About St. Joseph · Fayetteville, Arkansas
St. Joseph Catholic Church is the oldest continuous Catholic community in Fayetteville, Arkansas, with roots reaching back to 1844 when the first Irish Catholic families settled in the area. Today it is a thriving multicultural parish of more than 1,000 families in the West Ozark Deanery of the Diocese of Little Rock, with Masses celebrated in both English and Spanish, perpetual adoration of the Blessed Sacrament, a parish school serving PreK3 through 8th grade, and an extensive network of ministries for every age and stage of life. After 130 years on Lafayette Street, the parish moved to its current home at 1722 N. Starr Drive in August 2002, and a new church project is currently underway under the coordination of parishioner Bob Mahler.
- Established
- 1844
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Fr. Jason Tyler, STL
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock (West Ozark Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Joseph offers a genuinely bilingual Catholic home in Northwest Arkansas, with weekly Masses in both English and Spanish, the gift of perpetual adoration open 24 hours a day, and a K-8 parish school on the same campus where faith is woven into daily learning. Families can plug into ministries for every season of life — children's faith formation, Edge and high school youth ministry, OCIC and RCIA, a seniors ministry with Anointing and luncheon, mom's groups, men's and women's fellowship, liturgical ministries, a prayer-shawl apostolate, and a 46-day rosary devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe. With a pastor, an associate, and four deacons on staff, plus a full team of directors for faith formation, youth, parish life, finance, and a New Church Project currently underway, the parish is clearly investing in both its spiritual life and its physical home for the next generation of Fayetteville Catholics.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 8:30–9:00 a.m.
- Saturday 3:30–4:45 p.m.
- Wednesday 5:00–5:45 p.m.
- Thursday 5:00–5:45 p.m.
- First Friday 9:15–10:00 a.m.
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration, 24 hours a day / 7 days a week (except during Mass times)
- Holy Hour in English — Third Wednesday, 6:45–7:45 p.m.
- Holy Hour in Spanish — Fourth Thursday, 6:45–7:45 p.m.
Parish History
Catholic life in Fayetteville began in 1844 when Bishop Andrew Byrne dispatched Father John Corry, who purchased 440 acres and built a log chapel. Irish families settled the land starting in 1846 with the Flynn family, and the earliest recorded baptisms (including those of enslaved people) were performed by Father Peter Walsh in 1847. The parish was formally named St. Joseph when Bishop Edward Fitzgerald dedicated the frame church at Lafayette and Willow in June 1878. The community moved to its present Starr Drive campus in August 2002 after 130 years on Lafayette Street.
- 1844 – first Irish Catholic families arrive; log chapel built on land purchased by Father John Corry
- 1847 – earliest recorded baptisms by Father Peter Walsh, including baptisms of enslaved people
- 1870–1872 – Fr. Laurence Smyth, first priest assigned to St. Joseph's Parish
- 1872–1880 – Fr. Michael Smyth, brother of Fr. Laurence
- 1878 – frame church at Lafayette and Willow dedicated by Bishop Edward Fitzgerald; parish renamed St. Joseph
- 1881–1883 – Fr. P. J. Reilly becomes first resident priest
- 1916 – Rev. Walter J. Tynin becomes first resident pastor (first native-born Arkansan ordained for Diocese of Little Rock); St. Joseph's Academy founded by Fr. Pietro Bandini with Ursuline Sisters
- August 2002 – parish relocates to 1722 N. Starr Drive after 130 years on Lafayette Street
Clergy and Staff
The parish is currently served by a pastor and associate pastor, four deacons, a deacon who serves as school principal, and a deacon who is pastoral administrator of Our Lady of the Ozarks Shrine in Winslow. A full lay staff directs operations, faith formation at every level, youth ministry, parish life, communications, finance, and the New Church Project.
- Fr. Jason Tyler, STL — Pastor (ordained July 9, 2005, Diocese of Little Rock)
- Fr. Martin Dara — Associate Pastor (ordained April 17, 2012, Diocese of Nelore, India)
- Dc. Warren Baldwin
- Dc. Marcelino Vázquez — Deacon/Custodian
- Dc. Jason Pohlmeier — Deacon / School Principal
- Dc. Bud Baldwin
- Dc. Mike Henry — Pastoral Administrator, Our Lady of the Ozarks Shrine, Winslow
- Paul Warren — Director of Church Operations
- Luz "Lucy" Morlet — Parish Secretary (Sacramental Records, Bulletin Editor, Infant Baptisms, Marriages)
- Jennie Güereca — Receptionist (Mass Intentions, Parish Registrations, Communion to the Sick, Safe Environment)
- Maria Vázquez — Director of Faith Formation (Children K–6, OCIC)
- Nicole Bork — Assistant Director of Faith Formation
- Carrie Montemayor — Director of Adult Faith Formation / Christian Initiation for Adults
- Jim Weir — Director of Youth Ministry (Edge, HSYM, Confirmation, VBS)
- Hilda Valle — Director of Parish Life (Communications, Flocknote, Facebook, Instagram, Room Reservations)
- Bob Mahler — New Church Project Coordinator
- Johanna Castillo — Church and School Finance Manager
- Laura Bednar — Assistant Finance Manager
Faith Formation
Faith formation at St. Joseph's is organized across the lifespan — from early childhood through adulthood — and is offered in both English and Spanish. Sacramental preparation for First Communion and Confirmation requires two consecutive years in Faith Formation or attendance at St. Joseph Catholic School.
- Children's Faith Formation PreK–6th grade (Sunday and Wednesday classes) — Maria Vázquez & Nicole Bork
- Order of Christian Initiation for Children (OCIC) for ages 7–17 not yet baptized or baptized in another denomination
- Edge middle-school youth ministry (7th–8th grade)
- HSYM high-school youth ministry (9th–12th grade)
- Confirmation Program — Jim Weir
- Adult Faith Formation / Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) — Carrie Montemayor
- The Vine Scripture Reflections — Sundays 10:15–11:15 a.m., room 152
- Abide Women's Ministry
St. Joseph Catholic School
St. Joseph Catholic School sits on the same campus as the church and serves children from PreK3 through 8th grade. According to the school's own history page, it traces its roots to 1916, when Father Pietro Bandini founded St. Joseph's Academy under the guidance of Ursuline Sisters from Springfield, Missouri — the first formal educational institution in Fayetteville serving the parish. The current principal is Deacon Jason Pohlmeier.
- PreK3 through 8th grade
- Principal: Dc. Jason Pohlmeier
- Rooted in the parish's 1916 Academy founded by Father Pietro Bandini with Ursuline Sisters
- Tuition/registration inquiries via the school office (479-442-4554)
Liturgical Ministries
Parishioners serve the liturgy in a variety of roles. Schedules are posted on the parish website under the Liturgical Ministries page; new volunteers are welcome to reach out using the contacts listed there.
- Altar Servers
- Greeters
- Ushers
- Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion (EMHCs)
Parish Life and Fellowship
The Office of Parish Life, directed by Hilda Valle, promotes unity among parishioners through year-round opportunities for fellowship, hospitality, and spiritual growth. Highlights include monthly after-Mass socials, weekly Coffee and Donuts, parish-wide picnics, the long-running Christmas Pageant, and weekly games-and-conversation groups (Bridge, Canasta, Mah Jongg) that draw a wide swath of the parish together on weeknights.
- Coffee and Donuts after the 9:00 a.m. Sunday Mass during the school year
- After Mass Socials on the Second Sunday of each month during the school year
- Bridge Club — 2nd & 4th Mondays, 6:30–8:30 p.m., room 225
- Canasta Group — Wednesdays at 12:00 p.m., room 225
- Mah Jongg Group — Thursdays at 12:15 p.m., room 225
- Christmas Pageant — December 24
- Parish Picnic — Sunday before Labor Day
- Welcoming Committee for new parishioners
- Nursery Ministry during Sunday Masses for ages 6 months to 3 years
Prayer Groups and Devotions
Beyond perpetual adoration, the parish gathers regularly for communal prayer, scripture study, and Marian devotion. The 46 Rosaries to Our Lady of Guadalupe devotion runs each year from October 28 through December 12, with the pilgrim statue of Our Lady of Guadalupe rotating to a different host family each day.
- Christian Fellowship — Friday mornings 6:30–7:30 a.m., room 225
- 46 Rosaries to Our Lady of Guadalupe — October 28 to December 12 (pilgrim statue visits a different family each day)
- Sacred Heart Apostolate (English and Spanish) — promotes the Enthronement of the Home to the Sacred Heart of Jesus and the Immaculate Heart of Mary
- Mary's Mantle Prayer Shawl Ministry — year-round
- Fill My Cup — weekly mothers' scripture study, worship, and fellowship, Tuesdays 9:30–10:30 a.m., room 229
- Stations of the Cross every Friday during Lent, 5:30 p.m. English and 7:00 p.m. Spanish
- St. Joseph Playgroup — weekly weekday mornings for moms with babies/toddlers/preschoolers
Sacraments
Parish registration is required before scheduling a Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation, or Marriage Preparation. The Parish Secretary handles sacramental records, infant baptisms, and marriages; the Directors of Faith Formation coordinate Christian Initiation for children, youth, and adults in both English and Spanish.
- Infant Baptism — Luz "Lucy" Morlet, Parish Secretary
- Christian Initiation for Adults (RCIA) — English: Carrie Montemayor; Spanish: Maria Vázquez
- Order of Christian Initiation for Children (OCIC) — Maria Vázquez or Nicole Bork
- First Communion and Confirmation — two consecutive years of formation required
- Marriage Preparation — by appointment with the Parish Secretary
- Anointing of the Sick — offered quarterly through the Seniors Ministry
- Communion to the Sick — contact the parish receptionist
Communications and Staying Connected
St. Joseph's uses Flocknote for text and email updates, posts the weekly bulletin online, and livestreams two Sunday Masses on Facebook Live. The Flocknote goes out on Fridays at 3 p.m. with a Wednesday deadline for submissions; bulletin submissions are due at least 10 days before publication.
- Text SJFAY to 84576 to receive parish updates by text (Flocknote)
- Livestreamed Sunday Masses at 9:00 a.m. (English) and 1:30 p.m. (Spanish) via Facebook Live — Facebook account not required
- Weekly bulletin available on the parish website (current and past issues)
- Social media: managed through the Director of Parish Life (Facebook, Instagram)
New Church Project
Following the parish's 2002 move to the Starr Drive campus, a New Church Project is currently underway. The project is coordinated by parishioner Bob Mahler and represents a major investment by the parish in its physical home for the next generation of worship in Fayetteville.
- New Church Project Coordinator: Bob Mahler — [email protected]
- Office line: 479-442-0890 ext. 217
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Laurence Smyth1870–1872
First priest assigned to St. Joseph's Parish; first to make regular visits from Fort Smith beginning in 1857.
- Fr. Michael Smyth1872–1880
Brother of Fr. Laurence Smyth.
- Fr. P. J. Reilly1881–1883
First resident priest of St. Joseph's; lived with the Byrnes family and took meals with the Coffeys until quarters were built adjoining the church.
- Fr. Pietro Bandini1899–1900, 1906, 1909, 1911–1914
Founder of Tontitown; established St. Joseph's Academy in 1916 with Ursuline Sisters from Springfield, Missouri.
- Rev. Walter J. Tynin, S.T.L.from June 1916
First native-born Arkansan ordained for the Diocese of Little Rock; first resident pastor of St. Joseph's, also serving Rogers and Benton County.
- Fr. Jason Tyler, STLpresent
Current pastor; ordained July 9, 2005, Diocese of Little Rock.