About Saint Rose of Lima · Carlisle, Arkansas
St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church is a small Roman Catholic parish in the rural town of Carlisle, Arkansas (Lonoke County), part of the Diocese of Little Rock's Central Deanery. The parish serves a bilingual community with weekend Masses offered in both English and Spanish, and it also ministers to the nearby Slovak community at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church, which it attends. According to the Diocese of Little Rock directory, the church sits on East Park Street in Carlisle and is led by a pastor supported by an associate pastor and a parish office manager.
- Patron
- St. Rose of Lima
- Rector
- Fr. Babu Rao Battula
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock
Why belong here
St. Rose of Lima welcomes Catholics in rural Lonoke County with a bilingual weekend schedule (Saturday Vigil in English, Sunday noon in Spanish) and a Tuesday and Wednesday evening Mass, so working families and Spanish-speaking parishioners can all find a convenient liturgy. The parish offers weekly Eucharistic Adoration and Confession on Wednesday evenings, a tight-knit small-town community, and connection to the broader Diocese of Little Rock and the sister Slovak community at Sts. Cyril and Methodius.
Mass times at Saint Rose of Lima
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Wednesday 6:40 p.m. (or by appointment)
Adoration times
- Wednesday 6:40 – 7:40 p.m. (Holy Hour following the 6 p.m. Spanish Mass)
Parish Overview
St. Rose of Lima is a small Catholic parish serving Carlisle and the surrounding Lonoke County farming communities in central Arkansas. It belongs to the Central Deanery of the Diocese of Little Rock and shares pastoral staff with the nearby Slovak community at Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church.
- Diocese: Little Rock
- Deanery: Central Deanery
- County: Lonoke County, Arkansas
- Sister parish attended from Carlisle: Sts. Cyril and Methodius, Slovak
History & Heritage
Carlisle sits on Arkansas's Grand Prairie, a stretch of east-central Arkansas settled by German, Austrian, and other European Catholic immigrants in the late 1800s. Preserve Arkansas has documented St. Rose of Lima as one of the small, traditional gable-front frame Catholic churches built by these farming communities — modest, symmetrical structures erected by parishioners and local carpenters with limited resources. Through its link to Sts. Cyril and Methodius in Slovak, the parish also shares in the heritage of the 25 Slovak families who founded that community in 1894 and who continue to celebrate an annual Slovak Heritage Day each February.
- Region: Arkansas Grand Prairie / Mississippi River Delta
- Documented by Preserve Arkansas as a traditional Plain-Traditional / Carpenter Gothic-style Catholic church
- Comparable historic Catholic churches in the region: St. John the Baptist (Brinkley), St. Francis of Assisi (Forrest City), St. Elizabeth's (DeValls Bluff)
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by a pastor with the assistance of an associate pastor and a parish office manager. The same pastoral team also serves the Slovak mission of Sts. Cyril and Methodius.
- Pastor: Fr. Babu Rao Battula ([email protected])
- Associate Pastor: Fr. Jayaraju Sure
- Office Manager and Bookkeeper: Rachel Schafer
Connection to the Slovak Community
St. Rose of Lima in Carlisle attends Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church in Slovak, AR — a small parish established by 25 Slovak immigrant families who settled in southern Prairie County in 1894. The two parishes share the same pastor and associate pastor, and the Slovak community hosts an annual Slovak Heritage Day each February near the feast of Sts. Cyril and Methodius (February 14), featuring Slovak memorabilia, a heritage Mass, and a potluck.
- Sister parish: Sts. Cyril and Methodius Church, 1852 Hwy. 86 W, Slovak, AR 72064
- Shared pastor: Fr. Babu Rao Battula
- Annual Slovak Heritage Day each February
Sacraments & Parish Life
The parish celebrates the Eucharist, Reconciliation, and offers a weekly Holy Hour. For Baptism, Marriage, Anointing of the Sick, First Communion, Confirmation, and RCIA preparation, parishioners are encouraged to contact the parish office directly.
- Bilingual sacramental ministry (English & Spanish)
- Weekly Eucharistic Adoration on Wednesday evenings
- Sacramental prep coordinated through the parish office and Diocese of Little Rock
Visit & Contact
St. Rose of Lima is located on East Park Street in Carlisle, on the south side of US-70 east of downtown. Visitors and parishioners can reach the parish office by phone or email.
- Address: 603 E. Park Street, Carlisle, AR 72024
- Mailing Address: P.O. Box M, Carlisle, AR 72024
- Phone: (870) 552-3601
- Pastor email: [email protected]
- Diocese website: https://www.dolr.org/parishes/st-rose-lima-church-carlisle