About Immaculate Heart of Mary · Walnut Ridge, Arkansas
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church is a Roman Catholic mission parish in Walnut Ridge, Arkansas, situated in Lawrence County within the Diocese of Little Rock's North Delta Deanery. The mission is attended from St. Mary Church in neighboring Paragould, where the pastor (Fr. Aby Abraham, IMS) and parish staff are based. Worship is offered twice weekly — a Saturday Vigil Mass and a Thursday noon Mass — with confession and Eucharistic adoration scheduled before each. The parish shares in the sacramental and pastoral life of St. Mary, Paragould, including faith formation through St. Mary School (PreK3–6th grade).
- Patron
- Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Rector
- Fr. Aby Abraham, IMS
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock
Why belong here
Immaculate Heart of Mary is a small, close-knit Catholic mission in rural northeast Arkansas where every Mass, confession, and hour of adoration is offered in an intimate setting. Worshippers can attend Mass twice a week (Thursday at noon and the Saturday Vigil at 4 p.m.), with confession and adoration available before each liturgy. The mission is closely tied to St. Mary Parish in Paragould, so families have access to faith formation through St. Mary School (PreK3–6th grade), OCIA, religious education, and a music ministry. For Catholics in Lawrence County looking for the Eucharist, the sacrament of reconciliation, and a connection to the wider Diocese of Little Rock, Immaculate Heart of Mary is a welcoming mission home.
Mass times at Immaculate Heart of Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday: 3:00 p.m. – 3:45 p.m.
- Thursday: 11:15 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.
Adoration times
- Thursday: 11:15 a.m. – 11:50 a.m.
- Saturday: 3:15 p.m. – 3:50 p.m.
About Immaculate Heart of Mary
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church is a Catholic mission parish located at 320 W. Free Street in Walnut Ridge, the county seat of Lawrence County in northeast Arkansas. It is one of three parishes in the Diocese of Little Rock named for the Immaculate Heart of Mary, sharing the title with parishes in Magnolia (Columbia County) and Marche (Pulaski County). The mission is part of the North Delta Deanery and is canonically attended from St. Mary Church in Paragould, which sits about 25 miles to the east in Greene County.
Parish Identity & Clergy
The current pastor is Rev. Aby Abraham, IMS, an Apostle of Jesus Missionary who also pastors St. Mary Church in Paragould and serves as chaplain of St. Bernards Medical Center and Holy Angels Convent in Jonesboro. Serving the mission locally is Deacon Marlyn Tate. Because the parish is a mission of St. Mary, Paragould, all sacramental and administrative matters are handled through the Paragould parish office at (870) 236-2568.
- Pastor: Fr. Aby Abraham, IMS
- Deacon: Dc. Marlyn Tate ([email protected])
- Parish office: (870) 236-2568 (St. Mary, Paragould)
History & Pastoral Succession
Immaculate Heart of Mary has long been paired with St. Mary Church in Paragould as a single pastoral unit, sharing clergy and sacramental life. In 2015, after a canonical visitation of the Apostles of Jesus (AJ) USA Region by Regional Superior Rev. Augustine Idra, AJ, Bishop Anthony B. Taylor invited Rev. Stephen Mallanga, AJ, to serve as Parish Administrator of both parishes. In August 2021, Bishop Taylor announced that Rev. Joshua Stengel, STL, would be relieved of his pastorate to begin a leave of absence with the Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother in the Archdiocese of Denver, and appointed Rev. Aby Abraham, IMS — then associate pastor of the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock — as the new pastor effective September 15, 2021. In April 2026, Fr. Aby was additionally named chaplain of St. Bernards Medical Center and Holy Angels Convent in Jonesboro.
- 2015: Rev. Stephen Mallanga, AJ, named Parish Administrator (April 15).
- 2021: Rev. Joshua Stengel, STL, relieved of pastorate to begin leave of absence.
- Sept. 15, 2021: Rev. Aby Abraham, IMS, appointed pastor.
- April 2026: Fr. Aby additionally appointed chaplain of St. Bernards Medical Center and Holy Angels Convent, Jonesboro.
Connection to St. Mary Parish, Paragould
Because Immaculate Heart of Mary is a mission of St. Mary Church in Paragould, the parishes share clergy, staff, and programs. St. Mary's office hours are Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. The Paragould parish is staffed by Fr. Aby Abraham, IMS (pastor), Deacons John C. Drake and Ricardo Puello, Administrative Assistant Mandy Kerperien, OCIA Coordinator Kem Drake, DRE Natalie Stone, and Music Director Carolyn Ponce. Faith formation is provided through St. Mary School, which serves PreK3 through 6th grade.
- Shared pastor: Fr. Aby Abraham, IMS
- Additional deacons at St. Mary, Paragould: Dc. John C. Drake, Dc. Ricardo Puello
- Faith formation: St. Mary School (PreK3 – 6th Grade)
- OCIA Coordinator: Kem Drake
- Director of Religious Education: Natalie Stone
- Music Director: Carolyn Ponce
- St. Mary office: 401 N. 3rd St., Paragould, AR 72450
Contact, Address & Visit Information
Immaculate Heart of Mary Church is located at 320 W. Free St., Walnut Ridge, AR 72476, with a mailing address of P.O. Box 70, Walnut Ridge, AR 72476. Because the mission is administered from St. Mary, Paragould, the primary phone line is the St. Mary rectory at (870) 236-2568. Deacon Marlyn Tate can be reached at [email protected]. A map and driving directions are available through the parish directory listing on the Diocese of Little Rock website.
- Street address: 320 W. Free St., Walnut Ridge, AR 72476
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 70, Walnut Ridge, AR 72476
- Phone: (870) 236-2568 (St. Mary, Paragould)
- Email: [email protected] (Dc. Marlyn Tate)
Diocese of Little Rock
Immaculate Heart of Mary is part of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Little Rock, which covers the entire state of Arkansas and is led by Bishop Anthony B. Taylor. The mission sits within the North Delta Deanery, which groups Catholic parishes across northeast Arkansas, including St. Mary in Paragould, Blessed Sacrament in Jonesboro, St. Paul the Apostle in Pocahontas, and others.
- Diocese: Diocese of Little Rock
- Bishop: Anthony B. Taylor
- Deanery: North Delta Deanery
- Rite: Roman-Latin
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Stephen Mallanga, AJApril 15, 2015 –
Apostle of Jesus Missionary appointed Parish Administrator of St. Mary, Paragould and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Walnut Ridge after a 2015 canonical visitation of the AJ USA Region.
- Rev. Joshua Stengel, STL– Sept. 15, 2021
Relieved of pastoral responsibilities at St. Mary, Paragould and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Walnut Ridge by Bishop Anthony B. Taylor to begin a leave of absence with the Society of the Most Sorrowful Mother in the Archdiocese of Denver. Remained incardinated with the Diocese of Little Rock.
- Rev. Aby Abraham, IMSSept. 15, 2021 – present
Apostle of Jesus Missionary appointed pastor of St. Mary, Paragould and Immaculate Heart of Mary, Walnut Ridge; previously associate pastor of the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock. In April 2026 additionally named chaplain of St. Bernards Medical Center and Holy Angels Convent in Jonesboro.