About Holy Rosary · Stuttgart, Arkansas
Holy Rosary Catholic Church is a bilingual (English and Spanish) Roman Catholic parish in Stuttgart, Arkansas, the county seat of Arkansas County in the Grand Prairie rice country of eastern Arkansas. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Little Rock (South Delta Deanery) and is staffed by a pastor, an associate pastor, and a deacon, who together also serve the nearby missions of Holy Trinity Church in England, Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Slovak, and St. Rose of Lima in Carlisle. The parish is closely tied to Holy Rosary Catholic School, a PreK3–6th grade elementary school that has operated on the parish campus since 1899, and it maintains an active sacramental and devotional life for a broad rural community.
- Established
- 1885
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Holy Rosary
- Rector
- Fr. Babu Rao Battula
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock (South Delta Deanery)
Why belong here
Holy Rosary offers a bilingual Catholic life — with Mass and confession in both English and Spanish every weekend — that is rare for a rural Arkansas parish, alongside weekly eucharistic adoration and a confession schedule that surrounds nearly every Mass. It is anchored by Holy Rosary Catholic School, a PreK3–6th grade faith-and-academics school serving families in Arkansas County. Add in a clergy team that also shepherds three nearby mission parishes, a long history going back to the 1880s, and a welcoming parish office open Monday through Friday, and Holy Rosary is a true spiritual home for the Grand Prairie.
Mass times at Holy Rosary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 4:30 – 4:50 PM
- Sunday 9:30 – 9:50 AM
- Sunday 11:30 – 11:50 AM
- Wednesday 5:00 – 5:25 PM
- Friday 6:30 – 6:55 PM
Adoration times
- Wednesday 5:00 – 5:25 PM
- Thursday 7:00 – 9:00 PM (Spanish)
- Friday 7:00 – 9:00 PM (First Friday, Spanish)
- Saturday 4:30 – 4:50 PM
Parish Identity and Diocese
Holy Rosary Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish of the Diocese of Little Rock, assigned to the South Delta Deanery. It is headquartered at 1815 S Prairie Street in Stuttgart, Arkansas County, and is currently pastored by Fr. Babu Rao Battula, who also serves Holy Trinity Church in England, Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Slovak, and St. Rose of Lima in Carlisle. Fr. Jayaraju Sure serves as associate pastor and Dc. Gregory Fischer as deacon, with Terri Bell as parish secretary.
- Diocese of Little Rock — South Delta Deanery
- Pastor: Fr. Babu Rao Battula
- Associate Pastor: Fr. Jayaraju Sure
- Deacon: Dc. Gregory Fischer
- Secretary: Terri Bell
- Located at 1815 S Prairie Street, Stuttgart, AR 72160
History of Holy Rosary Parish
The parish was founded around 1885, when Stuttgart was a young frontier railroad town on the Grand Prairie. The 1922 "Centennial History of Arkansas" describes Holy Rosary as founded "about twenty-five years" before Father Joseph Schlatterer arrived in 1910, and names its earliest pastors as Rev. P. J. McCormick, Rev. J. Plamondon, and Rev. J. McQuaid.
- Founded ca. 1885
- Early pastors: Rev. P. J. McCormick, Rev. J. Plamondon, Rev. J. McQuaid
- Father Joseph Schlatterer assigned 1910
- Reported 82 families and a Benedictine-Sisters school by 1910
- 1911 mission stations at Gillett, Plum Bayou, and Slovactown (Slovak)
Pastoral Succession Since the 1970s
Modern parish life has been shaped by long-serving pastors including Msgr. John A. Janesko, who served 32 years across two stints, and a recent transition in 2025 to Fr. Babu Rao Battula.
- Msgr. John A. Janesko, 1972–1980 and 1985–2009 (retired in parish)
- Msgr. Jack Harris, from 2009
- Rev. Clayton Gould (later relieved to senior-priest status)
- Rev. Andrew Hart, JCL (also served diocesan tribunal)
- Fr. Babu Rao Battula, from 2025
Holy Rosary Catholic School
Holy Rosary Catholic School has been the parish's educational ministry since 1899 and today serves Preschool 3 through 6th Grade under principal Meg McCarley. The school markets itself as "Academic Excellence • Faith Focused," fostering the spiritual, intellectual, physical, and emotional growth of its students, with after-school care available until 5:15 PM. Students in K–6 are eligible to apply for Arkansas Educational Freedom Act funds. It is a parish-affiliated school of the Diocese of Little Rock and is located at 920 W. 19th Street, Stuttgart.
- Founded 1899
- Preschool 3 through 6th grade
- Principal: Meg McCarley
- Address: 920 W. 19th Street, Stuttgart, AR 72160
- Phone: (870) 673-3211
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Monday–Friday 7:30 AM – 3:30 PM; After-School Care until 5:15 PM
School Staff and Faculty
The school staff combines a priest-pastor, a principal, classroom teachers across the grade bands, and support staff.
- Pastor (Chaplain): Father Babu Battula
- Principal: Mrs. Meg McCarley
- K–1st Grade: Mrs. Ashley Frizzell
- 2nd–3rd Grade: Mrs. Melanie Konecny
- 4th–6th Grade: Mrs. Kathy Lorince
- Additional staff: Mrs. Emily Karr, Brooke Hale, Mrs. Jean Bowen, Monique Amos, Anna Grace Stokes
- Secretary: Mrs. Ora Fischer
Sacramental Preparation
The parish prepares Catholics of all ages for the sacraments of initiation, healing, and vocation through its parish office. Contact details for sacramental preparation are listed by the Diocese of Little Rock parish directory.
- Baptism (infant and adult via RCIA)
- First Communion and Confirmation
- Marriage preparation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Reconciliation — see scheduled times above
Bilingual and Rural Mission Outreach
Holy Rosary is one of the anchor parishes of the rural Grand Prairie region, and its pastors are assigned to shepherd multiple surrounding communities. Fr. Babu Rao Battula currently pastors Holy Trinity Church in England, Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Slovak, and St. Rose of Lima in Carlisle in addition to Holy Rosary. The parish itself welcomes visitors in both English and Spanish and livestreams or shares updates on its official Facebook page.
- Joint mission parishes: Holy Trinity (England), Sts. Cyril and Methodius (Slovak), St. Rose of Lima (Carlisle)
- Bilingual weekend Mass (Sunday 10 AM English, Noon Spanish)
- Spanish-language Holy Hour every Thursday evening
- Facebook: facebook.com/HolyRosaryStuttgart/
Visit, Contact, and Office Hours
Newcomers, visitors, and long-time parishioners are warmly welcomed by Holy Rosary, with the parish office open Monday–Friday during the week. People are invited to attend any Mass and greet the parish family.
- Address: 1815 S Prairie Street, Stuttgart, AR 72160
- Parish phone: (870) 673-8351
- Parish fax: (870) 672-7058
- Office hours: Monday–Thursday 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM; Friday 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
- Website: holyrosarystuttgart.net
- Facebook: facebook.com/HolyRosaryStuttgart/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. P. J. McCormick
Early pastor of Holy Rosary before 1910
- Rev. J. Plamondon
Early pastor before 1910
- Rev. J. McQuaid
Early pastor immediately before Father Schlatterer
- Rev. Joseph Schlattererfrom 1910
German priest ordained in Freiburg; previously at Pocahontas and Knobel
- Msgr. John A. Janesko1972–1980; 1985–2009
Slovak native; served Holy Rosary for 32 years across two stints; retired in 2009
- Msgr. Jack Harrisfrom 2009
Succeeded Msgr. Janesko as pastor
- Rev. Clayton Gould
Later pastor; later relieved to senior priest status
- Rev. Andrew Hart, JCL
Also served on the diocesan tribunal while pastoring Holy Rosary and Holy Trinity in England
- Fr. Babu Rao Battulafrom 2025
Current pastor; also pastors Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Slovak and Holy Trinity in England