A Honky-Tonk Becomes a Parish on Remount Road
St. Anne Catholic Church sits at 6150 Remount Road on the north side of North Little Rock, Arkansas, where a former honky-tonk has served as a house of worship for more than 90 years. The parish traces its roots to 1909, when a small group of pioneers from St. Joseph's Orphanage near Camp Pike began gathering for worship. The pastors in those early years were the chaplains to the Sisters who ran the orphanage, and for nearly three decades the small community met in borrowed spaces before a permanent home became possible.
That home arrived on September 23, 1935, when the Diocese purchased the local dance hall and bar. The men of the parish removed the bar and stools and painted the walls themselves. Bishop Morris formally dedicated the converted building as a church on November 20, 1938. In the early years, socials filled the sacristy, meetings and bingos moved from house to house, and outdoor bazaars raised the money that gradually grew the campus. Originally the pastors lived in residence at Catholic High School or at St. Joseph's Orphanage until 1959, when the Diocese purchased a rectory for the parish. A 1975 renovation installed a new floor over the old dance floor, and a 2016 renovation updated the building's essential systems.
Two transitions shaped the modern parish. In 2002 the parish added a Spanish Mass, which eventually brought the Vincentian priests to St. Anne to help welcome the growing Latino community. After 15 years of service, the Vincentians were reassigned to other missions in 2019, and St. Anne welcomed its first Diocesan pastor since the Vincentian era. Today, St. Anne counts more than 300 registered active families, over 1,000 members, and more than 40 families enrolled in Family Faith Formation.
Mass in English and Spanish
St. Anne is a bilingual parish where Mass is celebrated in both English and Spanish every week. The Saturday Vigil Mass at 4:00 PM is offered in English, and the parish also provides a drive-in option in the parking lot for the same Mass. Attendants can stay in their vehicles and tune their radios to 87.9 FM to follow along, with ushers on hand to help and an Extraordinary Minister of Communion bringing the Eucharist to each car.
Sunday Masses alternate between the two languages. The 8:00 AM Sunday Mass is celebrated in Spanish, the 10:00 AM Mass is in English, and the 12:00 PM Mass returns to Spanish. Daily Mass fills out the rest of the week: Tuesday at 7:00 PM in Spanish, Wednesday at 12:00 PM in English, Thursday at 7:00 AM in English, and Friday at 7:00 AM in English.
Confession, Adoration, and Other Devotions
The sacrament of Reconciliation is offered three times a week. Confessions are heard on Tuesday from 6:00 to 6:45 PM, on Thursday from 6:00 to 7:00 PM, and on Saturday from 3:00 to 3:45 PM, giving parishioners time to prepare for the Vigil Mass or the coming Sunday.
Adoration of the Blessed Sacrament is held on the first Friday of each month. The Men's Club also gathers on the first Saturday of every month for Adoration at 7:00 AM, Mass at 8:00 AM, and a shared breakfast in Mary's Hall, offering a regular rhythm of fellowship for the men of the parish.
Preparing for the Sacraments
St. Anne prepares parishioners for the sacraments throughout every stage of life. Infant Baptism is scheduled by appointment through the parish office at 501-753-3977, and the parish does not celebrate Baptisms during Lent. Parents are asked to be registered members of St. Anne with at least six months of regular Mass attendance, to complete pre-Baptismal classes, and to provide a copy of the child's birth certificate. Godparents must be at least 16 years old, fully initiated Catholics who have received Baptism, Communion, and Confirmation (and Matrimony, if married), and have completed pre-Baptismal classes of their own. A suggested contribution of $30 supports the program.
First Reconciliation and First Communion follow Diocesan guidelines. Children must be baptized and at least in the second grade, and the family must be enrolled in and regularly attending the parish's Family Faith Formation program for one full year before the sacramental preparation year, which then includes two special Wednesday sessions each month.
Confirmation preparation is reserved for candidates at least 14 years old who have already received Baptism, First Reconciliation, and First Communion. The candidate's family must be registered in the parish and have a year of regular attendance in Family Faith Formation or a Catholic school before beginning the two-year preparation process. Sponsors must be at least 16, fully initiated, active Catholics who are not the candidate's parent, and they meet with the candidate monthly throughout the preparation year. Resources for Confirmation candidates, including a Decision Point guide, a Confirmation name worksheet, and a sponsor letter template, are available through the parish.
Couples preparing for Matrimony and parishioners seeking the Anointing of the Sick are asked to contact the parish office directly at 501-753-3977 or secretary@saintannenlr.org. A medical emergency line at 479-763-5070 connects families to a priest in urgent situations.
Family Faith Formation
St. Anne's religious education program is built around the A Family of Faith model, a parent-led approach in which the parish catechist presents one teaching session a month to parents, who then take that lesson into their homes with the help of a parent's guide and a children's activity book. The monthly sessions run from August through May: the English meeting is held on the second Wednesday of each month and the Spanish session on the first Wednesday, both from 6:30 to 8:30 PM in Mary's Hall. An optional second monthly gathering helps build community among the parish's families.
Belinda Ortner, the parish's Director of Religious Education, oversees the program and can be reached at bortner@saintannenlr.org. Sessions are cancelled whenever North Little Rock Public Schools cancel or dismiss early for weather.
Catholic Youth Ministry
St. Anne's Catholic Youth Ministry (CYM) is a place for high school teens between the ages of 13 and 18 to gather, share in fellowship, and continue their faith formation. Meetings are held every other Thursday from 6:30 to 8:00 PM and feature guest speakers, topical presentations, games, and several fundraisers throughout the year. CYM members regularly attend the diocesan Catholic Youth Convention and take part in parish service projects such as Vacation Bible School. Laura Martinez and Maria Arteaga lead the group.
Liturgical and Community Ministries
Parishioners serve in a wide range of ministries, both inside the church and out. The liturgical side includes Altar Servers, Lectors, Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and the Music Ministry. On the community side, the Hospitality Committee welcomes parishioners and visitors at Mass, the Catholic Youth Ministry organizes teen activities, and the parish chapter of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, known locally as Sts. Anne and Joachim, provides financial assistance to neighbors in need throughout North Little Rock and Sherwood. The Vincent de Paul help line can be reached at 501-819-2059.
The parish weekly bulletin is available online, and online giving accepts debit, credit, Cash App, Google Pay, and Apple Pay.
The Parish Team
St. Anne is led by Fr. Martin Amaro, Pastor, with day-to-day operations supported by parish staff. Deacon Fred Molina assists with liturgical and pastoral life, and Belinda Ortner directs religious education for children, youth, and families. The parish office is open at 6150 Remount Road, North Little Rock, AR 72118, and can be reached at 501-753-3977 or secretary@saintannenlr.org.