About St. Peter the Fisherman · Mountain Home, Arkansas
St. Peter the Fisherman Catholic Church is a Roman Catholic parish in Mountain Home, Arkansas, in the Twin Lakes Area of the Ozarks. It belongs to the Diocese of Little Rock and is pastored by Fr. Alex Smith, with two deacons (Dc. Robert Wochner and Dc. Jeffrey Speight) supporting a vibrant lay life that includes a Dominican Sisters community, the Knights of Columbus, the Daughters of Mary, St. Vincent de Paul, and perpetual Eucharistic Adoration. The parish mission statement describes its members as 'commissioned by Christ, inspired by his teaching, motivated by love, and called by our very Baptism to be the living sign of God's loving presence in the community of the Twin Lakes Area.'
- Established
- 1929
- Patron
- St. Peter the Fisherman (the Apostle Peter, fisher of men)
- Rector
- Fr. Alex Smith
- Diocese
- Diocese of Little Rock (North Ozark Deanery, Baxter County)
Why belong here
St. Peter the Fisherman is a small but deeply active parish where Catholic life is woven into the rhythms of the week. The church offers daily Mass several days a week, perpetual Eucharistic Adoration 24 hours a day, a rich devotional life (Stations of the Cross in Lent, Our Lady of Fatima First Saturday devotion, Patriotic Rosary on Thursdays, St. Joseph devotion, Liturgy of the Hours), and family-friendly faith formation from Pre-K through high school CYM Youth Ministry on Wednesday nights. A live-in community of Dominican Sisters and a robust lay ministry network — Knights of Columbus, Daughters of Mary, Dominican Laity, St. Vincent de Paul, the Clothing Room and a Health Ministry that even loans out medical equipment — make it easy to plug in, serve your neighbors, and grow in faith.
Mass times at St. Peter the Fisherman
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- 30 minutes before daily Mass
- By appointment (call the parish office)
Adoration times
- Perpetual Adoration 24 hours a day, except during Mass (contact Angela DeGroote at (870) 481-5969)
Parish History
Catholic life in Mountain Home traces back to April 1929, when Fr. Raymond Marmon offered the first Mass in a parishioner's home. The community met in homes, then in a local funeral home chapel, and the American Legion Building, before the first St. Peter the Fisherman Church was dedicated on Highway 5 North on October 30, 1949 by Bishop Albert L. Fletcher. The mission was canonically established as a parish in August 1959 under its first pastor, Father Henry J. Chinery. A second church (today's DeClerk Hall) was dedicated May 13, 1962, and the present church was dedicated July 2, 1972 under Pastor Fr. Rainer Joseph DeClerk. In 2005, under Fr. James M. Fanrak, a new two-level parish life center with hall/gym, kitchen, offices, meeting rooms and classrooms was added and dedicated by Bishop J. Peter Sartain.
- 1929 – First Mass said by Fr. Raymond Marmon in a parishioner's home
- 1949 – First church dedicated on Highway 5 North by Bishop Albert L. Fletcher
- 1959 – Established as a separate parish under Father Henry J. Chinery
- 1962 – DeClerk Hall (second church) dedicated
- 1972 – Present church dedicated by Bishop Fletcher, Auxiliary Bishop Graves, and Fr. DeClerk
- 2005 – New parish life center dedicated by Bishop J. Peter Sartain
Clergy & Staff
The parish is led by Fr. Alex Smith as Pastor, with two permanent deacons — Dc. Robert Wochner and Dc. Jeffrey Speight — and a resident community of three Dominican Sisters (Sisters Santina Purcha, Irmina Malek, and Klaudia Klapacz, OP). Lay staff include Tina Johnson (Financial Secretary), Mary Jo Rudnik (Parish Secretary), Brandi Noval (Director of Religious Education / C-DRE), and Emily Peters (Youth Minister). Steven Jamison serves as Music Director.
- Fr. Alex Smith — Pastor
- Dc. Robert Wochner — Deacon
- Dc. Jeffrey Speight — Deacon
- Sister Santina Purcha, OP; Sister Irmina Malek, OP; Sister Klaudia Klapacz, OP — Dominican Sisters
- Tina Johnson — Financial Secretary
- Mary Jo Rudnik — Parish Secretary
- Brandi Noval — C/DRE
- Emily Peters — Youth Minister
- Steven Jamison — Music Director
Pastor's Advisory Board
The Pastor's Advisory Board assists Fr. Alex Smith in pastoral and parish life decisions. Members include lay parishioners alongside both deacons.
- Dana Brown
- Eddie Harrison
- Hilda Hodnett
- Ron Huber
- Vinnie Leone
- Theresa Mangione
- Matt Taylor
- Deacon Jeff Speight
- Deacon Robert Wochner
Devotions & Other Services
The parish maintains a rich devotional calendar throughout the week and across the liturgical year, supplementing Mass with traditional Catholic prayers and Eucharistic devotions.
- Stations of the Cross — every Friday during Lent (preceded by the Rosary at 6:40 am)
- Benediction — Fridays after the 5:15 pm Mass
- Our Lady of Fatima — First Saturday at the 7:15 am Mass (preceded by the Rosary at 6:40 am)
- St. Joseph Devotion — First Wednesday at the 5:15 pm Mass (Rosary at 4:45 pm; Benediction after Mass)
- Patriotic Rosary — Thursdays after the 7:15 am Mass
- Liturgy of the Hours / Morning Prayer — Tuesdays after the 7:15 am Mass
Faith Formation & Youth
Children's faith formation is led by Director of Religious Education Brandi Noval and Youth Minister Sarah Osorio. The Catechesis of the Good Shepherd atrium serves Pre-K through 5th grade, and Christian Youth Ministry (CYM) gathers Grades 6–12 on Wednesday nights from 6:00 to 7:30 pm. Adult catechesis is offered through the OCIA process for those seeking initiation into the Catholic Church.
- Catechesis of the Good Shepherd — Pre-K through 5th grade (Brandi Noval)
- CYM Youth Ministry — Grades 6–12, Wednesdays 6:00–7:30 pm (Sarah Osorio)
- OCIA (Order of Christian Initiation of Adults) — call parish office
Music Ministry
The Adult Choir, directed by Music Director Steven Jamison, supports the sung liturgy of the parish and welcomes new members.
- Adult Choir — contact Steven Jamison, (870) 425-2832 ext. 1
Religious & Lay Communities
A resident community of three Dominican Sisters (OP) ministers at the parish, complemented by a Dominican Laity chapter led by Kathi Richey, OP. The Daughters of Mary, an active women's faith and service group, is led by Lynne Weaver.
- Dominican Sisters — Sr. Santina Purcha, OP; Sr. Irmina Malek, OP; Sr. Klaudia Klapacz, OP
- Dominican Laity — Kathi Richey, OP
- Daughters of Mary — Lynne Weaver
Service & Outreach
St. Peter the Fisherman has a strong outreach footprint through several organizations that serve the Twin Lakes Area.
- St. Vincent de Paul Society — Thursdays 10:00 am – 12:00 pm, (870) 424-0926
- Clothing Room (Family Ministry) — Mon–Fri 10:00–1:00, Sat 10:00–2:00; located in the house on Dyer Place (Kathi Clark, (870) 809-9080)
- Knights of Columbus — Tom Kaster, (815) 715-5902
- Knights of Columbus 4th Degree — Tim Malloy, (870) 243-5294
- CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) — Bob Goss, (870) 404-2047
Health Ministry
A team of parishioners with healthcare backgrounds (social work, pharmacy, nursing, physical therapy) assists the parish with medical, spiritual, and physical needs. The ministry loans durable medical equipment, offers grief support, takes blood pressures at parish breakfasts, maintains a Blessing Box and emerging food pantry on the east side of the church parking lot, and provides transportation and pill-box assistance.
- Coordinator: Denise Malloy, (870) 321-4163
- Blood Pressure Clinic — Marilyn Keubrich, (618) 210-4104
- Medical Equipment Loan — Susan Browning, (870) 672-1998
- Grief & Loss Support — Hilda Hodnett, (870) 404-0728
- Transportation / Pill-box help — Pat Wilkerson, (775) 722-7173
- Blessing Box & Food Pantry — east side of Church parking lot
Visit, Contact & Location
St. Peter the Fisherman is located at 249 Dyer Street in Mountain Home, Arkansas. The parish office is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., and can be reached at (870) 425-2832 (fax 870-424-5172). The mailing address is P.O. Box 298, Mountain Home, AR 72654.
- Address: 249 Dyer Street, Mountain Home, AR 72653
- Mailing: P.O. Box 298, Mountain Home, AR 72654
- Phone: (870) 425-2832 | Fax: (870) 424-5172
- Office Hours: Mon–Fri, 8:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Fr. Raymond Marmon1929
Said the first Mass in the Mountain Home area, in a parishioner's home in April 1929.
- Father Henry J. Chinery1959
First Pastor when the mission was canonically established as a separate parish in August 1959.
- Fr. Rainer Joseph DeClerk1972
Pastor when the present church was dedicated on July 2, 1972; the parish's DeClerk Hall is named after him.
- Fr. James M. Fanrak2005
Pastor at the dedication of the new two-level parish life center built in 2005.
- Fr. Alex Smith
Current Pastor; greeted with a 'Welcome to St Peter the Fisherman, Father Alex!' announcement on the parish site.