About Our Lady of Sorrows · Springdale, Arkansas
Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church is a personal parish in Springdale, Arkansas, served by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP) under the governance of the Diocese of Little Rock. All Masses and Sacraments are celebrated in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite (the traditional Latin Mass). The parish was erected on December 12, 2020, the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, by Bishop Anthony B. Taylor. The community grew out of a Latin Mass apostolate in northwest Arkansas that traces its roots to 1998, and by 2021 it had grown to roughly 59 households averaging 189 souls at Sunday Mass. It is the only FSSP parish in Arkansas and a destination for traditional Latin Mass Catholics across the region.
- Established
- 2020
- Patron
- Our Lady of Sorrows (the Blessed Virgin Mary under her title of the Seven Sorrows)
- Rector
- Fr. Joshua Passo, FSSP
- Diocese
- Roman Catholic Diocese of Little Rock
Why belong here
Our Lady of Sorrows offers the faithful of northwest Arkansas the full traditional Latin Mass and the traditional seven sacraments in the Extraordinary Form — a rare gift in this part of the country. The parish has tripled its Sunday attendance in just a few years, anchored by daily Mass, perpetual Thursday adoration, weekly devotions to Our Lady of Sorrows, and First Friday and First Saturday observances. A growing religious education program, sacramental preparation, and the founding of men's and women's groups make it a community in which families can put down deep roots, with three FSSP priests in residence to serve them.
Mass times at Our Lady of Sorrows
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes prior to each Mass (Sunday through Friday)
- Saturday: 8:00 – 8:50 a.m.
- Saturday: 10:30 a.m. – 12:00 noon
Adoration times
- Thursday: 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. (unless otherwise announced)
History of Our Lady of Sorrows
The roots of Our Lady of Sorrows go back to 1998, when ten homeschooling families in northwest Arkansas first invited the FSSP to speak. After years of organizing through Una Voce of Northwest Arkansas and a Latin Mass offered by Father Greg Hart at St. Joseph in Tontitown beginning in 2010, the Diocese of Little Rock erected the community as a personal parish on December 12, 2020. Fr. Paul McCambridge was the first administrator, and Fr. Joshua Passo was installed as the first pastor on March 19, 2021.
- 1998: Ten homeschooling families invite the FSSP to present in northwest Arkansas
- 2004: Una Voce of Northwest Arkansas formally organized
- Palm Sunday 2010: Bishop Taylor grants permission for Fr. Greg Hart to celebrate the Extraordinary Form at St. Joseph, Tontitown
- November 2017: Death of Fr. Greg Hart
- 2018: Bishop Taylor invites the FSSP to serve the community; Fr. Gerard Saguto visits
- February 2020: Fr. Daniel Geddes visits; community purchases the former Lutheran property on W. Graham Road
- April 30, 2020: Property closes on the Feast of St. Catherine of Siena
- December 12, 2020: Bishop Taylor erects Our Lady of Sorrows as a personal parish
- March 19, 2021: Fr. Joshua Passo installed as the parish's first pastor
Traditional Latin Mass and Sacraments
Every Mass and sacrament at Our Lady of Sorrows is celebrated in the Extraordinary Form of the Roman Rite, according to the 1962 Missal. The parish offers three Sunday Masses — including a Sung High Mass at 10:00 a.m. — and a full daily Mass schedule Monday through Saturday. The parish website and weekly bulletin carry any changes to the weekday schedule.
- Sunday: 8:00 a.m. Low Mass, 10:00 a.m. High Mass, 12:30 p.m. Low Mass
- Monday: 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
- Tuesday: 7:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.
- Wednesday: 12:00 p.m.
- Thursday: 7:00 a.m.
- Friday: 12:00 p.m. and 6:00 p.m.
- Saturday: 9:00 a.m.
Clergy and Staff
The parish is staffed by three priests of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter. Fr. Joshua Passo, who served the community as assistant administrator from its founding, was installed as the first pastor on March 19, 2021. He is assisted by two parochial vicars.
- Fr. Joshua Passo, FSSP — Pastor
- Fr. Edgar Ramirez, FSSP — Parochial Vicar
- Fr. Stephen Wetzel, FSSP — Parochial Vicar
Faith Formation and Sacramental Preparation
The parish launched religious education and sacramental preparation programs in spring 2021 to serve both children and adults. Programs cover preparation for First Communion, Confirmation, and adult reception of the sacraments, in keeping with the traditional Latin Rite.
- Children's religious education
- Youth religious education
- First Communion preparation
- Confirmation preparation
- Adult religious education and sacramental preparation
Parish Life and Groups
Our Lady of Sorrows is organized by a Parish Council and a Finance Council, with men's and women's groups formed in 2021 to support spiritual and community life. The parish has active fundraising through pledge drives, and a regular bulletin keeps parishioners informed of the weekly schedule and announcements.
- Parish Council
- Finance Council
- Men's group
- Women's group
- Weekly parish bulletin (published online)
- Pledge drives for property and capital needs
The Church Building and Property
The parish acquired a 5,000-square-foot former Lutheran church on nine acres at 1600 W. Graham Road for $750,000, closing on the Feast of St. Catherine of Siena, April 30, 2020. The metal church building was retained with its steeple and pews and extensively remodeled. A separate small building serves as the rectory, and a barn on the property is being used as an interim parish hall while a permanent hall is planned with the help of an architect.
- 9 acres of property on W. Graham Road, Springdale
- Former Lutheran church building with steeple and pews
- Separate rectory building
- Altar flanked by niches: Our Lady of Sorrows (one side) and St. Joseph (other)
- Communion rail separating nave and sanctuary
- Interim barn parish hall; permanent hall in planning
Diocese and Fraternity Affiliation
Our Lady of Sorrows is a personal parish of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Little Rock, established with the approval and blessing of Bishop Anthony B. Taylor. Pastoral care is provided by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter, a society of apostolic life of pontifical right whose charism is the faithful celebration of the traditional Latin Mass and sacraments. The parish is part of the West Ozark Deanery of the Diocese.
- Diocese of Little Rock (West Ozark Deanery, Washington County)
- Bishop: Most Reverend Anthony Basil Taylor
- Served by the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Peter (FSSP)
- Personal parish for the faithful of the Extraordinary Form
Contact and Visit
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone or email, and the church is centrally located in Springdale near the I-49 bypass. Sunday Mass is offered three times, with confessions before each Mass and an extended Saturday morning confession schedule.
- Address: 1600 West Graham Road, Springdale, AR 72762
- Phone: (479) 935-2858
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: ourladyofsorrowsnwa.org
- Facebook: facebook.com/OurLadyofSorrowsNWA
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Paul McCambridge, FSSP2020 – March 2021
First administrator of the newly erected personal parish; concurrently pastor of St. John the Baptist in Cabot, Arkansas.
- Fr. Joshua Passo, FSSPMarch 2021 – present
Served as assistant administrator from the parish's founding; installed as the first pastor on the Feast of St. Joseph, March 19, 2021.