About St. Mary · Batesville, Arkansas
St. Mary Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Batesville, Arkansas, part of the Diocese of Little Rock and the North Delta Deanery. Located at 3800 Harrison Street, the parish describes itself as the flagship of the Catholic community in Independence County and serves as the mother church for St. Cecilia Church in Newport (Jackson County) as well as a Catholic Campus Ministry for students at nearby Lyon College. It offers a bilingual liturgical life (English and Spanish), a perpetual adoration chapel open 24/7, and is pastored by Fr. Jon Miskin with the assistance of two Directors of Faith Formation, a parish secretary, and a financial secretary.
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (parish name 'St. Mary')
- Rector
- Fr. Jon Miskin
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock (North Delta Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Mary offers the rare combination of a small-town Catholic parish with a full sacramental and devotional life: a 24/7 perpetual adoration chapel, daily Mass in both English and Spanish, a bilingual First Friday devotion, regular Reconciliation before weekday and Saturday Masses, and faith formation for every age staffed by two Directors of Faith Formation. It is also a regional hub — the parish also ministers to St. Cecilia in Newport and to Catholic students at Lyon College — so newcomers quickly become part of a wider Catholic community across Independence and Jackson Counties.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Tuesday 5:30 PM (before 6:00 PM Mass)
- Wednesday 5:30 PM (before 6:00 PM Mass)
- Saturday 3:00 PM (before 4:00 PM Vigil Mass)
- First Friday 6:30 PM (after 6:00 PM bilingual Mass)
- Fr. Jon is also available for Reconciliation following First Friday Mass
- By appointment (call the parish office)
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration — 24 hours a day, 7 days a week in the Adoration Chapel (except during Mass)
- First Friday: Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament begins after the 6:00 PM bilingual Mass and continues with Benediction at 8:00 AM Saturday morning
Parish Identity & Location
St. Mary Catholic Church is the principal Catholic parish of Batesville, Arkansas, in Independence County, and belongs to the Diocese of Little Rock's North Delta Deanery. The parish is located at 3800 Harrison Street, Batesville, AR 72501, and the office is reachable at (870) 793-7717 or [email protected]. Office hours are Monday–Thursday 9:00 AM–3:00 PM and Friday 9:00 AM–12:00 PM.
- Address: 3800 Harrison St., Batesville, AR 72501
- Phone: (870) 793-7717
- Office email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Thu 9 a.m.–3 p.m.; Fri 9 a.m.–noon
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Pastor Fr. Jon Miskin and supported by a permanent deacon and lay staff. The Faith Formation team is led by two Directors, and the parish office is staffed by a parish secretary and a financial secretary.
- Pastor: Fr. Jon Miskin ([email protected])
- Permanent Deacon: Mike Cumnock (per earlier parish profile)
- Parish Secretary: Maryellen Cadena ([email protected])
- Director of Faith Formation: Melaine Haunert ([email protected])
- Director of Faith Formation: Laura Morgado ([email protected])
- Financial Secretary: Sharon Strecker ([email protected])
Faith Formation
Faith Formation at St. Mary is coordinated by two Directors — Melaine Haunert and Laura Morgado — who together support catechesis for children and adults, including sacramental preparation and ongoing faith growth. Inquiries can be sent to either director using their parish email addresses.
- Children's Faith Formation (grades/ages via the parish office)
- Adult Faith Formation
- Sacramental preparation (Baptism, First Communion, Confirmation — contact the parish)
- Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA) — contact the parish office
Catholic Campus Ministry at Lyon College
St. Mary extends its pastoral care to the Catholic students of Lyon College, a Presbyterian-founded liberal arts college established in 1872 in Batesville. Through this ministry, the parish welcomes college students into the liturgical, formational, and community life of the parish.
- Pastoral outreach to Lyon College students
- Connection to parish Masses, confession, and faith formation
- Part of St. Mary's broader regional Catholic mission
Mission Church: St. Cecilia, Newport
St. Mary Parish 'also attends' St. Cecilia Church in Newport, Arkansas (Jackson County), meaning St. Cecilia is a mission of St. Mary. Together the two churches form one pastoral family serving Catholics in both Independence and Jackson Counties.
- St. Cecilia Church — Newport, AR (Jackson County)
- Pastoral oversight from St. Mary, Batesville
Bilingual (English/Spanish) Ministry
Reflecting the rapid growth of the Hispanic Catholic community in Independence County — documented in the 2009 Lyon College Sojourner oral-history project — St. Mary maintains a bilingual liturgical life with a weekly Sunday Mass in Spanish, a Wednesday evening Spanish Mass, Spanish-speaking faith formation staff, and a bilingual First Friday Mass.
- Sunday 12:30 PM Mass in Spanish
- Wednesday 6:00 PM Mass in Spanish
- First Friday 6:00 PM Bilingual Mass
- Spanish-speaking Faith Formation staff
Online & Social Media
Beyond the parish website, St. Mary maintains an active presence on Facebook and YouTube for parish news, livestreams, and updates.
- Website: stmarysbatesville.com
- Facebook: facebook.com/StMarysBatesville
- YouTube: youtube.com/@st.maryscatholicchurchbate8773
Diocese & Deanery
St. Mary Catholic Church is part of the Diocese of Little Rock, established November 28, 1843, by Pope Gregory XVI. Within the diocese, the parish belongs to the North Delta Deanery.
- Diocese of Little Rock
- North Delta Deanery
- Independence County, Arkansas
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Phillip A. ReavesJune 2010 –
Listed as pastor on a cached parish profile (MapQuest) referencing his June 2010 pastorate start.
- Fr. Jon MiskinCurrent
Current pastor per the Diocese of Little Rock parish directory and the parish website ([email protected]).