About St. Edward · Little Rock, Arkansas
St. Edward Catholic Church is a historic bilingual parish in downtown Little Rock, Arkansas, located on Sherman Street across from MacArthur Park. Founded in 1884 as a German-Catholic parish and originally staffed by the Benedictine Fathers of Subiaco Abbey, St. Edward today serves a vibrant, multicultural community with Mass celebrated in both English and Spanish each Sunday. In 2023, Bishop Anthony Taylor designated the parish as the Diocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy, only the second such shrine in Arkansas. The current Romanesque-style church, designed by Arkansas architect Charles Thompson, was dedicated in 1905 and has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places since 1982.
- Established
- 1884
- Patron
- St. Edward (named in honor of Bishop Edward Fitzgerald of Little Rock)
- Rector
- Fr. Juan Manjarrez
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock
Why belong here
St. Edward welcomes English- and Spanish-speaking Catholics alike to a historic downtown parish where the Eucharist is celebrated in both languages every Sunday. Daily and weekly Mass, all-day Eucharistic Adoration (seven days a week from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.), daily Reconciliation/Holy Hour opportunities, an active youth group (Youth Group of Divine Mercy), RCIA, a Christian Mothers Sodality, Guadalupano group, a thriving volunteer-run thrift store, and one of only two diocesan shrines of Divine Mercy in Arkansas give the parish both deep liturgical life and warm community involvement.
Mass times at St. Edward
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–4:00 PM (English)
- Sunday 3:00–4:00 PM
- Tuesday 5:00–6:00 PM (English)
- Wednesday 5:00–6:00 PM (Spanish)
- Thursday 5:00–6:00 PM (Spanish)
- Friday 3:00–4:00 PM (English)
Adoration times
- Sunday 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Monday 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Tuesday 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Wednesday 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Thursday 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Friday 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Saturday 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
About St. Edward Catholic Church
St. Edward Catholic Church is a bilingual (English/Spanish) historic Catholic parish in the Quapaw Quarter of downtown Little Rock, Arkansas, in the Diocese of Little Rock. The parish's stated mission is to recognize the equality of all persons in the eyes of God and to provide an atmosphere in which parishioners of all ages and cultures share faith through sacramental and liturgical celebrations, ongoing faith formation, and other social and spiritual events. Worship is supported by all-day Eucharistic Adoration seven days a week, daily Mass, and one of only two diocesan shrines of Divine Mercy in Arkansas.
- Shrine of Divine Mercy (designated June 11, 2023)
- Bilingual parish — English and Spanish Mass each Sunday
- All-day Adoration 7 days a week, 7:00 AM – 8:00 PM
- Part of the Central Deanery, Diocese of Little Rock
Parish History
Founded in 1884 by Bishop Edward Fitzgerald to serve Little Rock's growing German-Catholic population, St. Edward was originally pastored by the Benedictine Fathers of Subiaco Abbey. A two-story frame church-and-school was completed in 1885; the present Romanesque church designed by Charles Thompson was dedicated in 1905. The church suffered a devastating fire in 1964 — the altar was rebuilt in Germany and shipped across the Atlantic in 36 crates — and was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. In 1992 the parish transitioned from Benedictine to diocesan clergy and began its ministry to Spanish-speaking Catholics. Bishop Anthony Taylor designated the parish the Diocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy on June 11, 2023.
- 1884 — Parish established by Bishop Edward Fitzgerald
- 1885 — Original frame church and school completed (~$9,000)
- 1901 — Cornerstone of present church laid
- 1905 — Current church dedicated (designed by Charles Thompson)
- 1964 — Fire destroys main altar and damages church
- 1965 — Church reopens with German-built replica altar
- 1982 — Listed on the National Register of Historic Places
- 1986 — W. Kimball organ rebuilt; pipes rearranged to expose the rose window
- 1992 — Transition from Benedictine to diocesan clergy; Hispanic ministry begins
- 2001–2002 — ROSE restoration campaign; church closed October 2001, reopened Easter 2002 (~$650,000)
- 2007 — New school building completed
- 2008 — Quapaw Quarter Association Preservation Award
- 2019 — St. Edward School closes after 134 years
- June 11, 2023 — Designated Diocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy
Architecture & Historic Features
The present Romanesque-style church was designed by notable Arkansas architect Charles Thompson, with the cornerstone laid in 1901 and the church dedicated during a five-day celebration in 1905. The W. Kimball pipe organ was rebuilt in 1986 with the pipes rearranged so that parishioners can see the rose window. Stained-glass windows depict biblical events and saints; the south wall features male saints and the north wall female saints — a nod to the parish's turn-of-the-20th-century tradition of men and women sitting on opposite sides of the church.
- Architect: Charles Thompson
- Cornerstone: 1901; dedicated 1905
- W. Kimball pipe organ (rebuilt 1986)
- Stained-glass windows on south (male saints) and north (female saints) walls
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places (1982)
- Current main altar is a replica of the pre-1964 altar, built in Germany
Clergy and Staff
St. Edward is led by Pastor Fr. Juan Manjarrez and supported by a dedicated lay staff and many ministry coordinators. Contacts are listed on the parish website's Clergy and Staff page and many ministries have direct phone numbers.
- Fr. Juan Manjarrez — Pastor
- Scott Sparks — Parish Manager
- Yamileth (Yami) Barragan — Parish Secretary ([email protected])
- Teresa Mendez — Director of Religious Education ([email protected])
- Lisette Christensen — Director of Liturgy & Website Administrator
- Phillip Quick — Director of Music & Organist
- Manuela Negrete — Director, Coro Hispano 11 a.m.
- Bertha Flores — Director, Coro Hispano 1 p.m.
- Tina Johnson — RCIA / OCIA
- Emely Gonzales — Youth Group of Divine Mercy
- Ronnie Stone — Liturgy Assistant Training
- Nita Danaher — Wedding Coordinator
- Yolanda Martinez — Eucharistic Adoration
- Rhonda Fitz — Christian Mothers Sodality
Shrine of Divine Mercy
On June 11, 2023, Bishop Anthony Taylor of the Diocese of Little Rock formally designated St. Edward Catholic Church as the Diocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy. The Shrine is located in the south transept of the church and is only the second such diocesan shrine in Arkansas, following Our Lady of the Ozarks Shrine near Winslow.
- Designated Diocesan Shrine of the Divine Mercy — June 11, 2023
- Located in the south transept of the church
- Second Divine Mercy shrine in Arkansas
Liturgy and Music
Music and liturgical arts play a central role at St. Edward. The rebuilt W. Kimball organ accompanies weekend liturgies, weddings, and major feasts, and three choirs (one English and two Spanish — for the 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m. Masses) lead the assembly. Liturgical volunteers include ushers, lectors, extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, altar servers, sacristans, and the Arts and Environment committee.
- Director of Music & Organist: Phillip Quick
- Director of Liturgy: Lisette Christensen
- Hispanic Choir Directors: Manuela Negrete (11 a.m.) and Bertha Flores (1 p.m.)
- W. Kimball pipe organ (rebuilt 1986)
- Liturgical ministries: Altar Server, Lector, Extraordinary Minister, Usher, Sacristan, Arts and Environment
Faith Formation & Youth
Parish Religious Education (PRE) is directed by Teresa Mendez, and the OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults, formerly RCIA) process is coordinated by Tina Johnson. The Youth Group of Divine Mercy / Grupo Juvenil de la Divina Misericordia, led by Emely Gonzales, brings together middle- and high-school youth in both English and Spanish.
- Parish Religious Education (PRE) — Teresa Mendez
- Become Catholic (OCIA / RCIA) — Tina Johnson
- Youth Group of Divine Mercy / Grupo Juvenil de la Divina Misericordia — Emely Gonzales
- PRE registration open (per parish website)
Parish Groups & Outreach
Parishioners of St. Edward are active in several long-standing community groups. The Christian Mothers Sodality and the Guadalupano Group serve faith and fellowship needs in English and Spanish respectively. The St. Edward Thrift Store and Gift Shop, housed in the former school building, is operated entirely by volunteers and is popular across central Arkansas. Drop-off donations are accepted Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.; the store is open Sunday and Monday, 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
- Christian Mothers Sodality — Rhonda Fitz
- The Guadalupano Group (Hispanic community)
- St. Edward Thrift Store & Gift Shop (volunteer-run)
- Thrift Store Hours: Sun–Mon 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM
- Donation Drop-off: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sacraments
St. Edward celebrates all seven Catholic sacraments. Information on preparation and scheduling is available on the parish website under the Sacraments menu, and Sacramental Records Requests can be made through the parish office.
- Baptism
- Eucharist (First Communion)
- Reconciliation (Confession)
- Confirmation
- Anointing of the Sick
- Matrimony (Wedding Coordinator: Nita Danaher)
- Religious Life
- Sacramental Records Request
Visit, Contact & Get Involved
Parishioners and visitors are warmly welcomed. The parish office at 805 Sherman Street is open Monday–Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and the main number is (501) 374-5767. Email inquiries go to [email protected]. New members can register online through the Parish Registration Form, and many liturgical and parish groups have sign-up links under the 'Join Us' and 'Get Involved' pages.
- Address: 805 Sherman St., Little Rock, AR 72202
- Phone: (501) 374-5767
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- New Member Registration form available on website
- Sunday Bulletin published online
- Follow on Facebook and Instagram (links on parish website)