About Our Lady of Fatima · Benton, Arkansas
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church & School is a bilingual (English and Spanish) Catholic parish serving Benton, Arkansas, in Saline County of the Diocese of Little Rock. The parish operates a parochial school (Pre-K through 8th grade) and offers daily Mass, perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, and a full sacramental schedule. It is the only parish in the state of Arkansas named for the Marian apparition of Fatima, Portugal, and is led by Fr. Rodolphe Balthazar (Administrator) with three deacons and lay staff supporting faith formation, youth ministry, and parish operations.
- Patron
- Our Lady of Fatima
- Rector
- Fr. Rodolphe Balthazar (Administrator)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock (Central Deanery)
Why belong here
Our Lady of Fatima is a welcoming, bilingual parish where English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics worship side-by-side. With daily Mass, perpetual Eucharistic Adoration (24 hours a day), three weekend Masses in each language, and a parish school that has educated local children for decades, the parish combines traditional Catholic devotion — including a special devotion to Our Lady of Fatima — with the everyday vitality of a small-town Saline County community. Faith formation for adults (including RCIA/Order of Christian Initiation) and youth, the Knights of Columbus Council #9396, and a parish school make it a strong choice for families seeking a complete Catholic life.
Mass times at Our Lady of Fatima
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Friday 7:30 – 8:00 a.m.
- Saturday 3:00 – 3:45 p.m.
- Sunday 12:00 p.m. (before Spanish Mass)
- Thursday 5:00 p.m. (English)
Adoration times
- Perpetual Eucharistic Adoration — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except during Mass)
- Contact: Terri Conrad, (501) 590-7863
About Our Lady of Fatima Parish
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church & School is a bilingual Catholic parish in Benton, Arkansas, in the Central Deanery of the Diocese of Little Rock. The parish is the only one in Arkansas named for the 1917 apparition of the Blessed Virgin Mary at Fatima, Portugal, and serves both English- and Spanish-speaking families of Saline County. Worship is centered on daily Mass, perpetual Eucharistic Adoration, and a robust sacramental and faith-formation program for children and adults.
- Diocese of Little Rock — Central Deanery
- Bilingual parish: English and Spanish
- Daily Mass and perpetual Adoration
- Parish school Pre-K through Grade 8
History and the Fatima Devotion
Our Lady of Fatima takes its name from the six apparitions of the Blessed Virgin Mary to three shepherd children — St. Francisco Marto, St. Jacinta Marto, and Lúcia dos Santos — at Fatima, Portugal, between May 13 and October 13, 1917. The parish has cultivated a special Marian devotion centered on the 13th of each month, marked in 2017 by a centennial celebration led by Bishop Anthony B. Taylor and then-pastor Father Paul Worm. The school, in turn, has been a continuous presence since at least the 1970s, when longtime teacher and principal Jan Cash arrived fresh from college in 1977 and remained for 45 years.
- Centennial of the Fatima apparitions celebrated in 2017
- Bishop Anthony B. Taylor celebrated the bilingual anniversary Mass on Oct. 13, 2017
- Monthly 13th-of-the-month Masses and devotions from May–October 2017
- Jan Cash, school teacher/principal, served 1977–2022
Clergy and Parish Staff
The parish is currently administered by Fr. Rodolphe Balthazar and served by three deacons: Dc. Marcelino Luna, Dc. Daniel Cartaya, and Dc. Ronald Lee. Lay staff support faith formation, youth ministry, business, and the parish office in both English and Spanish.
- Administrator: Fr. Rodolphe Balthazar
- Deacon: Dc. Marcelino Luna
- Deacon: Dc. Daniel Cartaya
- Deacon: Dc. Ronald Lee
- Secretary: Estefania Ramirez
- Business/Office Manager: Lori Hinojosa
- Faith Formation Director: Alma Fuentes
- Coordinator of Youth Ministry (CYM): Naomi Lee
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Faith formation at Our Lady of Fatima is offered bilingually for adults and youth. Adults seeking to become Catholic are welcomed into the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (formerly RCIA), with weekly classes and a sponsor-pairing program. Children and teens receive catechesis through the Parish School of Religion (PSR), coordinated by Faith Formation Director Alma Fuentes and Coordinator of Youth Ministry Naomi Lee.
- Adult Faith Formation / OCIA (RCIA) — bilingual, weekly classes
- Sponsors walk alongside catechumens
- Parish School of Religion (PSR) for children
- Contact: [email protected] (per parish site)
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School
Our Lady of Fatima Catholic School is a private, parochial Pre-K through Grade 8 school located adjacent to the church at 818 W. Cross St., Benton, AR 72015. The school offers a quality, academic program rooted in Catholic principles and Christian values, and welcomes English- and Spanish-speaking families. The current principal is Melissa Kings ([email protected]).
- Grades served: 2-year-old preschool through 8th grade
- School address: 818 W. Cross St., Benton, AR 72015
- School phone: (501) 315-3398
- Principal: Melissa Kings
- Bilingual program: English and Spanish instruction
- Tours available by appointment
Knights of Columbus Council #9396
The parish hosts Knights of Columbus Council #9396, which serves Our Lady of Fatima and the wider Benton community. Council meetings are held on the first Thursday of each month — officers at 6:30 p.m. and the business meeting at 7:00 p.m. — at the parish.
- Council #9396 — Our Lady of Fatima
- Council meetings: 1st Thursday, 7:00 p.m. (officers 6:30 p.m.)
- Council mailing address: 3706 Heritage Oak Drive, Benton, AR 72015
- Web: olfbentonknights.org
Visit, Contact, and Getting Involved
The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Visitors are welcomed at weekend Masses in English or Spanish, and anyone wishing to learn more about the Catholic faith can begin the process through Adult Faith Formation / RCIA. The school invites prospective families to schedule a tour (solicite un recorrido).
- Church Office: (501) 315-5186
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon.–Fri. 8:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m.
- Address: 900 W. Cross St., Benton, AR 72015
- Website: http://olfbenton.org/
- Weekly bulletins published online (olfbenton.org/bulletins-1)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Paul WormFebruary 2017 – at least 2022
Pastor during the 2017 centennial of the Fatima apparitions; celebrated the funeral Mass of long-time school principal Jan Cash in April 2022.