About St. Michael · Cherokee Village, Arkansas
St. Michael's Catholic Church is a small parish of the Diocese of Little Rock serving Cherokee Village in Sharp County, Arkansas, and the surrounding Spring River region. The parish shares its pastor with the nearby sister mission of St. Mary of the Mount in Horseshoe Bend, and its community gathers for daily and Sunday Mass, weekday adoration, and a long list of lay-led ministries including the Knights of Columbus, CCD religious education, St. Vincent de Paul, and a parish prayer chain. The parish traces its roots to the handful of Catholic families who settled in the area as early as 1912 and worshipped in private homes before the first little native-stone church was built in nearby Hardy in 1939.
- Established
- 1939
- Patron
- St. Michael the Archangel
- Rector
- Fr. Amal Raju Punganoor Lourduswamy
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock
Why belong here
St. Michael's is a small but deeply lay-led Catholic community in the Ozark foothills, where every ministry — from the Knights of Columbus and St. Vincent de Paul help line (870-257-3448) to CCD religious education, the parish prayer chain, Eucharistic ministers to the sick and homebound, and the Altar Society — runs on the gifts of parishioners who know one another by name. Visitors are welcomed personally by Fr. Amal and invited to register, get involved, and share their talents, and the parish offers a full devotional life with daily Mass Monday through Saturday, Saturday Vigil and Sunday Mass, weekday Eucharistic adoration, Saturday confessions, and a columbarium and cemetery ministry for families in every stage of life.
Mass times at St. Michael
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00–3:45 p.m.
- First Friday and First Saturday — following the 9:00 a.m. Mass
- Anytime by appointment
Adoration times
- Monday 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Tuesday 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Wednesday 10:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.
- Thursday 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
- Friday 10:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.
Parish History & Heritage
St. Michael's traces its origins to 1912, when the Wavrick family — the first known Catholics in the area — settled in Draft, now part of Cherokee Village. For decades, Catholics in the region hid their faith out of economic self-protection, traveling rough dirt roads to attend Mass at parishes in Thayer, MO, and Hoxie and Paragould, AR. The first priest to serve the area, Fr. Raymond J. Morman, would arrive by train from Paragould and offer Mass on the Wavrick family post office counter. By the late 1930s, scattered visits from diocesan priests and a generous donor requesting the church be named for her late husband, Michael, set the stage for an actual church building in nearby Hardy.
- 1912 – Wavrick family arrives in Draft, AR (now Cherokee Village); first known Catholics in the area
- 1930s – intermittent Masses offered by Rev. Charles Stanowski, Rev. Otto Butterbach, Rev. Henry W. Nix, and Rev. Lawrence H. Schaefer
- January 14, 1939 – Beck Estate deeded approximately one acre to Bishop John Morris for the Diocese of Little Rock
- July 23, 1939 – First Mass celebrated in the new native-stone Hardy church by Fr. Lawrence H. Schaefer
- April 20, 1941 – Bishop Fletcher dedicates the church and confirms five children
- October 23, 1975 – Fr. Venantius Preske accepted into the Diocese of Little Rock on a 3-year trial
- December 10, 1976 – Mission officially established as a parish; Fr. Preske named Administrator
- August 10, 1976 – Parish Council resolves to move to Cherokee Village; Cooper Communities donates land
- February 26, 1978 – Groundbreaking of the new Cherokee Village church
- January 1978 – Parker Construction of Marion, AR, awarded the building contract
- February 4, 1979 – First Mass in the new Cherokee Village church
- March 11, 1979 – Bishop Andrew McDonald dedicates the new church and incardinates Fr. Preske as Pastor
The Original Hardy Stone Church (1939–c.1979)
The first St. Michael's mission church was a small, hand-built native-stone church in Hardy, AR, constructed with donated labor and craftsmanship from local parishioners. With no water, plumbing, or air conditioning and a wood stove fueled by firewood the families themselves cut and hauled in, the building seated about 75. The original deed contained a reversal clause that required the property to revert to the Beck Estate when it could no longer be expanded.
- Stonemason Fred Wise built the native-stone walls
- Mr. Avery did the oak framing
- Mr. Henning crafted cedar doors and candlesticks and forged iron hinges in his blacksmith shop
- Wood-burning stove near the altar was the sole source of heat
- Seating capacity estimated at 75
Clergy, Staff & Parish Leadership
St. Michael's is served by a small staff and a robust set of lay councils. The current pastor, Fr. Amal Raju Punganoor Lourduswamy — a priest of the Diocese of Nellore, India, in Arkansas since 2017 — also serves the sister parish of St. Mary of the Mount in Horseshoe Bend. The Parish Council (chaired by Buddy Kootz) assists the pastor with the broader pastoral objectives of the parish, while the Finance Council (chaired by Michael Gagne) oversees temporal matters. Both committees meet monthly.
- Pastor: Fr. Amal Punganoor — Rectory (870) 257-4456
- Pastoral Assistant: vacant
- Bookkeeper: vacant
- Music Ministry / Financial Secretary: Rose Brandenburg, (870) 994-2744
- Parish Secretary: Rhonda Bystry
- Director of Religious Education (DRE): Lori Templet, (870) 856-2261
- Coordinator of Communion to the Sick & Homebound: vacant — call the Church Office
- Parish Council Chair: Buddy Kootz, (870) 847-0264
- Finance Council Chair: Michael Gagne, (870) 751-3419
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri 10:00 a.m. – 12:00 noon (other times by appointment)
Parish Ministries & Organizations
Parish life at St. Michael's is shaped by a broad slate of lay-led ministries — service, formation, liturgical, social, and devotional — many coordinated by named parishioners whose phone numbers are listed on the parish website. Newcomers are welcomed personally by Fr. Amal and invited to register, share their gifts, and consider joining one of these groups.
- Knights of Columbus — Buddy Kootz, Grand Knight (847-0264)
- St. Vincent de Paul Help Line — (870) 257-3448 (financial assistance; Rick Esquivel)
- Religious Education / CCD — DRE Lori Templet (856-2261)
- RCIA Adult Education
- Altar Society — Rose Brandenburg
- Music Ministry — Director Rose Brandenburg (847-5018)
- Liturgical Ministries: Altar Servers, Eucharistic Ministers, Lectors, Sacristans, Ushers
- Adoration Chapel Coordinators — Rose Brandenburg (10 a.m.–4 p.m.), Anne Kootz (4 p.m.–9 p.m.)
- Compassion Ministry — Pat Such (847-7224)
- Prayer Chain — Kathy Gagne (751-3420 / [email protected])
- Communion to Nursing Homes — Nancy Paluck (421-9383)
- Communion to Sick & Homebound — Maureen Matselboba (941-356-0333)
- Parish BINGO — Isabelle Wiest (994-2243)
- Altar Flower Decorator — Pam MacAulay (847-6742)
- Parish Library
Outreach & Charity
Faith at St. Michael's moves outside the walls through the parish St. Vincent de Paul conference and a Compassion Ministry. The St. Vincent de Paul Help Line, (870) 257-3448, provides financial assistance to those in need — callers leave a message and a volunteer returns the call. After the March 14–15 tornadoes, the Knights of Columbus and Parish Council together coordinated financial and household-item donations for parishioners whose homes were destroyed.
- St. Vincent de Paul Help Line: (870) 257-3448
- Compassion Ministry: Pat Such, (870) 847-7224
- Prayer Chain: Kathy Gagne, [email protected]
- Communion to Nursing Homes and the Homebound
Faith Formation & Religious Education
Religious education for children is provided through the parish CCD program under Director of Religious Education Lori Templet. Adults preparing for full initiation into the Catholic Church are served through the RCIA process, which the parish welcomes newcomers to join. The parish also hosts an annual Confirmation Retreat for youth.
- CCD (Religious Education) — Lori Templet, (870) 856-2261
- RCIA — Adult Education for newcomers and those preparing for initiation
- Confirmation Retreat (held annually)
Music & Liturgical Arts
Music at St. Michael's is led by Music Director Rose Brandenburg, who also serves as Financial Secretary and Adoration Chapel Coordinator for the daytime hours. Liturgical roles including altar servers, lectors, Eucharistic ministers, sacristans, and ushers are filled by trained parishioners, with Pam MacAulay coordinating altar flowers.
- Music Director: Rose Brandenburg (847-5018)
- Altar Servers coordinator: Buddy Kootz (847-0264)
- Lectors coordinator: Teri Taylor (847-2112)
- Sacristans coordinator: Matt Winston (257-2857)
- Ushers coordinator: Joann Helfert (920-344-0365)
- Altar Flower Decorator: Pam MacAulay (847-6742)
Sacraments
The parish celebrates all the usual sacraments and welcomes inquiries through the Church Office. Preparation for First Communion and Confirmation is provided through CCD and Confirmation Retreat programs, while adults seeking Baptism, Confirmation, or Eucharist are served through RCIA. Communion to the Sick and Homebound and Communion to Nursing Homes are regular pastoral extensions of the Eucharist.
- Baptism — contact the Church Office
- First Communion — through CCD Religious Education
- Confirmation — preparation with Confirmation Retreat
- Marriage — contact the Church Office
- Anointing of the Sick — contact the Church Office
- RCIA — adult initiation
Cemetery & Columbarium Ministry
St. Michael's maintains two burial ministries for parishioners and their families. The on-site Memorial Gardens columbarium on the church property is a place of final rest for the cremated remains of the faithful departed. The Holy Family Cemetery is a dedicated section of the Oaklawn Cemetery in Highland, AR — less than a mile from the church on Hwy 62/412 — whose grounds have been blessed by Bishop Anthony Taylor.
- St. Michael's Memorial Gardens (columbarium on church property) — Jim Wege, (870) 257-2799
- Holy Family Cemetery (section of Oaklawn Cemetery, Highland, AR) — Bernie Brandenburg, (870) 994-2744
- Columbarium Committee: Jim Wege, Kevin Templet, Kevin Langellier
Parish Communications & Getting Involved
The parish uses OneCallNow for phone messages, with a replay number for those who miss the original call. Newcomers are asked to introduce themselves to Fr. Amal and complete a registration form available from the Church Office. Pastoral Council meetings are held monthly, and agenda items must be submitted to the Council President (Mike Gagne, 870-751-3419) at least two weeks in advance.
- OneCallNow Message Replay: (877) 698-3261 (call from the phone listed in the system)
- Parish CASA #: 7215
- New Parishioner Registration: complete a registration form and return to the Church Office
- Parish Council meetings: monthly; agenda items to Mike Gagne, (870) 751-3419, two weeks prior
Sister Parish: St. Mary of the Mount, Horseshoe Bend
St. Michael's shares its pastor with St. Mary of the Mount in Horseshoe Bend, AR. The parish website lists the Horseshoe Bend Mass schedule (Friday at 11:15 a.m., Sunday at 11:15 a.m., and all Holy Day of Obligations at 11:15 a.m.) and confession times (Friday after Mass and Sunday after Mass by request) so parishioners and visitors can plan across both communities.
- Mass: Friday 11:15 a.m.; Sunday 11:15 a.m.; Holy Days 11:15 a.m.
- Confession: Friday after Mass; Sunday after Mass by request
Visiting & Contact
The parish office is at 49 Tekakwitha Drive, at the corner of Highway 62/412 and Tekakwitha Drive, with office hours Monday through Friday, 10:00 a.m. to noon, and other times by appointment. The mailing address is PO Box 970, Cherokee Village, AR 72525. The rectory sits on parish property at 12 Micanopy Circle.
- Physical Address: 49 Tekakwitha Dr., Cherokee Village, AR 72529
- Mailing Address: PO Box 970, Cherokee Village, AR 72525
- Rectory: 12 Micanopy Cir., Cherokee Village, AR 72529
- Phone: (870) 257-2850
- Email: [email protected]
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri 10 a.m. – 12 noon (other times by appointment)
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Rev. Raymond J. Mormanearly 1900s–1930s
First priest to offer Mass in the area; traveled by train from Paragould to Hardy, where the Wavrick family met him at the station. Offered Mass on the Wavrick family post office counter and at Higgenbottom Funeral Home.
- Rev. Charles Stanowski1934
Offered intermittent Masses in area homes.
- Rev. Otto Butterbach1934–35
Offered intermittent Masses in area homes.
- Rev. Lawrence H. Schaefer1930s
Pastor from Hoxie, AR. Celebrated the first Mass in the new native-stone Hardy church on July 23, 1939, and helped the early Catholics plan and raise funds.
- Rev. Henry W. Nix1935–43
Offered intermittent Masses in the area.
- Rev. Venantius Preske1975–c.1979+
Former Glenmary Missionary; accepted into the Diocese of Little Rock on a 3-year trial basis on Oct. 23, 1975. Drove the move from Hardy to Cherokee Village, broke ground Feb. 26, 1978; incardinated into the diocese and appointed Pastor of both St. Michael's and St. Mary's parishes by Bishop Andrew McDonald on March 11, 1979.
- Fr. Amal Raju Punganoor Lourduswamy2017–present
A priest of the Diocese of Nellore, India, in Arkansas since 2017; current pastor of St. Michael's Cherokee Village and St. Mary of the Mount, Horseshoe Bend.