About St. Bartholomew · Little Rock, Arkansas
St. Bartholomew Catholic Church is a historic African-American parish in the Dunbar/Centennial Addition neighborhood of Little Rock, Arkansas, founded in 1909 to serve the city's Black Catholic community. The parish belongs to the Diocese of Little Rock (Central Deanery) and is currently cared for by the Society of the Divine Word (SVD) missionaries, with weekend Mass on Sunday at 8:30 a.m. and a Thursday evening Mass at 5:30 p.m. Despite being a small parish, St. Bartholomew runs an active liturgical, educational, and outreach life — including a weekly online Bible study, religious education and RCIA, a Gospel Choir, lectors, and a Liturgy Commission — and is listed as being 'Attended From St. Augustine Church' in North Little Rock.
- Established
- 1909
- Patron
- St. Bartholomew
- Rector
- Father Emanuel Tanu
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock (Central Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Bartholomew is a small, close-knit historic parish where everyone is welcomed into the Church family, with a pastor and staff who personally invite newcomers to call the office about joining or becoming Catholic. Its life is simple but real: Sunday and Thursday Mass, weekly online Bible study, religious education and RCIA, a Gospel Choir, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, and a Liturgy & Evangelization Commission. It also stands out as one of Arkansas's oldest African-American Catholic parishes — over 110 years of Black Catholic witness in Little Rock — making it a meaningful spiritual home for anyone drawn to that heritage and mission.
Mass times at St. Bartholomew
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 25 minutes before each Mass
Adoration times
- Rosary and Adoration on the 4th Sunday (of the month)
Our History
The parish's self-published page, titled 'The History of St. Bartholomew Catholic Church 1907–2019,' traces the founding mission to Bishop John B. Morris's February 1907 charge to Father Vincent Kraemer, O.S.B., pastor of St. Edward, to begin work among Little Rock's Black residents. With diocesan property at 8th and Gaines Street and the help of local Black Catholic layman Pleasant Smith, a small chapel was prepared and dedicated on January 10, 1909 — the day the first Mass was celebrated. The patron saint, the school, and the eventual move to 1622 Marshall Street are all part of that record.
- 1907 — Bishop Morris assigns Father Kraemer to the work
- 1909 (Jan. 10) — chapel dedicated; first Mass offered at 10:30 a.m.
- 1911 — first church building constructed at 8th and Gaines
- Mid-20th century — parish relocates to 16th and Marshall (1622 Marshall St.)
- 1909–1975 — parish school (K–12) for African-American students
Bible Study & Faith Formation
Parish faith formation centers on weekly Bible study and formal religious education. Bible study meets online via Zoom every Wednesday at 7:00 p.m., and the parish also broadcasts and shares Bible classes with Father Leon Ngandu, SVD from neighboring St. Augustine's. The Religious Education page lists preparation for infant baptism and Confirmation, and an RCIA process for adults seeking full initiation into the Catholic Church.
- Online Bible Study — Wednesdays @ 7:00 p.m. (Zoom)
- RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults)
- Religious Education for children
- Confirmation preparation
- Infant Baptism preparation
Liturgy & Music
Liturgical life at St. Bartholomew is sustained by a small group of dedicated lay ministries coordinated through the parish's Liturgy Commission and Education/Formation Commission. Choir rehearsal is held Saturday mornings, and the parish's Gospel Choir — under Director Philip Gillam — is one of its signature ministries.
- Gospel Choir (Choir Director: Philip Gillam)
- Lectors
- Eucharistic Ministers
- Liturgy Commission
- Education and Formation Commission
- Liturgy & Evangelization Commission
- Choir Rehearsal — Saturdays @ 10:00 a.m.
Parish Staff & Leadership
Day-to-day parish life is led by an SVD pastor with the support of a parish administrator, religious education coordinator, choir director, and Parish Pastoral Council president. The diocesan directory also lists a separate pastor (Fr. Emanuel Riroin Tanu, SVD), reflecting the parish's 'attended from St. Augustine' status with the Society of the Divine Word.
- Parish Administrator / Secretary — Rodney Bernard
- Coordinator of Religious Education (C/DRE) — Judith Kanu
- Choir Director — Philip Gillam
- Parish Pastoral Council President — Mrs. Patty Ashford
Youth Ministry
St. Bartholomew maintains a Youth Ministry as one of its parish ministries, listed alongside the Gospel Choir, Lectors, and Liturgy Commission on the parish website. Practical details and contact information are routed through the parish office.
- Youth Ministry
- Contact: 501-372-4682 / [email protected]
Visit Us & Contact
The parish invites newcomers to call or email about becoming Catholic or joining the church. Office hours are limited but cover most weekdays, and the pastor and Parish Pastoral Council leaders stay in direct personal contact with members — a hallmark of small-parish ministry at St. Bartholomew.
- Address: 1622 Marshall Street, Little Rock, AR 72202
- Phone: (501) 372-4682
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Tue, Thu, Fri 12:00–4:00 p.m.; Sat 10:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (Sun & Mon closed)
- Online Giving via website; text 'GIVE' to 501-222-4372
- Mail-in collection: 1622 Marshall St., Little Rock, AR 72202
Synodal & Parish Life
St. Bartholomew has participated in the Diocese of Little Rock's 'Journeying Together' synodal process. A synodal report filed by the parish documents that two parish facilitators led small-group discussions using Sunday-bulletin announcements, question-and-envelope drop boxes, personal phone calls, emails, meetings with parish organizations, and a scheduled Zoom meeting. Three small-group meetings were held with a combined 25 participants, and the findings were shared with the diocese.
- Synodal facilitators engaged parishioners by bulletin, phone, email, in-person meetings, and Zoom
- 3 small-group meetings held; 25 total participants
- Report authored under Pastor Rev. Leon Ngandu, SVD
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Fentan (Vincent) Kraemer, O.S.B.1907–c.1909+
Founding priest; pastor of St. Edward who began the mission among Little Rock's Black Catholics and served the first Mass at St. Bartholomew on January 10, 1909.