About St. Mary · Paragould, Arkansas
St. Mary's Catholic Church is a historic parish serving the Catholic faithful of Paragould, Arkansas, in the northeastern part of the state (Greene County). It belongs to the Diocese of Little Rock (North Delta Deanery) and also provides pastoral care for Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in nearby Walnut Ridge. The parish operates St. Mary School (PreK3 through 6th grade), runs a full schedule of Masses, weekly Adoration, regular Confession, RCIA, youth ministry, Knights of Columbus, and outreach programs like Supper on Sunday and a monthly food drive. The current sanctuary is a 1935 Romanesque Revival brick-and-steel building designed by the young Charles Eames and Robert Walsh, listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.
- Established
- 1883
- Patron
- The Blessed Virgin Mary (St. Mary)
- Rector
- Father Aby Abraham, IMS
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock (North Delta Deanery)
Why belong here
St. Mary's is a close-knit, multigenerational parish where many families have attended Mass together for generations — parishioners describe it as 'one big family' that rallies around each other from births to deaths. Worship is supported by daily and weekend Masses, weekly all-day Wednesday Adoration, regular Reconciliation, RCIA for adults, Parish Religious Education (K–8), Catholic Youth Ministry for high-schoolers, an active Knights of Columbus council, and a parish school (PreK3–6th). Outreach to the wider Paragould community flows through the Supper on Sunday (SOS) meal ministry and a monthly food drive supporting Griffin Memorial food pantry.
Mass times at St. Mary
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Sunday 8:30 – 9:15 a.m.
- Wednesday 5:00 – 5:45 p.m.
- Also heard 30 minutes before each weekday Mass on Monday, Friday, and Sunday (parish website)
- By appointment — call the church office
- Communal Reconciliation services during Advent and Lent
Adoration times
- Wednesday 8:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
History of St. Mary's Parish
The congregation was founded in December 1883 by Monsignor Eugene John Weibel, who celebrated the first Masses in Paragould's downtown Commercial Hotel. A wood-framed church was moved onto a lot at the corner of West Highland and Second Street in 1889–1890, and a spire and belfry were added in 1895. By the 1920s the wooden building was outgrown; under the long pastorate of Father Joseph M. Hoflinger (1914–1956), the parish paid off its debts and began raising a building fund that was largely lost in the 1929 stock-market crash but rebuilt within five years.
- Founded December 1883 by Msgr. Eugene John Weibel
- First Masses held in the Commercial Hotel downtown
- Original wood-framed church acquired and first used May 1890
- Spire and belfry added in 1895
- Longtime pastor Msgr. Joseph Hoflinger (1914–1956) led the parish through debt repayment and the Depression
Building the Eames Church (1935–1936)
Plans by architect Charles Eames and Robert Walsh were submitted in September 1935, and construction was underway by year's end. Local volunteers — including students of the adjacent Catholic school, who hauled bricks from the nearby train-yard — helped keep the project within the parish's modest budget. Bishop John Morris of Little Rock dedicated the new brick-and-steel church in December 1936 before an overflow crowd of nearly 600. Although similar in construction to Eames's other Arkansas church at Helena, the Paragould sanctuary was built on a smaller scale with less ornament.
- Plans submitted September 1935 by Charles Eames and Robert Walsh
- Construction completed within roughly one year
- Dedicated by Bishop John Morris of Little Rock, December 1936
- Schoolchildren hauled bricks from the train-yard to help build it
Architecture and Historic Designation
The sanctuary is a Romanesque Revival structure with restrained modernist touches: rounded arches, a three-story bell tower on the east façade, red exterior brick giving way to exposed buff brick and wooden roof beams inside, and a concrete basement foundation. Arkansas marble from Batesville is used for the altar, front steps, and the arch above the entry doors. Stained-glass windows incorporate Christian symbols (Alpha and Omega, loaves and fishes, crowns, and the Latin words PAX and LUX), and three large figural windows were imported from Munich, Germany. The church was added to the National Register of Historic Places on January 27, 2015.
- Style: Romanesque Revival with modernist influences
- Architects: Charles Eames and Robert Walsh, 1935
- Listed on the National Register of Historic Places — January 27, 2015 (NRHP #14001198)
- Interior features Batesville (AR) marble altar and entry arch
- Three figural stained-glass windows imported from Munich, Germany
Clergy and Staff
St. Mary's is led by Father Aby Abraham, IMS, as pastor, with two permanent deacons assisting: Deacon Ricardo Puello and Deacon John C. Drake. Parish and school staff include Mandy Kerperien (Administrative Assistant / Organist), Karen Ussery (Bookkeeper) and Roland Ussery (Maintenance), Natalie Stone (Director of Religious Education), Kem Drake (OCIA Coordinator), Carolyn Ponce (Music Director), Lee Ann Owen (School Principal), and lay ministry contacts Stephen Posey (Youth Ministry), Stephen McFall (Supper on Sunday), Barry Smoker (Food Drive), and Jo Lamp (Visiting the Sick).
- Pastor: Father Aby Abraham, IMS
- Deacon Ricardo Puello
- Deacon John C. Drake — Baptism Coordinator and Religious Education liaison
- DRE: Natalie Stone; OCIA Coordinator: Kem Drake; Music Director: Carolyn Ponce
- Administrative Assistant / Organist: Mandy Kerperien
- Bookkeeper: Karen Ussery; Maintenance: Roland Ussery
Sacraments
St. Mary's prepares parishioners for and celebrates all seven sacraments. Information on Baptism, First Reconciliation and First Eucharist (typically through the PRE program), Confirmation, Marriage Preparation and Convalidations, Anointing of the Sick, and Reconciliation is coordinated through the parish office. Confession is offered weekly and during the Advent and Lent communal services.
- Baptism — contact the parish office / Deacon John Drake
- First Reconciliation & First Eucharist — through PRE (K–8)
- Confirmation — coordinated by the parish office
- Marriage Preparation & Convalidations — coordinated by the parish office
- Anointing of the Sick — for the homebound and hospitalized, by request
- Reconciliation — weekly and during Advent/Lent communal services
Faith Formation and Religious Education
Faith formation at St. Mary's spans children, youth, and adults. Children in kindergarten through 8th grade attend Parish Religious Education (PRE) classes on Wednesdays during the school year at 6:30 p.m., immediately following the 6:00 p.m. Mass. High-schoolers (grades 9–12) take part in Catholic Youth Ministry (CYM). Adults inquiring into the Catholic faith, or baptized Catholics seeking Confirmation or Eucharist, journey through the Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA / OCIA), which begins each September.
- PRE — Parish Religious Education for K–8, Wednesdays 6:30 p.m.
- Catholic Youth Ministry (CYM) — grades 9–12
- RCIA / OCIA — begins annually in September; contact Kem Drake
- DRE: Natalie Stone
Parish Ministries and Outreach
Parish life at St. Mary's revolves around a number of long-standing ministries. The Knights of Columbus council meets on the first Thursday of each month in the Wenning House and runs Monday-night Bingo in the Parish Hall as a fundraiser for the school. The Altar Society supports the liturgical life of the parish. Outreach to the wider Paragould community includes Supper on Sunday (SOS), a free weekly meal started by Father Mike Sinkler, and a monthly food drive supporting Griffin Memorial food pantry. The Visiting the Sick and Homebound ministry brings Communion and a priest visit to parishioners who cannot attend Mass.
- Knights of Columbus — 1st Thursday, 7:00 p.m., Wenning House; Grand Knight via Dc. John Drake or parish office
- Altar Society
- Monday-night Bingo — 6:00–9:00 p.m. in the Parish Hall (school fundraiser)
- Supper on Sunday (SOS) — contact Stephen McFall
- Monthly Food Drive for Griffin Memorial food pantry — contact Barry Smoker
- Visiting the Sick and Homebound — contact Jo Lamp
St. Mary School
St. Mary School has long been part of parish life — its students literally hauled bricks to help build the current church in 1935 — and today it serves children in PreK3 through 6th grade on the parish campus at 310 N. 2nd Street, directly across from the church. The school is supported in part by the parish's weekly Monday-night Bingo, and is led by Principal Lee Ann Owen.
- Grades: PreK3 – 6
- Location: 310 N. 2nd St., Paragould, AR 72450
- Principal: Lee Ann Owen ([email protected])
- Monday-night Bingo is a key fundraiser for the school
Sister Mission: Immaculate Heart of Mary, Walnut Ridge
St. Mary's pastor and staff also minister to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in nearby Walnut Ridge, allowing the two parishes to share clergy and resources across Greene and Lawrence Counties.
- St. Mary's pastor also serves Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Walnut Ridge
Contact, Location, and Visiting
Parishioners and visitors can reach the church office by phone, email, or in person during weekday office hours. The main church address is on North Second Street in historic downtown Paragould; the mailing address and office are on North Third Street; the rectory sits on North Second Street next to the church. The parish school sits directly across the street at 310 N. 2nd Street.
- Church: 300 N. 2nd St., Paragould, AR 72450
- Office / Mailing: 401 N. 3rd St., Paragould, AR 72450
- Rectory: 410 N. 2nd St., Paragould, AR 72450
- Phone: (870) 236-2528 (parish) / (870) 236-2568 (diocesan listing)
- Email: [email protected]
- Office hours: Mon–Fri 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. (closed 11:30 a.m.–noon)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Monsignor Eugene John Weibel1883–
Founded the congregation in December 1883 and celebrated the first Masses in the Commercial Hotel downtown.
- Father Joseph M. Hoflinger1914–1956
Longtime pastor who paid off the parish's $10,000 debt within six years of arrival and led the campaign that resulted in the 1935 Eames-designed church. Retired in 1956.