About Christ the King · Little Rock, Arkansas
Christ the King Catholic Church is the largest Catholic parish in Little Rock, Arkansas, located at 4000 N. Rodney Parham Road in the west Little Rock area. Founded in 1967 and part of the Diocese of Little Rock (Central Deanery), it is home to Christ the King Catholic School (PreK3–8th grade), one of the largest Catholic elementary schools in the state. The parish is widely known across the Diocese of Little Rock for its vibrant vocations culture, its perpetual Eucharistic Adoration chapel, an active youth ministry, and a large lay staff and deaconate serving roughly 2,000 families.
- Established
- 1967
- Patron
- Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe
- Rector
- Fr. Juan Guido
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock (Central Deanery)
Why belong here
Christ the King offers the rare combination of a large, multigenerational parish and a deep Eucharistic devotional life: perpetual 24-hour Adoration has been running for over two decades, and a traveling vocations chalice moves from home to home praying for an increase in vocations. The parish grounds also host Christ the King Catholic School (PreK3–8th), an active Catholic Youth Ministry for both junior high and high school, a Mothers' Day Out, Scripture studies such as Walking with Purpose, and dozens of lay ministries from Knights of Columbus to the Respect Life Committee — meaning there is room for nearly every age and calling. Newcomers are greeted personally by a pastor and a large staff, with confession available five days a week.
Mass times at Christ the King
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 11:00 AM
- Tuesday: 5:00 PM
- Wednesday: 5:00 PM
- Thursday: 5:00 PM
- Sunday: 8:00 AM, 10:00 AM, 12:00 Noon, and 6:00 PM
- First Saturday: 8:00 AM
- Or by appointment
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year-round (sign up for an hour via ctklr.weadorehim.com)
History of Christ the King Parish
Christ the King was founded in 1967 as the largest Catholic church in Little Rock. Christ the King Catholic School opened in 1986 with 200 students and grew to more than 650 by 2015, becoming the largest Catholic elementary school in Arkansas. The parish's contemporary identity was forged under Msgr. J. Gaston Hebert, who built the adoration chapel, and Msgr. Francis I. Malone, who instituted perpetual Eucharistic Adoration and the 2013 'A Growing Church for a Growing Faith' capital campaign. Under their combined tenure, the parish sent a remarkable share of the diocese's seminarians to seminary and cemented its reputation as a wellspring of vocations in the Diocese of Little Rock.
- Founded 1967
- School opened 1986 with 200 students
- Msgr. J. Gaston Hebert served ~20 years, built adoration chapel
- Msgr. Francis I. Malone served 2001–2022, instituted perpetual Adoration
- Bishop-elect Erik T. Pohlmeier (brief tenure 2022)
- Fr. Juan Guido appointed pastor effective July 1, 2022
Parish Staff & Clergy
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Juan Guido with two associate pastors and a large diaconate and lay staff. Office staff include a Parish Secretary / Facilities Scheduler (Amori Nauman), an Administrative Assistant to the Pastor (Dulce Castro), a Parish Data and Communications lead (Nathan Luyet), finance team (Jackie Kaufman, Carol Wold, Linda Crochet), Facilities Manager (Lann Smith), Director of Evangelization (Marvin Boyd), Youth Director (Becky Ridgeway), Director of Music (James Goldrick), Director of Liturgy (Teri Tribby), Mission/MOVE Director (Betty Jo King), Senior Ministry Director (Missy Foley), Nursery/Mother's Day Out Director (Katherine Mentzer), and a parish bookstore managed by Kate Hickey.
- Pastor: Fr. Juan Guido
- Associate Pastors: Fr. Emmanuel (Manny) Torres, Fr. Nathan Ashburn
- Deacons (11): Tom Cannon, Matthew Glover, Don Greenway, Daniel Hartnedy, Joseph Lukacs, Jerome Ngundue, Richard Patterson, Michael Rector, Randall Spellins, John Suskie, Angelo Volpi
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Christ the King Catholic School
Christ the King Catholic School, on the same campus as the parish church, serves children from PreK3 through 8th grade. By 2015 it had grown to 656 students — the largest Catholic elementary school in Arkansas — more than tripling its 1986 opening enrollment of 200. The 2013 'A Growing Church for a Growing Faith' campaign added a covered drop-off and walkways connecting the school to the church, eight new classrooms, a special-needs classroom, a Spanish classroom, conference room, administrative offices, and a school nurse suite. The Msgr. J. Gaston Hebert Endowment Fund reached $5 million to ensure no student is turned away for financial reasons and to provide continuing education for faculty.
- Grades PreK3–8th
- 656 students as of 2015 (largest Catholic elementary school in Arkansas)
- All teachers practicing Catholic
- Endowment Fund (Msgr. J. Gaston Hebert Endowment) reached $5M
- On-site 800-person tornado safe room added for school/parish use
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Christ the King lists more than two dozen lay ministries on its 'Directory of Parish Ministries' page, spanning youth, adult, family, devotional, outreach, and service groups. Notable ministries include MOVE (Mission, Outreach, & Evangelization), Catholic Youth Ministry (high school and junior high), the Vocations Committee, Knights of Columbus, Marriage Encounter, Walking with Purpose women's Scripture study, Men of Faith, Respect Life Committee, Natural Family Planning, Grief Support, Women of Hope Retreat, Prison Ministry, the OCIA process for adults, the parish bookstore, and devotional groups like the Rosary Makers, the Fatima First Saturday Rosary, St. Monica Prayer Ministry, and Sacred Heart Enthronement.
- MOVE — Mission, Outreach, & Evangelization
- Catholic Youth Ministry (CYM) & Junior High Youth Ministry
- OCIA (formerly RCIA)
- Knights of Columbus
- Walking with Purpose
- Men of Faith
- Vocations Committee
- Respect Life Committee
- Grief Support Ministry
- Marriage Encounter
- Natural Family Planning
- Prison Ministry
- Sacred Heart Enthronement, Rosary Makers, Fatima First Saturday Rosary, St. Monica Prayer Ministry
- Garden Angels, Flower Ministry, Sew
- Scouting (Boy Scouts / Girl Scouts)
- Young Adult Ministry
- Rexfest
Outreach: MOVE — Mission, Outreach, & Evangelization
MOVE is the umbrella for Christ the King's mission, outreach, and evangelization ministries. Led by a Mission/MOVE Director on the parish staff, MOVE organizes parish efforts to bring the faith beyond the parish campus and into the wider Little Rock community, including service projects, parish missions, and evangelization formation.
- Director: Betty Jo King ([email protected])
- Includes Prison Ministry, Sew, and other service apostolates
Sacraments & Sacramental Preparation
Information about the sacraments is published on the parish website and in the weekly bulletin. Adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, or First Communion participate in OCIA (the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, the current name for the former RCIA). Couples preparing for marriage are served through Marriage Encounter and the parish office. Reconciliation is available five days a week (see Confession schedule above).
- OCIA (formerly RCIA) for adults
- Marriage preparation (Marriage Encounter)
- Confession: Sat 11 AM, Tue–Thu 5 PM, Sun between Masses, by appointment
Facilities, Columbarium & Safe Rooms
The Christ the King campus includes the church, the Christ the King Catholic School building, the perpetual Adoration Chapel, and the Family Life Center. A two-phase renovation and expansion completed under Msgr. Malone added two tornado safe rooms near the gymnasium (capacity ~800 people, also usable for indoor recess and conferences), a refreshed Adoration chapel with new exterior, additional entrance and restrooms, and a columbarium of at least 423 niches (expandable to 797) accented by a reflecting pond and fountain near Mary's Garden. A new social hall / parish center seats up to 494 with a larger kitchen, bookstore, and welcome center.
- Columbarium (423 niches, expandable to 797) near Mary's Garden
- Two tornado safe rooms (capacity ~800)
- Adoration chapel renovation with new exterior, entrance, restrooms
- New social hall / Family Life Center (seats ~494)
Location & Parish Boundaries
Christ the King sits on N. Rodney Parham Road in west Little Rock and draws from a wide swath of west Little Rock and portions of Pulaski County. The parish's published boundaries run north to the Arkansas River, east to Reservoir Road and along Rodney Parham to its intersection with Markham Street, then south along Markham Street / Chenal Parkway to Kanis Road, and west to the Pulaski County Line. The church office is open Monday–Friday 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
- 4000 N Rodney Parham Rd, Little Rock, AR 72212
- Office: (501) 225-6774 | Fax: (501) 225-7169
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri 8:30 a.m.–4:30 p.m.
Getting Involved
Newcomers are greeted personally by the pastor and staff, and the parish's stated posture is 'we are a vibrant community and welcome you to our parish family.' Practical ways to plug in include signing up for an hour of perpetual Adoration, joining a ministry from the Directory of Parish Ministries, enrolling children in the school or Mothers' Day Out, registering for OCIA, or volunteering with one of the parish's outreach efforts such as MOVE, Prison Ministry, or Respect Life.
- Sign up for an hour of perpetual Adoration at ctklr.weadorehim.com
- Choose a ministry from the published Directory of Parish Ministries
- Inquire about Christ the King Catholic School (PreK3–8th)
- Contact the parish office at (501) 225-6774 or [email protected]
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Msgr. J. Gaston Hebertfounding-era until 2001 (approx. 20 years)
Built the adoration chapel and shaped the parish's faith-and-education vision; widely credited as the genesis of the parish's vocation culture.
- Msgr. Francis I. Malone2001 – 2022
Instituted perpetual Eucharistic Adoration; led the 2013 'A Growing Church for a Growing Faith' $10.5M campaign; received the 2015 NCEA Distinguished Pastor Award; credited for storm shelter, Papa Bear Watch safety program, and the Msgr. J. Gaston Hebert Endowment Fund reaching $5M.
- Bishop-elect Erik T. Pohlmeier2022 (brief tenure)
Was named Bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine by Pope Francis on May 24, 2022, and was relieved of Christ the King effective July 1, 2022.
- Fr. Juan GuidoEffective July 1, 2022 – present
Appointed by Bishop Anthony B. Taylor; also serves as pastor of St. Francis of Assisi Church in Little Italy (Roland) and as diocesan Director of the Office of Divine Worship; fluent in Spanish; ordained May 17, 2014; birthday Oct. 12.