The Catholic Parish of the Immaculate Conception is a historic and active faith community situated in Inverurie, Aberdeenshire. Serving both the local town and the surrounding areas, including the historic St. John’s Church at Fetternear, the parish is a notable spiritual and architectural fixture within the Roman Catholic Diocese of Aberdeen. The parish community centres around its main church building on North Street, characterised by its deep-rooted history, distinct local architecture, and vibrant community life.
The parish holds an important place in the post-Reformation history of Catholicism in the northeast of Scotland. Before a permanent building existed, local Catholics were ministered to by staff from the priest-training college at Blairs. In 1848, Father Charles Tochetti arrived in the area and began raising funds to secure a dedicated place of worship, leading to the church’s completion in 1852. The church was dedicated to Mary under the title of the Immaculate Conception. This choice of dedication was highly contemporary, preceding the formal, solemn dogma pronouncement of the Immaculate Conception by Pope Pius IX in 1854 by just two years.
Today, the parish remains a bustling hub for worship, community outreach, and spiritual growth within the Diocese of Aberdeen. The parish maintains a steady rhythm of regular weekly Masses, confessions, and services alongside its vigil and Sunday morning liturgies. Due to the relatively intimate size of the historic church building, Sunday morning Mass is celebrated in the parish hall to comfortably accommodate the growing congregation. The parish organises active community and youth initiatives, such as Christian prayer, discussion series, seasonal talks, and Youth Groups for primary- and secondary-school-age children.
