About St. Mary of the Lake · Horseshoe Lake, Arkansas
St. Mary of the Lake Church is a small Catholic mission parish in the resort community of Horseshoe Lake, Arkansas, in Crittenden County. Founded in 1964 on land donated by the Zanone family, the church was built by hand by then-24-year-old George Zanone as a 'plantation church' for farmers and weekend visitors. The parish is part of the Diocese of Little Rock, is listed under the North Delta Deanery, and is currently attended from St. Mary Church in Helena, with volunteer caretakers Skip and Billie Gaia and pastoral care provided by Holy Ghost Fathers (CSSp).
- Established
- 1964
- Patron
- Our Lady (Blessed Virgin Mary), under the title 'St. Mary of the Lake'
- Rector
- Fr. James Ibeh, CSSp (Parish Administrator) — attending mission served from St. Mary Church, Helena
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock
Why belong here
St. Mary of the Lake is a tight-knit lakeside Catholic community in a small resort town where, as one parishioner put it, 'it is the only church we have at the Lake.' With only around 18–20 year-round residents but holiday crowds that swell to more than 100, the mission offers a uniquely personal worship experience — regular Mass, reconciliation before each liturgy, and after-Mass refreshments that help knit together the year-round locals and weekenders from Memphis. The parish welcomes visitors, vacationers, and anyone who comes through the door, and it is supported by the Diocese of Little Rock and the Holy Ghost Fathers from St. Mary Church in Helena.
Mass times at St. Mary of the Lake
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:30 – 4:00 p.m. (winter only, before Vigil Mass)
- Sunday 7:00 – 7:30 a.m. (summer only, before Mass)
Parish History
St. Mary of the Lake was built by hand in 1964 by George Zanone, who was 24 at the time, on land his family donated to serve Catholic farmers and weekenders around Horseshoe Lake. Zanone recalled that it was 'a plantation church … one of those churches that was built on a farm,' and that when it opened, only about five families attended, none of whom lived in Horseshoe Lake year-round. The mission began as a seasonal chapel used in spring and summer during crop season, later becoming a year-round parish as the resort community grew.
- Built in 1964 in three to four months
- Designed and constructed by George Zanone at age 24
- Originally used only spring/summer during crop season
- Later expanded to year-round Mass as residents and visitors increased
Building & Architecture
The mission church is a concrete-block building finished with materials salvaged in 1964 from the Memphis convent of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, which closed that year. Convent officials allowed Zanone to take brick, stained-glass windows, pews, and a statue of St. Mary Euphrasia for use in the newly built Horseshoe Lake church, giving the modest mission a distinctive, dignified character.
- Concrete-block construction, hand-built 1964
- Brick, stained-glass windows, and pews salvaged from the closed Sisters of the Good Shepherd convent in Memphis
- Statue of St. Mary Euphrasia from the same convent
Diocese & Pastoral Care
The mission belongs to the Diocese of Little Rock, in the North Delta Deanery of Crittenden County. Pastoral care was historically provided through the Diocese of Memphis, then through St. Michael Church in West Memphis, and most recently through the Holy Ghost Fathers (CSSp) serving from St. Mary Church in Helena (123 Columbia St., Helena, AR 72342). The mission is currently administered by Fr. James Ibeh, CSSp, with Fr. Peter Ocholi Okolo, CSSp, as associate pastor.
- Diocese of Little Rock, North Delta Deanery
- Originally served by Diocese of Memphis, later Diocese of Little Rock
- Currently attended from St. Mary Church, Helena
- Care of the Holy Ghost Fathers (CSSp)
Parish Life & Fellowship
St. Mary of the Lake has long nurtured a small but lively community life built around the Mass. Parishioners began serving refreshments after Mass about 15 years before 2009, in part to bridge the gap between year-round residents and weekenders from Memphis. The parish also gathers for a spring potluck and a Christmas celebration, and longtime parishioner Carl Chambers — self-described 'oldest altar boy in the Catholic Church' — for years prepared the church for liturgy and greeted every visitor at the door.
- Refreshments after Mass
- Spring potluck
- Christmas gathering
- Lay greeter and altar-server ministry
Volunteers & Contacts
Day-to-day parish contact is handled by volunteer caretakers Skip and Billie Gaia, and the diocesan listing directs visitors to confirm Mass times by calling the West Memphis parish number. The mission also depends on lay volunteers like Carl Chambers for setup, greeting, and liturgical support.
- Volunteers: Skip and Billie Gaia — (870) 339-3199
- To confirm Mass times: (870) 733-1212 (West Memphis)
- Pastoral staff: Fr. James Ibeh, CSSp (Administrator); Fr. Peter Ocholi Okolo, CSSp (Associate Pastor)
Visiting Horseshoe Lake
Horseshoe Lake is a small resort community on the Mississippi River in Crittenden County, Arkansas, where the nearest Catholic parish other than the mission is roughly 30 minutes away in Memphis. Because the Mass schedule shifts seasonally and the chapel serves both locals and visitors, the Diocese of Little Rock advises all visitors to call ahead to confirm times. The mission's mailing address is in Helena, AR, where the attending parish (St. Mary Church) is located.
- Nearest other Catholic church: ~30 minutes away in Memphis
- Mailing address: 123 Columbia St., Helena, AR 72342
- Visit website (dolr.org) for current schedule and directions
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Athanasius Okeiyi2009–
Based in Brinkley; began serving the mission on the second Saturday in June 2009, restoring regular weekend Masses.