About Our Lady of the Assumption · Booneville, Arkansas
Our Lady of the Assumption is a Catholic parish located in Booneville, Arkansas, in Logan County, and forms part of the Diocese of Little Rock's River Valley Deanery. The parish serves as the principal Catholic faith community for the Booneville area and is jointly pastored with St. Jude Thaddeus Church in nearby Waldron. Under current pastor Fr. Les Farley, the parish offers a steady weekly Mass schedule, Eucharistic adoration, the Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (OCIA), a religious education program, and a community choir — all centered on its location at 616 N. Cherry St.
- Patron
- Our Lady of the Assumption
- Rector
- Fr. Les Farley
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock (River Valley Deanery)
Why belong here
Our Lady of the Assumption offers the full rhythm of a small Catholic parish — a steady weekly Mass schedule, the praying of the rosary before every Mass, First Friday Eucharistic adoration, OCIA for adults coming into the Church, faith formation for children directed by the parish's C/DRE, and a parish choir under the direction of Brian and Angela Rhodes. Fr. Les Farley, the pastor, also celebrates Mass in Spanish, making the parish a gathering point for Spanish-speaking Catholics in the Booneville area, and he jointly serves St. Jude Thaddeus in Waldron. With a long history of local outreach — parishioners helped build the Family Resource Center for South Logan County from its earliest days — it's a parish where members know one another and a single week's collection can change a neighbor's life.
Mass times at Our Lady of the Assumption
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- By appointment only
Adoration times
- Friday 6:30–7:00 p.m. (First Friday only)
- Adoration also takes place 30 minutes before every Mass
Parish Identity & Location
Our Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church sits at 616 N. Cherry St. in Booneville, Arkansas, the county seat of Logan County in the Arkansas River Valley. The parish is part of the Diocese of Little Rock's River Valley Deanery and maintains a mailing address of P.O. Box 298, Booneville, AR 72927. The parish phone line, (479) 675-3371, is answered by the parish office during the week. The parish and its pastor also have ministerial responsibility for St. Jude Thaddeus Church in nearby Waldron.
- Location: 616 N. Cherry St., Booneville, AR 72927
- Mailing: P.O. Box 298, Booneville, AR 72927
- Phone: (479) 675-3371
- Diocese: Little Rock — River Valley Deanery
History & Pastoral Lineage
Our Lady of the Assumption is a long-standing Catholic parish in Booneville. Diocesan sources identify Glenmary Home Missioners (GHM) as having historically staffed the parish; Fr. Don Tranel, GHM, is named as pastor in 2008 reporting by Arkansas Catholic. The parish transitioned to diocesan priestly leadership in 2021, when Bishop Anthony B. Taylor appointed Fr. Les Farley as pastor effective Aug. 3, 2021. The previous pastor, Fr. Rajasekhar Chittem, was relieved of the assignment so that he could return to India to care for his ailing mother. In May 2024 Fr. Farley was additionally named dean of the River Valley Deanery.
- Fr. Don Tranel, GHM — pastor through at least 2008
- Fr. Rajasekhar Chittem — pastor prior to Aug. 3, 2021
- Fr. Les Farley — pastor from Aug. 3, 2021 (also dean of River Valley Deanery from May 1, 2024)
Clergy, Staff & Music
The parish is led by pastor Fr. Les Farley, who also celebrates Mass in Spanish. Day-to-day operations are supported by parish secretary Becky Ibison. Director of Religious Education (C/DRE) Jennifer Haynes can be reached at (479) 675-6557, and the parish's choir is directed by Brian and Angela Rhodes at (479) 675-2388. Fr. Farley himself reports an ordination date of May 29, 1993 on the diocesan clergy directory, and serves both Booneville and St. Jude Thaddeus in Waldron.
- Pastor: Fr. Les Farley — also celebrates Mass in Spanish; ordained May 29, 1993
- Secretary: Becky Ibison
- Director of Religious Education (C/DRE): Jennifer Haynes — (479) 675-6557
- Choir Directors: Brian and Angela Rhodes — (479) 675-2388
Devotions
A traditional Marian devotion marks every liturgy at the parish: a rosary is prayed in the church 20 minutes before the start of every Mass. First Friday Mass and Eucharistic Adoration round out the devotional life of the parish.
- Rosary 20 minutes before every Mass
- First Friday Mass and Eucharistic Adoration
Faith Formation & OCIA
Faith formation for children is coordinated through the parish office by C/DRE Jennifer Haynes (479) 675-6557. Adults preparing to come into full communion with the Catholic Church are served by the parish's OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) program, with coordinator Genny Hudson available through the parish phone line at (479) 675-3371. The parish's RICA-/OCIA-style ministry connects newcomers with a parish family that prays the rosary before every Mass and celebrates First Friday devotion together.
- Children's religious education — contact Jennifer Haynes, C/DRE
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — contact Genny Hudson
Sacraments & Sacramental Records
Our Lady of the Assumption prepares parishioners for and celebrates the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. Baptisms and weddings are arranged through the pastor, and sacramental records for the parish are maintained at the parish office. The Diocese of Little Rock Archives holds a central record of baptisms and marriages back to the late 1800s; older parish records that may have been transferred can often be located through the diocesan archivist.
- Baptism and marriage — contact the parish
- Sacramental records — kept at the parish office
- Older records and genealogy requests — Diocese of Little Rock Archives
Outreach: The Family Resource Center for South Logan County
Our Lady of the Assumption has a documented history of community engagement beyond the parish walls. After a local fire left South Logan County families in need, the Booneville Ministerial Fellowship — a coalition of local churches — formed the Family Resource Center for South Logan County to coordinate food and family-assistance services. Our Lady of the Assumption was there from the start. As Fr. Don Tranel, GHM, told Arkansas Catholic, 'Father Don wanted our church to be involved. We were available, and we jumped at the opportunity.' Parishioner Joan Simon, her husband Jim, and their son John helped in the food pantry from April through October 2008, at one point packing 60 to 80 boxes of food in a single day. The parish also donated 100 percent of one week's collection to help establish the center — a tangible example of a small parish being a big neighbor.
- Founding partner of the Family Resource Center for South Logan County
- Parishioners volunteered in the food pantry in 2008, packing up to 60–80 boxes per day
- 100% of one week's collection donated to the new center
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music at Our Lady of the Assumption is led by parish choir directors Brian and Angela Rhodes, who can be reached at (479) 675-2388. The parish maintains a traditional devotional rhythm around the Mass, including the praying of the rosary 20 minutes before every Mass and Eucharistic Adoration before each liturgy as well as on First Fridays.
- Choir Directors: Brian and Angela Rhodes — (479) 675-2388
- Rosary prayed 20 minutes before every Mass
- Adoration 30 minutes before every Mass
Sister Parish: St. Jude Thaddeus, Waldron
Our Lady of the Assumption's pastor also serves St. Jude Thaddeus Catholic Church in Waldron, Arkansas. The two parishes share pastoral leadership under Fr. Les Farley and are part of the same River Valley Deanery cluster within the Diocese of Little Rock.
- St. Jude Thaddeus Church — Waldron, Arkansas
- Jointly pastored with Our Lady of the Assumption
Diocese & Deanery
Our Lady of the Assumption belongs to the Diocese of Little Rock (Catholic Diocese of Little Rock), which covers the state of Arkansas. Within the diocese the parish is part of the River Valley Deanery; Fr. Les Farley was appointed dean of that deanery effective May 1, 2024, while continuing to serve as pastor of both Booneville and Waldron.
- Diocese of Little Rock
- River Valley Deanery — dean: Fr. Les Farley (since May 1, 2024)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Don Tranel, GHMserved through at least 2008
Glenmary Home Missioner; described as pastor of Our Lady of the Assumption in 2008 Arkansas Catholic coverage of the Family Resource Center for South Logan County.
- Fr. Rajasekhar Chittemprior to Aug. 3, 2021
Relieved of his responsibilities as pastor effective Aug. 3, 2021, to return to India to care for his ailing mother (Diocese of Little Rock pastoral appointments, July 2, 2021).
- Fr. Les FarleyAug. 3, 2021–present
Appointed pastor effective Aug. 3, 2021; also serves as pastor of St. Jude Thaddeus Church in Waldron; named dean of the River Valley Deanery effective May 1, 2024.