Who We Are
We are dedicated Catholics serving the Lord, our community, and each other in the piney woods of southern Arkansas.
St. Mark, Holy Child, and St. Mary churches are part of the South Delta Deanery of the Diocese of Little Rock.
OUR PASTOR
FR. DANIEL WENDEL
At St. Mark Catholic Church, we strive to connect every member of our community to God. Through the love of the Father, the grace of Jesus Christ, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we seek to help each person encounter God's love, grow in relationship with Him, and live out the Gospel in their daily lives. Our pastor, Fr. Daniel Wendel, is dedicated to fostering a welcoming community where everyone can discover the joy of knowing, loving, and following Jesus Christ, and growing in relationship with the Holy Trinity.
About St. Mark's Catholic Church
OUR VALUES
At St. Mark, we are dedicated to fostering a welcoming environment grounded in the love of God and nourished by the sacraments. We believe that through the grace of the sacraments and life in Christ, we are called to grow in faith, deepen our relationship with God, and share His love with others through acts of kindness, charity, and service.
OUR VISION
We envision a vibrant community where faith is actively lived out through service, outreach, and connection. Our goal is to inspire individuals to grow in their spiritual journey and to engage with one another in meaningful ways, building a strong and united church family.
Our History
A Brief History Of St. Mark Catholic Church in Monticello, Arkansas
Monticello's Catholic community is young, but its faith runs deep. The town welcomed its first resident priest in July 1983, and St. Mark Parish was officially established that August 24, born from the missionary spirit of the Glenmary Missionary Association.
The young parish first gathered in a remodeled building on West Oakland Street, then moved to its current home on North Hyatt Street in 1986. The original church became the parish hall, and an education wing was added in 1996 and 1997 as families kept answering the call to grow together in faith.
By the early 2000s, the congregation had outgrown its space, and parishioners gave generously to build something lasting, with support from Glenmary and the Diocese of Little Rock. In 2006, Glenmary entrusted St. Mark to the Diocese of Little Rock, and Father Phillip Reaves became its first diocesan priest. Construction began in 2007, and Bishop Anthony B. Taylor dedicated the new sanctuary on June 22, 2008. The new space was a home built by prayer as much as by hands.
Since then, Fathers Phillip Reaves, Pius Ajunwa Iwu, Rajasekhar Chappidi, Mark Abban, and Alphonse Gollapalli have shepherded the parish. Father Daniel Wendel serves as pastor today, carrying that legacy forward one generation of the faithful at a time.
Glenmary and St. Mark's
According to their website, Glenmary Home Missioners were founded in 1939 to help establish, expand, and sustain a Catholic presence in parts of rural America not otherwise effectively represented. Glenmary's presence in Arkansas is now largely complete, but for decades the priests, brothers,
and other missionaries of this order served many different communities well until they became incorporated into the Diocese of Little Rock.
Several Glenmary priests served the Monticello area, the last two, Fathers Dan Dorsey and Chet Artysiewicz, have served as the past two presidents of the Glenmary order. Father Dan helped secure the original St. Mark Church and associated educational facility, while Father Chet was the driving force behind the fundraising and construction of the current church.
