About St. John · Russellville, Arkansas
St. John Catholic Church is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Roman Catholic parish located at 1900 W. Main Street in Russellville, Arkansas, serving the River Valley of Pope County within the Diocese of Little Rock under Bishop Anthony B. Taylor. The parish traces its roots to 1913 and today worships alongside an affiliated parish school (PreK3–6th grade). It is led by Fr. Saulo Daniel Ramos Hernández (Fr. Daniel Ramos), assisted by Deacon Lawrence Fox, a parish staff, a K-12 faith formation program, a Wednesday-night youth ministry, OCIA (formerly RCIA), a parish choir under Dr. Adam Miller, and a bilingual schedule of weekday and weekend Masses that includes a Saturday Vigil and a Sunday Spanish Mass.
- Established
- 1950
- Patron
- St. John (the Apostle/Evangelist, after whom the 1950 church was named through the Extension Society's stipulation)
- Rector
- Rev. Saulo Daniel Ramos Hernández (Fr. Daniel Ramos)
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock
Why belong here
St. John Catholic Church is a welcoming bilingual parish where Sunday Mass is offered in both English and Spanish, alongside daily Mass, Eucharistic Adoration, and a Thursday evening Holy Hour. It pairs a historic faith community (rooted in a 1914 mission and a parish church dedicated in 1950) with active K-12 Faith Formation on Sunday mornings, a Wednesday-night Youth Ministry for grades 6-12, OCIA for adults, and an on-site Catholic school serving PreK3 through 6th grade — giving families a single, integrated Catholic life of worship, formation, education and fellowship.
Mass times at St. John
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m.
- Thursday 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
Adoration times
- Thursday 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. (Holy Hour)
Parish Overview
St. John Catholic Church is a bilingual (English/Spanish) Roman Catholic parish in Russellville, Arkansas, belonging to the Diocese of Little Rock and the River Valley Deanery. Its mission statement reads: 'We, as a community of believers, Created by the Father, Enriched by the Holy Spirit and sustained by the Blessed Eucharist, are called to respond to Jesus Christ by making the gift of the Catholic faith a shared reality.' The parish sits at 1900 W. Main Street, just across from its affiliated school at 1912 W. Main Street, and serves the broader River Valley community of Pope County.
- Diocese of Little Rock — under Bishop Anthony B. Taylor
- River Valley Deanery
- Located at 1900 W. Main St., Russellville, AR 72801
- Phone: (479) 967-3699
- Email: [email protected]
- Parish office hours: Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
History
St. John's roots reach back to a 1913 Benedictine 'Gospel Wagon' mission led by Father Boniface of New Subiaco Abbey, whose longest stay was at Sunny Point in Pope County. The Gillespie family donated land two and a half miles south of Russellville, where Bishop John B. Morris dedicated the small frame St. Ann Church in late 1914. For years it was a struggling monthly mission of the Atkins parish, supported by pew rent and the fundraising of the St. Ann Altar Society. Under Monsignor Feldkamp and then Father Rudolph E. Maus, the parish saved and sacrificed for a permanent church in town; parishioner-contractor John Zakes built the new structure for $40,000, and Bishop Albert L. Fletcher dedicated St. John Catholic Church on October 29, 1950 — the name 'St. John' required by the Extension Society of Chicago in exchange for a substantial building contribution.
- 1913 — Father Boniface's 'Gospel Wagon' missions in Pope County
- 1914 — St. Ann frame church dedicated by Bishop John B. Morris
- 1925 — Rev. Joseph C. Feldkamp assigned as pastor; Mass increases to twice monthly
- Early 1930s — remodel adds space; Gothic-style altar donated by St. Vincent Infirmary, Little Rock
- 1938 — local business leaders (including Dr. R.L. Smith) purchase a Russellville building site
- 1945 — Monsignor Feldkamp dies; Rev. Rudolph E. Maus succeeds him
- 1950 — new combination church-and-rectory built by John Zakes for $40,000
- October 29, 1950 — St. John Catholic Church dedicated by Bishop Albert L. Fletcher
Clergy, Staff & Pastoral Leadership
The parish is pastored by Fr. Saulo Daniel Ramos Hernández (Fr. Daniel Ramos), ordained June 2, 2018, who is fluent in both English and Spanish. He is assisted by Deacon Lawrence Fox, who also coordinates OCIA. The wider parish and school staff handle faith formation, youth ministry, music, accounting, administration and facilities.
- Pastor — Fr. Saulo Daniel Ramos Hernández ([email protected])
- Deacon — Dc. Lawrence Fox ([email protected]); also OCIA Coordinator
- Administrative Assistant — Don Goodlow ([email protected])
- Parish Secretary — Tanisha Najera ([email protected])
- Parish & School Accountant — Norma Cano ([email protected])
- Faith Formation / Youth Director (K-12) — Cynthia Solis Plascencia ([email protected])
- Faith Formation / Youth Assistant (K-12) — Jarendy Calvario ([email protected])
- Choir Director — Dr. Adam Miller ([email protected])
- Maintenance / Facility Manager — Matt Miller ([email protected])
Faith Formation & Religious Education
The parish's K-12 Faith Formation program, led by Faith Formation Director Cynthia Solis Plascencia, offers grade-level catechesis every Sunday morning from 9:30 a.m. to 10:45 a.m. The Diocese of Little Rock requires two years of formation before First Holy Communion (typically 1st–2nd grade) and Confirmation (typically 9th–10th grade). Children enrolled in St. John Catholic School are exempt from parish Faith Formation classes, since the school curriculum already covers catechesis.
- Sunday Faith Formation classes: 9:30 a.m. – 10:45 a.m.
- First Holy Communion — two years of formation, typically ending of 2nd grade
- Confirmation — two years of formation, typically ending of 10th grade
- Director: Cynthia Solis Plascencia ([email protected])
- Assistant: Jarendy Calvario ([email protected])
Youth Ministry
St. John's Youth Ministry, directed by Ms. Cynthia Solis, gathers middle- and high-schoolers (grades 6 through 12) every Wednesday evening from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. The night begins with a free dinner, followed by a fun activity and, when available, local service projects, and closes with a prayer service. Members are encouraged to bring friends — Catholic and non-Catholic — and parents are welcome to volunteer to help with meal preparation.
- Wednesday nights, 6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Open to students in grades 6–12
- Free dinner, activity, optional service project, prayer service
- Director: Cynthia Solis
OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults)
Adults seeking to become Catholic — or Catholics seeking to complete their sacraments of initiation — are welcomed through the parish's OCIA program (the post-Vatican II successor to RCIA), coordinated by Deacon Lawrence Fox. Inquiries can be directed to the parish office or to Deacon Fox at [email protected].
- Coordinator: Dc. Lawrence Fox ([email protected])
St. John Catholic School (PreK3 – 6th Grade)
Across the street from the church at 1912 W. Main Street, St. John Catholic School has served PreK3 through 6th-grade students of the River Valley for more than sixty years under the pastoral leadership of Fr. Daniel Ramos and principal Vivian Fox. The school is accredited by the Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association (ANSAA), is a member of the National Catholic Educational Association (NCEA), and is part of the Diocese of Little Rock school system. Its Montessori Pre-K and elementary program is fully DHS-licensed and integrates religion as a regular course of study, with Christian values woven through every subject and weekly Mass participation.
- Address: 1912 W. Main St., Russellville, AR 72801
- Phone: (479) 967-4644
- Principal: Vivian Fox ([email protected])
- Administrative Assistant / Enrollment Marketing: Patricia Aparicio
- Administrative Assistant: Marlene Butler ([email protected])
- Grades served: PreK3 through 6th
- Accreditation: Arkansas Nonpublic School Accrediting Association (ANSAA)
- Memberships: NCEA, Diocese of Little Rock Catholic Schools
- Motto: 'Christ is the reason for this school.'
Music & Liturgy
Liturgical music at St. John is led by Choir Director Dr. Adam Miller (also affiliated with Arkansas Tech University). The parish choir supports the English and Spanish weekend Masses as well as weekday liturgies.
- Choir Director: Dr. Adam Miller ([email protected])
Sacraments
The parish prepares and celebrates the full range of Catholic sacraments, including Baptism, First Reconciliation, First Holy Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony, the Anointing of the Sick, and the OCIA process for adult initiation. Anointing of the Sick is offered bilingually — in Spanish on the first Thursday evening and in English on the first Friday morning — and parents whose children are beyond the usual age for a sacrament are encouraged to contact the church office for guidance.
- Baptism (and infant Baptism)
- First Reconciliation (after 2nd-grade faith formation)
- First Holy Communion (after 2nd-grade faith formation)
- Confirmation (after 9th- and 10th-grade faith formation)
- Anointing of the Sick — 1st Thu. 7 p.m. (Spanish); 1st Fri. 8:30 a.m. (English)
- Matrimony (contact parish office)
- OCIA for adult initiation (Deacon Lawrence Fox)
Getting Involved
Parishioners serve through Faith Formation catechesis, the Youth Ministry team, the parish choir, and the long-running St. Ann Altar Society (the parish's women's fundraising society, originally organized in the St. Ann mission era). Parents are also welcome to volunteer for Wednesday-night meal preparation, and families can enroll children in the parish school.
- Catechists for Sunday Faith Formation
- Youth Ministry volunteers (meal prep, chaperones)
- Parish choir
- St. Ann Altar Society
- School parents and parish volunteers
Contact & Visit
The parish office is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Visitors and newcomers are warmly welcomed at any weekend Mass — the Saturday Vigil, the 8:00 a.m. Sunday Mass in Spanish, or the 11:00 a.m. Sunday Mass in English — or at the Thursday evening Holy Hour.
- Address: 1900 W. Main St., Russellville, AR 72801
- Phone: (479) 967-3699
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon.–Fri. 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
- Website: https://church.sjccr.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Joseph C. Feldkamp (later Monsignor)1925–1945
Assigned as pastor of Atkins with Russellville (St. Ann) and Dardanelle as missions; oversaw remodel of the St. Ann frame church and the early drive toward a new Russellville church. Died October 1945.
- Rev. Rudolph E. Maus1945–c.1950+
Native of Atkins and former St. Ann altar server; appointed pastor of St. Ann in Russellville and St. Augustine in Dardanelle. Led the building of the new St. John church, dedicated Oct. 29, 1950.