About St. Andrew · Yellville, Arkansas
St. Andrew Parish-Mission is a Catholic mission church serving the small community of Yellville, Arkansas, in the hill country of Marion County. Established in August 1984 and named in honor of the Apostle St. Andrew — patron of then-Bishop Andrew McDonald — the parish is formally a mission attached to Mary Mother of God Parish in nearby Harrison. It is part of the Diocese of Little Rock's North Ozark Deanery and offers Sunday Mass, weekday Masses, perpetual adoration, and religious education for the local faithful.
- Established
- 1984
- Patron
- St. Andrew the Apostle
- Rector
- Fr. Ben Riley
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock
Why belong here
St. Andrew's is a small, close-knit Catholic mission serving the Catholics of Yellville and surrounding Marion County, offering Sunday Mass, weekday Masses, and a remarkable gift — perpetual eucharistic adoration 24 hours a day, seven days a week (except during Mass itself). Families find a place for faith formation through C.C.D./C.Y.O. religious education programs, and devotional life is strengthened through parish groups like the Council of Catholic Women. As a mission attached to Mary Mother of God Parish in Harrison, it combines the warmth of a small community with the resources of a larger parish nearby.
Mass times at St. Andrew
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before each Mass
- Before or after Mass (per diocesan directory)
Adoration times
- Perpetual adoration 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (except during Mass) — attended from Mary Mother of God Church in Harrison
About St. Andrew Parish-Mission
St. Andrew's is a Catholic mission church rooted in the hill country of Yellville, Arkansas, serving the Catholics of Marion County. It is formally attached as a mission to Mary Mother of God Parish in Harrison and is part of the Diocese of Little Rock's North Ozark Deanery. The mission is staffed by a resident pastor, a deacon, a faith-formation director, and a parish manager who oversee its worship, formation, and pastoral care.
- Type: Mission (not an independent parish)
- Diocese: Little Rock — North Ozark Deanery
- Attached to: Mary Mother of God Parish, Harrison, AR
- Located in: Yellville, Marion County, Arkansas
History of the Parish
The mission was born in 1980 out of the determination of five Catholic laymen — Bill Miller, C.L. Eubanks, John Finn, Tom Stanton, and Les Benton — who asked Monsignor Gerald Deere to begin celebrating Mass for Yellville's Catholics. After humble beginnings in private homes, nursing homes, and the local Presbyterian Church, Bishop Andrew McDonald celebrated Mass in Yellville for the first time in February 1982. The Diocese of Little Rock purchased land for the mission in September 1983, and the church was dedicated and opened in August 1984.
- 1980 — Five Catholic laymen bring Yellville's needs to Bishop Andrew McDonald
- 1980–1981 — Msgr. Gerald Deere celebrates first Masses; later in homes, nursing homes, and rented Presbyterian Church
- July 1981 — Father Jon McDougal formally assigned to Yellville Catholic community
- February 1982 — Bishop McDonald celebrates Mass in Yellville for the first time
- September 1983 — Diocese of Little Rock purchases property for the new mission
- August 1984 — St. Andrew's Mission dedicated and opens its doors
- 1984 onward — Father Raymond R. Rossi leads the parish's early growth
Pastoral Succession
From a handful of Masses celebrated by a visiting monsignor in 1980 to a resident pastor at the new mission church in 1984, St. Andrew's has been served by a succession of diocesan clergy. The earliest priests traveled from Mountain Home and Harrison to bring the sacraments to Yellville's Catholics.
- Monsignor Gerald Deere — first priest to celebrate Mass for Yellville Catholics (c. 1980–1981)
- Father Jon McDougal (Mountain Home) — formally assigned to Yellville ministry from July 1981
- Father Raymond R. Rossi — first resident pastor after the 1984 dedication
- Fr. Ben Riley — current pastor
Mass and Worship Schedule
The mission offers Sunday Mass at 11:00 a.m., a Wednesday noon Mass, and an additional noon Mass on First Fridays. Holy Day Masses are scheduled as announced. Confessions are heard approximately 30 minutes before each Mass, and may also be received before or after Mass on request.
- Sunday: 11:00 a.m.
- Wednesday: 12:00 p.m. (Noon)
- First Friday of the Month: 12:00 p.m. (Noon)
- Holy Days: As announced
- Confessions: 30 minutes before each Mass (also before/after Mass)
Faith Formation and Youth Ministry
Religious education for the children and youth of the parish has been a priority of St. Andrew's since its earliest days, when C.C.D. and C.Y.O. programs were first offered under founding pastor Father Rossi. Today, faith formation is coordinated by Janice Triner, who serves as Coordinator of Religious Education (C/DRE) across both St. Andrew's and Mary Mother of God Parish.
- C.C.D. (Confraternity of Christian Doctrine) — ongoing youth religious education
- C.Y.O. (Catholic Youth Organization)
- Director: Janice Triner — (870) 421-2594 — [email protected]
Parish Organizations and Devotional Life
Lay-led organizations are an important part of parish life at St. Andrew's. The Council of Catholic Women (which grew out of the Altar and Rosary Society) continues the devotional tradition of the mission's early years, fostering fellowship, prayer, and service among the women of the parish.
- Council of Catholic Women (Altar and Rosary Society)
Becoming a Parishioner
New parishioners are warmly welcomed and invited to register with St. Andrew's through the parish office. Registration can be completed online via the Mary Mother of God Parish website, which serves as the mission's administrative center.
- Online parish registration available via harrisoncatholic.org
- Contact the parish office: (870) 449-4850
Visit, Contact, and Location
St. Andrew's mission church is located on Highway 62 West in Yellville, Arkansas — easily accessible to residents of Yellville, Flippin, Summit, and other communities in Marion County. The mailing address uses a P.O. Box, and the parish can be reached by phone or email through either the local office or the Mary Mother of God Parish office in Harrison.
- Street address: 1486 Highway 62 W, Yellville, AR 72687
- Mailing address: P.O. Box 197, Yellville, AR 72687
- Phone: (870) 449-4850
- Pastor's email: [email protected]
- Website: harrisoncatholic.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor Gerald Deere1980–c.1981
First priest to celebrate Mass for Yellville Catholics; granted the honor by Bishop McDonald.
- Father Jon McDougalFrom July 1981
Formally assigned to celebrate Mass and minister to Yellville's Catholic community; based in Mountain Home.
- Father Raymond R. RossiFrom 1984 (after dedication)
First resident pastor of the new mission; oversaw growth of youth religious education (C.C.D./C.Y.O.) and the Council of Catholic Women.