, become aware of what you are thinking and how different thoughts make you feel. Become aware of the thoughts that encourage you to love God and those around you more, and those thoughts that don’t. Then consciously try to focus more and more of your thinking on those that do. When you realize that your mind is wandering toward negative, self-destructive, or gossip-ridden thoughts, steer your mind in another direction.

You cannot grow an oak tree with an apple seed. You cannot grow a good life with bad thoughts. Certain thoughts give birth to certain actions. With each passing day God invites you to change, to grow, and to become a-better-version-of-yourself. God loves you as you are, but he loves you too much to let you stay that way.



WHAT IS MY MOST DOMINANT THOUGHT? HOW CAN I SPEND MORE TIME THINKING ABOUT THE LIFE AND TEACHINGS OF JESUS?

I will focus my thoughts on God and his plan for my life.
Feast Day: September 3

Patron Saint of: Musicians, Singers, Students, and Teachers

Also Known As: Pope Gregory I

Symbols: A Dove

The Immaculate Conception Women’s Ministry is hosting Catholic author and speaker, Kimberly Hahn, on October 3. This eve...
09/02/2026

The Immaculate Conception Women’s Ministry is hosting Catholic author and speaker, Kimberly Hahn, on October 3. This event is for women ages 18 and up. Seating is limited so register as soon as possible! Tickets are $30 and includes a catered breakfast from Policano‘s.

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Address

150 South Maple Avenue
Clarksburg, WV
26301

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 3pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 3pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 3pm
Thursday 8:30am - 3pm
Friday 8:30am - 3pm

Telephone

+13046228243

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