About St. Augustine · North Little Rock, Arkansas
St. Augustine Catholic Church is a historic African-American parish in North Little Rock, Arkansas, belonging to the Diocese of Little Rock (Central Deanery, Pulaski County). The parish email handle — [email protected] — and diocesan records tie its founding (and the opening of St. Augustine School) to 1929, making it one of the oldest Black Catholic congregations in central Arkansas. Today it serves a multi-generational congregation with weekly Sunday Mass in English and a monthly Mass in Igbo, plus midweek Mass, adoration, online Bible study, and the parish offices of the Diocesan Council for Black Catholics (DCBC). Its current pastor is Fr. Emanuel Riroin Tanu, SVD, of the Society of the Divine Word — the same missionary congregation that historically staffed Black Catholic parishes in the diocese.
- Established
- 1929
- Patron
- Saint Augustine
- Rector
- Rev. Emanuel Riroin Tanu, SVD
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock (Central Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Augustine is a small, deeply rooted parish with a 90+ year history of Black Catholic life in North Little Rock, Mass in English every Sunday and in Igbo on the third Sunday, a midweek Wednesday evening Mass, monthly Rosary and Adoration, and an online Wednesday-night Bible study via Zoom. Beyond worship, it hosts the diocesan office for the Diocesan Council for Black Catholics, has an active Ladies of Altar Society and Men's Club, and gives parishioners a real voice through its Parish Pastoral Council and Finance Council — a tight, family-sized community where every member is known by name.
Mass times at St. Augustine
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 25–30 minutes before each Mass
Adoration times
- Second Sundays at 10:00 a.m. (Rosary & Adoration, before the 10:30 a.m. Mass)
About St. Augustine Catholic Church
St. Augustine Catholic Church is an African-American parish of the Diocese of Little Rock located at 1400 E. 2nd St. in North Little Rock, Arkansas. Its pastor is Rev. Emanuel Riroin Tanu, SVD, of the Society of the Divine Word — the same missionary congregation that founded the parish (and its school) in 1929. The parish welcomes visitors and new members, and the church office can be reached at (501) 375-9617 or [email protected].
- Welcome message from the pastor on the parish website
- Parish office: 1400 East 2nd Street, North Little Rock, AR 72114
- Phone: 501-375-9617
- Email: [email protected]
- Diocese: Diocese of Little Rock (Central Deanery)
History of St. Augustine Parish
St. Augustine was founded in 1929 in North Little Rock as part of the Diocese of Little Rock's mission to Black Catholics in central Arkansas during the segregation era. Fr. Joseph Haarman, SVD, is shown in diocesan archives standing with the first pupils of St. Augustine School when it opened in September 1929. Through the 1950s and 60s, the school was taught by the Sisters of Christian Charity from Illinois and was remembered by alumni for high academic standards and an environment deliberately shielded from racial hostility. The school closed in 1976 — the same era when most of the diocese's Black Catholic schools shut their doors — but the parish continued and today still carries the SVD missionary charism that founded it.
- Founded 1929
- Original SVD missionary staff under Fr. Joseph Haarman, SVD
- Sisters of Christian Charity (Illinois) taught at the school through the 1950s and 60s
- St. Augustine School closed in 1976
- Parish remains active and continues to be staffed by the SVD
Bible Study & Online Formation
In addition to its Mass schedule, St. Augustine runs two weekly Bible study opportunities. An in-person Bible Study is held on Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m. (immediately after the 5:30 p.m. Mass), and an Online Bible Study meets on Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom, with a direct join link posted on the parish homepage.
- Bible Study — Wednesdays at 6:00 p.m.
- Online Bible Study — Wednesdays at 7:00 p.m. via Zoom (link on the homepage)
Parish Staff
The parish is led by Fr. Emanuel Riroin Tanu, SVD, as Pastor, supported by a small but active lay staff and council leadership. Mrs. Rosalyn Pruitt serves as Parish Secretary and as DCBC Secretary; Mrs. Theresa Ibekwe is the Coordinator of Religious Education / Director of Religious Education (C/DRE); Dr. Joseph Onyialagha serves as Music Director; Mrs. Sheila Campbell is the Parish Bookkeeper; and a Parish Council President, Finance Council President, Men's Club President, and Ladies of Altar Society President round out the leadership listed on the About page.
- Pastor — Rev. Emanuel Riroin Tanu, SVD
- Parish Secretary / DCBC Secretary — Mrs. Rosalyn Pruitt
- Religious Education Director (C/DRE) — Mrs. Theresa Ibekwe
- Music Director — Dr. Joseph Onyialagha
- Parish Bookkeeper — Mrs. Sheila Campbell
- Parish Pastoral Council President — Mrs. Sharon Armstrong
- Finance Council President — Mr. Dennis Jones
- Men's Club President — Mrs. Elizabeth Batler
- Ladies of Altar Society President — Mrs. (per site)
Councils & Ministries
The parish maintains the ordinary councils required of diocesan parishes — a Parish Pastoral Council and a Finance Council — along with several lay-led organizations. The Men's Club and the Ladies of Altar Society provide fellowship, service, and support for the parish's liturgical and social life; the Religious Education program (under the C/DRE) handles faith formation for children and youth; and the Music Ministry (under Dr. Onyialagha) leads parish liturgy. The parish also hosts the diocesan Diocesan Council for Black Catholics (DCBC) office on its campus.
- Parish Pastoral Council (President: Sharon Armstrong)
- Finance Council (President: Dennis Jones)
- Men's Club (President: Elizabeth Batler)
- Ladies of Altar Society
- Music Ministry / Music Director
- Religious Education / CCD
- Diocesan Council for Black Catholics (DCBC) — diocesan office hosted on site
Diocesan Council for Black Catholics (DCBC) Office
St. Augustine's campus is the home of the diocesan Diocesan Council for Black Catholics (DCBC) office, which has its own regular office hours staffed from the parish. The DCBC coordinates Black Catholic life and ministry across the Diocese of Little Rock.
- DCBC office located at the parish
- DCBC Secretary — Mrs. Rosalyn Pruitt
- Office hours: Tuesday and Wednesday 1:00 – 4:00 p.m.; Thursday 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Sacraments & Faith Formation
The parish prepares parishioners for the sacraments through its Religious Education program (Coordinator / Director of Religious Education: Mrs. Theresa Ibekwe) and celebrates Baptism, Marriage, First Communion, Confirmation, and Reconciliation on the customary schedule. Reconciliation is available 25–30 minutes before each Mass, and parishioners are encouraged to contact the church office to arrange preparation for Baptism and Marriage.
- Baptism — contact the parish office
- First Communion preparation via Religious Education
- Confirmation preparation via Religious Education
- Marriage — contact the parish office
- Confession (Reconciliation) — 25–30 minutes before each Mass
Online Giving & Stewardship
St. Augustine provides an online giving option through its website, linked from the homepage and the dedicated Online Giving page. Visitors and parishioners can also contact the parish office by phone or email to support the parish's mission.
- Online Giving page on parish website
- Donate Here link on the homepage
- Contact: [email protected] / 501-375-9617
Visiting & Contact
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed at St. Augustine. The parish office is open Tuesday and Wednesday from 9:00 a.m. to noon, and Friday from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. The parish can be reached by phone at (501) 375-9617 or by email at [email protected], with a mailing address of 1421 E. 2nd St., North Little Rock, AR 72114.
- Address: 1400 E. 2nd St. (church); 1421 E. 2nd St. (mailing), North Little Rock, AR 72114
- Phone: (501) 375-9617
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Tue/Wed 9 a.m.–noon; Fri 9–11 a.m.
- Facebook: facebook.com/St.AugustineCatholicNLR/