About St. Benedict · Subiaco, Arkansas
St. Benedict Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Subiaco, Arkansas, in the Diocese of Little Rock. It is the parish church of the town founded around Subiaco Abbey, a Benedictine monastery whose monks have served the local German-Catholic community since 1878. The parish is staffed by the Benedictine monks of Subiaco Abbey and ministers to the faithful of Logan County, including the outlying mission of St. Scholastica Church in New Blaine. Students in grades 7–12 attend Subiaco Academy, the abbey's college-prep boarding and day school. The parish is currently led by Fr. Kevin Atunzu as pastor, with Tina Forst serving as Director of Religious Education.
- Established
- 1878
- Patron
- St. Benedict of Nursia
- Rector
- Fr. Kevin Atunzu
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock (Roman Catholic)
Why belong here
St. Benedict Church is the parish heart of the historic German-Catholic settlement founded in 1878 by Swiss Benedictine monks, and that monastic heritage continues in its daily life. Worshippers can attend a Saturday Vigil and Sunday morning Mass, daily Mass in the parish chapel Tuesday through Friday, weekly Eucharistic Adoration in the Coury House Chapel on Mondays and Wednesdays, and Saturday confession. The parish serves grades 7–12 through Subiaco Academy, offers religious education through Director Tina Forst, and reaches out to the wider Logan County community through its shared care of the St. Scholastica mission in New Blaine.
Mass times at St. Benedict
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m.
- By appointment
Adoration times
- Monday: 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. (midnight) — Coury House Chapel
- Wednesday: 12:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m. (midnight) — Coury House Chapel
History & Heritage
St. Benedict Church traces its origins to St. Benedict's Colony, the German-Catholic settlement established in Logan County, Arkansas in 1877–1878. The colony grew out of a partnership between the Little Rock and Fort Smith Railroad and Abbot Martin Marty of St. Meinrad Abbey in Indiana, in which the railroad granted the Benedictines 640 acres of land in exchange for sending German-speaking priests to serve the immigrants it was recruiting. Three Swiss Benedictine missionaries — Fr. Wolfgang Schlumpf and brothers Kaspar Hildesheim and Hilarin Benetz — arrived on March 15, 1878 and celebrated the first recorded Mass in Logan County on March 19, 1878. The community was formally named St. Benedict's Priory in fall 1878. Its stability was secured in 1887 when eight novice monks, remembered as the 'Eight Beatitudes,' arrived from the motherhouse at Einsiedeln Abbey in Switzerland. In 1891, Pope Leo XIII elevated the priory to an abbey under the name Subiaco, and the monks began a new stone abbey in 1898 built of local 'Subiaco' sandstone. The original frame monastery — about a mile away — burned on December 15, 1901. The parish church grew alongside the abbey and remains its parochial arm in Subiaco.
- St. Benedict's Colony founded 1877–1878
- First Mass in Logan County: March 19, 1878
- Three founding Swiss Benedictine monks from St. Meinrad Abbey
- Designated St. Benedict's Priory, fall 1878
- Eight Swiss novices ('Eight Beatitudes') arrived 1887
- Raised to rank of abbey under the name Subiaco in 1891
Pastoral Staff
St. Benedict Church is served by the Benedictine monks of Subiaco Abbey in cooperation with diocesan clergy. The pastor is the priest responsible for the parish, while the abbot leads the monastic community. The Director of Religious Education coordinates faith formation for the parish.
- Pastor: Fr. Kevin Atunzu
- Director of Religious Education: Tina Forst — (479) 438-0277 — [email protected]
- Abbot of Subiaco Abbey: Abbot Elijah Owens, OSB — 405 N. Subiaco Ave. — (479) 934-1000 — [email protected]
- Pastoral Office: (479) 934-4321
Pastoral Leadership Timeline
In April 2016, Bishop Anthony B. Taylor announced pastoral appointments affecting St. Benedict Church: Rev. Aaron Pirrera, OSB was relieved of his responsibilities as pastor in order to return full-time to Subiaco Abbey, and Rev. Mark Stengel, OSB was appointed pastor of the parish effective May 22, 2016, in addition to his responsibilities at the abbey. The parish is currently led by Fr. Kevin Atunzu.
- Until April 2016: Rev. Aaron Pirrera, OSB
- Effective May 22, 2016: Rev. Mark Stengel, OSB
- Current: Fr. Kevin Atunzu
Sacraments & Devotions
The parish offers the Sacrament of Reconciliation on Saturday afternoons before the Vigil Mass, and by appointment. Eucharistic Adoration is held twice weekly in the Coury House Chapel — the historic retreat house opened by Subiaco Abbey in 1963.
- Confession: Saturday 5:00 p.m. – 5:30 p.m., or by appointment
- Adoration: Mondays, 12:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. (Coury House Chapel)
- Adoration: Wednesdays, 12:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m. (Coury House Chapel)
Religious Education & School
Faith formation for parish children is coordinated by the Director of Religious Education, Tina Forst. Older students of the parish attend Subiaco Academy, the all-boys college-prep boarding and day school for 7th through 12th graders operated by the Benedictine monks of Subiaco Abbey.
- Director of Religious Education: Tina Forst
- Phone (DRE): (479) 438-0277
- Email (DRE): [email protected]
- School for grades 7–12: Subiaco Academy (Subiaco Abbey)
Subiaco Abbey & the Benedictine Connection
St. Benedict Church is the parochial face of Subiaco Abbey, a Benedictine (OSB) monastery of the Swiss-American Congregation founded in 1878. Three monks from St. Meinrad Abbey in Indiana — Fr. Wolfgang Schlumpf, Br. Kaspar Hildesheim, and Br. Hilarin Benetz — arrived in Logan County on March 15, 1878 to begin the foundation. In 1891 it was raised to an abbey and renamed Subiaco, after the Italian site where St. Benedict began his monastic life. The monks continue the Benedictine charism of ora et labora through prayer, hospitality, retreats and spiritual direction, education, and parish ministry.
- Subiaco Abbey, Order of St. Benedict (OSB), Swiss-American Congregation
- Abbot: Abbot Elijah Owens, OSB
- Abbey address: 405 N. Subiaco Ave., Subiaco, AR 72865
- Abbey phone: (479) 934-1000
- Coury House Retreat Center opened 1963
Related Parish: St. Scholastica, New Blaine
The DOLR parish entry notes that St. Benedict Church 'also attends St. Scholastica Church – New Blaine,' meaning the parish community shares pastoral care with the smaller mission church in New Blaine. This extends the parish's reach into the wider Logan County region.
- Shared mission: St. Scholastica Church, New Blaine, Arkansas
Visit & Contact
Parishioners and visitors can reach the parish office by phone or email. Office hours are weekday mornings. The parish publishes its schedule and contact information through the official Diocese of Little Rock directory.
- Address: 81 W. Parish Dr., Subiaco, AR 72865
- Phone: (479) 934-4321
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Monday – Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 11:15 a.m.
- Website: https://www.dolr.org/parishes/st-benedict-church-subiaco
- Diocese: Roman Catholic Diocese of Little Rock
- Deanery: River Valley Deanery, Logan County
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Aaron Pirrera, OSBuntil April 2016
Relieved of responsibilities as pastor of St. Benedict Church to return to Subiaco Abbey (announced April 2016).
- Rev. Mark Stengel, OSBEffective May 22, 2016
Appointed pastor of St. Benedict Church in addition to his responsibilities at Subiaco Abbey.
- Fr. Kevin Atunzucurrent
Listed as current Pastor on the DOLR parish page.