About St. Ignatius · Scranton, Arkansas
St. Ignatius Catholic Church is a small rural parish in the town of Scranton (population ~250), Logan County, Arkansas, in the Diocese of Little Rock's River Valley Deanery. The church was originally dedicated on January 12, 1913 and is named in honor of Rt. Reverend Ignatius Conrad, OSB, the first Abbot of nearby Subiaco Abbey, who oversaw the founding of the parish community. For its first nine decades the parish was served by Benedictine priests (and, until 1987, Benedictine nuns) from Subiaco Abbey, and since 2007 it has been staffed by priests of the Indian Missionary Society (IMS). Today St. Ignatius is one of three linked parishes — together with St. Meinrad in Prairie View and Sts. Peter and Paul in Morrison Bluff — and is known locally for its annual ecumenical pro-life march through town that has gathered more than half the community's population each February since 2019.
- Established
- 1913
- Patron
- Rt. Reverend Ignatius Conrad, OSB (first Abbot of Subiaco Abbey)
- Rector
- Fr. Nathan Ashburn (Administrator, per the Diocese of Little Rock). Fr. John Miranda, IMS, served as pastor from 2017 until at least October 2024 and originated the parish's annual pro-life march.
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock (River Valley Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Ignatius is a tight-knit country parish that worships at a century-old church kept in beautiful condition thanks to generations of parishioners — and it shows in the way the wider Scranton community turns out for parish-led events like the annual February pro-life march, which has drawn 120–150 marchers (more than half the town's 250 residents) since 2019. Worshippers join one Sunday Mass with confession beforehand, share in fellowship at the parish hall, and belong to a tri-parish family that also includes St. Meinrad in Prairie View and Sts. Peter and Paul in Morrison Bluff, with a small but active youth (CYM) program and a traditional choir led by organist Margie Spillers.
Mass times at St. Ignatius
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Before Sunday Mass
History of St. Ignatius Catholic Church
St. Ignatius Catholic Church was originally dedicated on January 12, 1913, and is named in honor of Rt. Reverend Ignatius Conrad, OSB, the first Abbot of Subiaco Abbey in Logan County, Arkansas. The parish grew quickly and a larger church was built in 1920. Through the twentieth century the building was steadily improved: the exterior was covered with rock veneer in 1959, the interior modified for Vatican II renewal in the early 1970s, the interior given a major updating for the 75th Diamond Jubilee in 1988, and the entire interior refinished in 2013 for the parish's Centennial, celebrated on May 5, 2013. The community worships today in a century-old church kept in beautiful condition by generations of parishioners.
- Dedicated January 12, 1913
- Larger church built 1920
- Exterior rock veneer 1959
- Vatican II interior changes, early 1970s
- Diamond Jubilee interior renovation 1988
- Centennial interior refinishing 2013
- Centennial Mass celebrated May 5, 2013
Patron: Abbot Ignatius Conrad, OSB
Although the church bears the name 'St. Ignatius,' the parish is actually named for a living historical figure: the Rt. Reverend Ignatius Conrad, OSB (1846–1926), a Swiss Benedictine monk who became the first Abbot of Subiaco Abbey in 1892. Abbot Ignatius conducted preaching missions and fundraising across the United States and Switzerland, founded parishes and schools across Arkansas, Missouri, and Texas, and in 1908 donated abbey land to establish the townsite of Subiaco, Arkansas, and bring the Paris–Subiaco railway through the area. The parish honors his memory each year on March 13, the anniversary of his death in 1926.
- Rt. Rev. Ignatius Conrad, OSB (1846–1926)
- First Abbot of Subiaco Abbey, elected 1892
- Feast / commemoration: March 13
Parish Buildings and Grounds
The parish plant grew alongside the congregation. A parish hall built in 1940 served over the decades as the school cafeteria, a parish-functions space, and finally the catechetical center. A new parish hall was constructed in 1990, a pavilion added in 1996, and the hall extended in 1999. The church's pre-1940 pipe organ was restored in 2000 by friends of Fr. Raphael DeSalvo, and the main worship space was completely refinished in 2013.
- Parish hall built 1940
- New parish hall constructed 1990
- Pavilion built 1996
- Hall extended 1999
- Upstairs pipe organ (pre-1940) restored 2000
Benedictine and IMS Heritage
St. Ignatius was served by Benedictine priests of Subiaco Abbey from its founding in 1913 until 2006, and by Benedictine nuns from 1913 to 1987. In 2007 pastoral care of the parish was taken over by priests of the Indian Missionary Society (IMS), who continue to serve the parish today. The IMS tradition of missionary witness has become a defining feature of the parish's modern era.
- Benedictine priests: 1913–2006
- Benedictine nuns: 1913–1987
- IMS priests: 2007–present
Clergy, Staff and Parish Office
The parish is staffed jointly with its two mission churches. The office is shared between Paula Frederick ([email protected]) and Mary Jane Spillers. Choir Director and Organist is Margie Spillers, and the CYM (Catholic Youth Ministry) leaders are Ashley Fritsche and Julie Sory. Fr. Nathan Ashburn is listed as Administrator by the Diocese of Little Rock; Fr. John Miranda, IMS, served as pastor from 2017 and is widely credited in the parish for founding the annual pro-life march.
- Administrator: Fr. Nathan Ashburn
- Fr. John Miranda, IMS (pastor, 2017–c. 2024)
- Office: Paula Frederick and Mary Jane Spillers
- Choir Director/Organist: Margie Spillers, (479) 938-7544
- CYM Leaders: Ashley Fritsche, Julie Sory
- Joint office email: [email protected]
Linked Mission Parishes
St. Ignatius is the parent parish for two rural mission churches, served by the same pastor and office staff. The Scranton, Prairie View, and Morrison Bluff communities frequently gather at St. Ignatius for joint religious education and special events, including the annual pro-life march.
- St. Meinrad Catholic Church, Prairie View, AR (off AR-109)
- Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Morrison Bluff, AR
- Shared pastor and shared office staff
- Joint religious education programs
Ministries and Parish Life
The parish supports a Catholic Youth Ministry (CYM) program under leaders Ashley Fritsche and Julie Sory, and a parish choir directed by organist Margie Spillers. Faith formation is offered jointly with the linked missions, and the parish hall serves as a center for fellowship, catechesis, and parish functions.
- Catholic Youth Ministry (CYM)
- Parish choir / music ministry
- Joint religious education (with St. Meinrad and Sts. Peter and Paul)
- Parish-hall fellowship and parish functions
Annual Pro-Life March
Since 2019, Fr. John Miranda and parishioners including Katrina Willems have organized a town-wide ecumenical pro-life march each February. Held in the small town of Scranton (population ~250), the march typically draws 120 to 150 people — often more than half the town's residents — and includes Christians of multiple denominations as well as members of neighboring parishes. Parishioners gather first at the parish hall for fellowship and coffee, then walk a route along the local highway with handmade signs and banners, escorted by the Logan County Sheriff's deputies. The event was started so that local Catholics would not have to make the four-hour round-trip to Little Rock for the annual March for Life.
- Held each February since 2019
- 120–150 marchers in a town of ~250
- Ecumenical — Christians of multiple denominations participate
- Begins at the parish hall with fellowship and coffee
- Route along the local highway, escorted by sheriff's deputies
Location, Contact and Visiting
St. Ignatius Catholic Church sits on Main Street in Scranton, Arkansas, in Logan County, and is part of the River Valley Deanery of the Diocese of Little Rock. Visitors are asked to call the parish office to confirm Mass times before traveling.
- 108 Main St., Scranton, AR 72863
- Mailing: P.O. Box 87, Scranton, AR 72863
- Parish phone: (479) 938-2821
- Office phone: (479) 473-2010
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: http://stignatius.yolasite.com/
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Benedictine priests of Subiaco Abbey1913–2006
Served the parish from its founding until 2006; the community was also served by Benedictine nuns from 1913 to 1987.
- Indian Missionary Society (IMS) priests2007–present
IMS took over pastoral care of the parish in 2007 and continue today.
- Fr. John Miranda, IMS2017–c. 2024
Pastored the linked parishes of St. Ignatius (Scranton), St. Meinrad (Prairie View), and Sts. Peter and Paul (Morrison Bluff); originated the annual ecumenical pro-life march through Scranton in 2019.
- Fr. Raphael DeSalvo
Friends of Fr. DeSalvo restored the church's pre-1940 organ in 2000.