About Diocese of Little Rock
The Diocese of Little Rock (Latin: Dioecesis Petriculana) is the Roman Catholic diocese that covers the entire state of Arkansas, a territory of 75 counties and 52,068 square miles organized into eight deaneries. It was erected on November 28, 1843 by Pope Gregory XVI and is a suffragan see of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Oklahoma City. The Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock serves as the mother church, and Bishop Anthony B. Taylor, the seventh ordinary, has shepherded the diocese since 2008. With roughly 178,892 Catholics, 130 parishes and missions, 26 Catholic schools, and a notable Hispanic ministry that brings Mass and formation in multiple languages, the diocese is small in numbers — Catholics make up only about 4 percent of Arkansas's population — but rich in history dating to the Spanish entrada of Hernando de Soto in 1541.
- Bishop
- Anthony Basil Taylor
- Established
- 1843
- Cathedral
- Cathedral of St. Andrew, 617 S. Louisiana St., Little Rock, Arkansas
- Territory
- The full state of Arkansas — all 75 counties covering 52,068 square miles, organized into eight deaneries: Central, North Delta, North Ozark, Ouachita, South Delta, West Ozark, River Valley, and West River Valley.
- Parishes
- 130 parishes and missions
- Province
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
History of the Diocese of Little Rock
The official diocesan history page organizes the story into ten distinct periods: Pre-History (1541–1836), A Fledgling Diocese (1836–1867), Post-War Rebuilding (1867–1906), Building on Faith (1906–1946), Race, Vatican II and Vietnam (1947–1972), The Church in Action (1972–2000), A Second Language (2000–2008), The Internet Age (2008–2015), and Adapting to a Changing World (2016 to the present). The arc stretches from the 1541 entrada of Hernando de Soto and the 1700 Quapaw Mass of Father Jacques Gravier, through the 1843 erection, the 1854 Know-Nothing burning of the Helena church, the Civil War years, Fitzgerald's granite cathedral (1881), Morris's seminary (1911), Fletcher's stand against segregation, McDonald's permanent diaconate and pro-life witness, Sartain's Hispanic ministry, and Bishop Taylor's 2018 celebration of the 175th anniversary. Throughout, the diocesan narrative emphasizes how a small Catholic minority — never more than a few percent of the state's population — built and sustained churches, schools, hospitals, and ministries across Arkansas.
- Erected November 28, 1843 by Pope Gregory XVI from the Diocese of St. Louis
- Originally suffragan of Baltimore; reassigned to New Orleans 1850, then to Oklahoma City 1972
- Lost the Indian Territory (Oklahoma) on May 14, 1876 — the seed of today's Archdiocese of Oklahoma City
- Sede vacante from 1862 to 1866/67 between Bishops Byrne and Fitzgerald
- 175th anniversary celebrated in 2018 under Bishop Anthony B. Taylor
Diocesan Statistics and Deaneries
Updated February 2026 from data compiled for the Official Catholic Directory (collected in 2025), the diocesan statistics page shows 178,892 Catholics across 130 parishes and missions in 75 Arkansas counties. The territory is grouped into eight deaneries — Central, North Delta, North Ozark, Ouachita, South Delta, West Ozark, River Valley, and West River Valley — for coordinated pastoral care. Sacramental life in 2025 included 2,278 infant and minor baptisms, 754 adult baptisms and receptions into full communion, 2,730 first Communions, 2,764 confirmations, 609 Catholic marriages, and 818 Catholic deaths. There are 87 diocesan priests (active and retired), 24 extern priests from other dioceses, 125 permanent deacons, 86 religious sisters, 34 religious brothers, and 25 seminarians from Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee, Mexico, and Vietnam. The diocese operates 26 Catholic schools (7,104 students), 12 hospitals and health care centers, 29 homes for the aged, and 8 special centers for social services.
- 178,892 Catholics statewide
- 130 parishes and missions; Mass celebrated in six languages
- 8 deaneries covering 75 counties (52,068 sq mi)
- 26 Catholic schools; 7,104 students (Fall 2025)
- 25 seminarians in formation; 87 diocesan priests; 125 permanent deacons
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor and Diocesan Leadership
Bishop Anthony Basil Taylor, the seventh and current ordinary, was named by Pope Benedict XVI on April 10, 2008, and ordained and installed at the Statehouse Convention Center in Little Rock on June 5, 2008. At 54, he became the first American Catholic bishop to join Facebook. He lives on the grounds of the House of Formation at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Little Rock, frequently joining seminarians and discerners for Mass, dinner, and group activities. Under his leadership the diocese dedicated the $1.6 million House of Formation in 2012, launched the 175th-anniversary celebration in 2018, expanded the Hispanic ministry, and continued ecumenical and pro-life outreach following the patterns of his predecessors. As chief shepherd, Bishop Taylor is entrusted with teaching, sanctifying, and governing the people of God across Arkansas, supported by his priests, deacons, and lay collaborators.
- Named April 10, 2008 by Pope Benedict XVI; installed June 5, 2008
- First American Catholic bishop to use Facebook (2008)
- Seventh bishop in the line of succession after Byrne, Fitzgerald, Morris, Fletcher, McDonald, and Sartain
Parishes and Missions
The diocesan website maintains a searchable parish directory of all 130 parishes and missions, sortable by name, city, or deanery. Listings include the church's mailing address, the pastor or administrator, and a contact phone number — e.g., St. Stephen Church in Bentonville (Msgr. Scott L. Marczuk, JCL, 1300 NE J St., 479-273-1240); St. Mary Church in Altus (Fr. Irudaya Raj Nalazala Augustine); the Church of the Assumption in Atkins; St. Bernard of Clairvaux in Bella Vista; St. John the Baptist in Brinkley (served by the Holy Ghost Fathers / Spiritans); St. Anne in Berryville; Immaculate Conception in Blytheville; St. Louis in Camden; and Our Lady of the Assumption in Booneville. The directory reflects the diocese's pastoral mix of diocesan clergy, extern priests from other dioceses, religious-order priests, and a small FSSP presence at St. John the Baptist in Cabot.
- 130 parishes and missions across 75 counties
- Searchable by parish name, city, or deanery
- Mass offered in six languages statewide
- Notable communities include Immaculate Conception (Fort Smith, 1848 — the first Catholic church in the city), St. Mary (Altus), St. Stephen (Bentonville), and St. John the Baptist (Cabot, served by the FSSP)
Catholic Schools
The Office of Catholic Schools provides leadership, supervision, and curricular coordination for 26 Catholic schools (elementary, junior high, and senior high) across the diocese, enrolling 7,104 students in Fall 2025. Of these, 872 are in preschool, 4,592 in elementary (K–8), and 1,640 in secondary (9–12). The professional staff totals 639 people, 98% of them lay and 73% Catholic. Student demographics are 71% white, 18% Hispanic, 6% two or more races, 2% Black/African American, and small percentages of Asian, American Indian, Pacific Islander, and Middle Eastern students; 73% of students are Catholic and 27% are non-Catholic. Average cost to educate is $8,865 in elementary and $12,557 in secondary, with average Catholic tuition rates of $6,383 in elementary and $8,306 in secondary. The In Spirit and Truth Curriculum Guide applies to all PreK–8 schools, and the annual Arkansas Catholic Schools Professional Day for Teachers is a diocesan workshop for catechists, teachers, and principals.
- 26 Catholic schools, 7,104 students (Fall 2025)
- Mount St. Mary Academy (Little Rock, 1851) — oldest Catholic school in Arkansas
- Other diocesan secondary schools: Catholic High School (Little Rock), Ozark Catholic Academy (Springdale)
- Average elementary Catholic tuition: $6,383; secondary Catholic tuition: $8,306
- Catholic Schools Herald published quarterly
Faith Formation and Christian Initiation
The Faith Formation Office supports parishes in learning, teaching, and inviting others into a sacramental encounter with Christ, providing training for parish leaders and catechists in English and Spanish. A free 20-lesson Basic Catechist Certification program is offered online at Learn.DOLR.org, presented by Arkansas clergy, religious, and laity, with annual renewal. Parish Catechist Formation Days are held throughout the year at locations around the diocese. The office coordinates the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA) — the new USCCB translation of the former Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA), available for parish use since December 2024 — and offers Spanish-language formation programs alongside English ones. The diocese serves 7,918 students in Parish Religious Education programs.
- Basic Catechist Certification (free, 20 lessons, online)
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) implementation resources
- Parish Catechist Formation Days held statewide in English and Spanish
- 7,918 students in PRE programs
Hispanic Ministry
The Hispanic Ministry Office promotes and coordinates ministry to Spanish-speaking Catholics through the Diocesan Pastoral Plan for Hispanic Ministry, which took shape in 2011. Programs include Pastoral Juvenil Hispana (Hispanic Youth Ministry, ages 14–27) with the Búsqueda (Search) weekend for high schoolers and Encuentros de Promoción Juvenil (Encounters of Youth Promotion) for young adults modeled on Cursillo; Fuerza Transformadora (Transforming Force), a 2006 Catholic movement founded by former gang leader Sergio Torres to help people struggling with addiction, gang life, and violence; and the Vatican-recognized Renovación Carismática Católica (Catholic Charismatic Renewal) for Spanish-speaking youth and adults. There are also annual Lenten and Easter retreats, formation courses certificated by the Institute for Faith and Life, and Encuentro Familiar movements. Thousands of Spanish-speaking Catholics take part in these movements under the authority of Bishop Taylor, with most ministries present in parishes that offer Hispanic ministry.
- Pastoral Juvenil Hispana: Búsqueda (ages 14–17) and Encuentros de Promoción Juvenil (ages 18–27)
- Fuerza Transformadora — recovery and evangelization for those affected by addiction and gang life
- Renovación Carismática Católica — Vatican-recognized charismatic movement
- Lenten and Easter retreats; Formation Course for Hispanic Youth Ministry leaders
Vocations and the House of Formation
The Office of Vocations and Seminarians aids men discerning a call to the priesthood, coordinating discernment retreats, parish vocation committees, summer evangelization teams, and school presentations. Currently 25 seminarians are in formation — from Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee, Mexico, and Vietnam — with most having lived in Arkansas for years. Since 2009 seminarians have lived in community, first at Fletcher Hall in St. John Catholic Center (2011) and since September 20, 2012 in the $1.6 million House of Formation on the grounds of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Little Rock. The 6,000-square-foot building has a chapel, kitchen, library, dining and common areas, 10 student rooms, and two priest apartments, where Bishop Taylor also lives. Formation centers on four pillars — human, spiritual, pastoral, and intellectual — and includes daily Mass, a daily holy hour, spiritual direction, regular confession, parish service, and university study. Discerners live alongside seminarians while considering a call.
- 25 seminarians in formation (as of 2025–2026)
- House of Formation dedicated September 20, 2012 ($1.6 million, 6,000 sq ft)
- Located on the grounds of Our Lady of Good Counsel Church, Little Rock
- Father Jeff Hebert serves as vocations director and prefect
Retreat Centers and Houses of Prayer
The diocese lists four principal Catholic meeting and retreat centers: St. John Catholic Center, the diocesan headquarters at 2500 N. Tyler St. in Little Rock, which includes Fitzgerald Hall and meeting spaces; the Coury House Retreat Center at Subiaco Abbey — a Benedictine hospitality ministry with 35 guest rooms, an adoration chapel, meeting rooms, and a chapel, dedicated to the Holy Family; Hesychia House of Prayer, a hermitage retreat ministry of the Benedictine sisters of St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith, set among the Ozark mountains off St. Scholastica Road in New Blaine, Arkansas, offering self-guided hermitage retreats with optional spiritual direction; and the Vincentian Lay Mission Center in North Little Rock, led by executive director Guillermo Bruzatori. Subiaco Abbey itself, home to Abbot Elijah Owens, OSB, is the only abbey in the diocese and a center for monastic prayer, retreats, education, and parish ministry.
- Coury House Retreat Center — Subiaco Abbey, 405 N. Subiaco Ave., Subiaco, AR
- Hesychia House of Prayer — Benedictine Sisters of St. Scholastica, New Blaine, AR
- St. John Catholic Center — 2500 N. Tyler St., Little Rock, AR (diocesan HQ)
- Vincentian Lay Mission Center — 401 N. Redwood St., North Little Rock, AR
Subiaco Abbey and Religious Communities
Subiaco Abbey in Logan County, founded in 1876 by Benedictine monks from St. Meinrad Abbey in Indiana, is the only abbey in the Diocese of Little Rock and one of two in the state. It is a community of the Swiss-American Congregation of the Order of St. Benedict, dedicated to prayer and work in the Benedictine tradition. Its monks proclaim the Gospel through monastic and private prayer, hospitality (the Coury Guest House), retreats and spiritual direction, education, parish ministry, and diocesan and special ministries. The current abbot is Elijah Owens, OSB. In addition to the monks, the diocese is served by the Sisters of Mercy (Mount St. Mary Academy since 1851), the Sisters of Loretto (St. Mary's Academy, 1838), the Sisters of St. Scholastica (Fort Smith — Hesychia House of Prayer), the Holy Ghost Fathers / Spiritans (Brinkley and Morrilton-area German colonies since 1879), the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP — at St. John the Baptist in Cabot), the Missionaries of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (St. Bernard of Clairvaux, Bella Vista), and the Benedictine sisters. 86 religious sisters and 34 religious brothers currently serve in the diocese.
- Subiaco Abbey (OSB) — Logan County, founded 1876 by monks from St. Meinrad, Indiana
- Sisters of Mercy — Mount St. Mary Academy (1851) and the diocese since 1851
- Sisters of Loretto — St. Mary's Academy (1838, first Catholic school in Arkansas)
- Holy Ghost Fathers / Spiritans — ministering in Arkansas since 1879
- FSSP — St. John the Baptist, Cabot
Cathedral of St. Andrew
The Cathedral of St. Andrew, located at 617 S. Louisiana Street in downtown Little Rock, has been the mother church of the Diocese of Little Rock since 1846. The first cathedral was consecrated on November 1, 1846, at Second and Center streets, under Bishop Andrew J. Byrne. A second, larger cathedral — an English Gothic structure and the first building in Little Rock built of Arkansas granite quarried from the Fourche Mountains — was constructed directly across the street and consecrated on the first Sunday of Advent in November 1881 under Bishop Edward Fitzgerald. It remains the oldest church in continuous worship in the city of Little Rock. In October 2002 the Cathedral launched a $2 million capital campaign titled "Our Cathedral; Our Heritage; Our Mother Church of the Diocese" to fund a comprehensive building restoration. GCatholic lists the cathedral as a Historic Catholic Church in the USA, a Church in the Path of Totality (referencing the 2024 total solar eclipse), and a Jubilee Church for the Holy Year 2025.
- First cathedral consecrated November 1, 1846 (Second and Center streets)
- Second cathedral consecrated November 1881 — first Arkansas-granite building in Little Rock
- $2 million restoration capital campaign launched October 2002
- Designated a Jubilee Church for the Holy Year 2025 and a Church in the Path of Totality for 2024
