TONTITOWN — An unlikely partnership has proved to be a winning combo for Ozark Catholic Academy and the St. Joseph Food Pantry in Tontitown. Since the two organizations teamed up and began cohosting bingo nights two years ago, both have benefited.

Although bingo is not a novel idea, the Saturday night event has been revived in Tontitown’s only parish. Breathing new life into a bygone pastime has made bingo a sell-out event that ticks both the fun and charitable boxes.

Director of the St. Joseph Food Pantry, Sharon Pianalto, said without the monthly bingo evenings, the St. Joseph Food Pantry was struggling. 

“Bingo has brought in funds and food donations that have helped us survive and meet the growing needs of individuals in our area,” she said. “We have been able to purchase more expensive items like diapers and some adult toiletries, plus more food from the Northwest Arkansas Food Bank with the extra funds.” 

Pianalto and the 25 volunteers who assist at the food pantry have also been able to expand into more space at the parish to meet the growing needs of the 55-70 families they serve every Monday from 5-6 p.m. 

“Bingo has made my ordering and spending so much easier because now we can go three weeks out in our purchasing and be more prepared,” Pianalto added, “Besides that, this has brought people together.”

Each month, ticket holders receive an email about the evening and a list of food pantry needs. In September, paper products were brought, and in October, those attending donated bread, peanut butter and jelly. 

Bingo started as a school fundraiser, but it didn’t hit the jackpot until it paired with the food pantry. In the fall of 2023, an outreach ministry was created to benefit both parties who would work together to host the event and to split the profits evenly. After the first one, news spread and the event grew. In 2024, eight bingo nights were hosted. This year, 10 were organized and held on the second Saturday of the month, except in July and August.

Regulars at bingo praise the good times and value of the Saturday night entertainment. A $30 ticket includes dinner, dessert, two bingo playing cards and drinks, including beer, wine and soda. Additionally, raffle tickets are sold for a drawing for evening-themed baskets, assembled by Deacon Dan Hennessey’s wife, Beth. Players can also win $100 during the nine standard bingo games and have a chance, during a special game at the end of the night, to take home a progressive jackpot currently up to $5,000. 

For many, the monthly themes for the evening’s festivities have made bingo a favorite activity. 

“We drive from Eureka Springs each month and start by going to Mass,” said Doug Purifoy and Tommy Reinhart, both parishioners of St. Elizabeth Church. 

The two said they look forward to seeing familiar faces and enjoying an evening of bingo. 

“It’s worth it,” said Purifoy, as he and Reinhart began prepping their multiple playing cards for the game. 

Some come for the fun, others for the camaraderie. Mary Kirk, who has been a Tontitown parishioner for 46 years, said she loves being together with her friends. 

“We have fun and also donate to the school and food pantry,” she said 

“Bingo is a date night for my husband and me,” said Teisha Weisenfels, who faithfully attends each month. A parent of two OCA students, Weisenfels said she not only loves the game, but she also enjoys catching up with friends and having a night out.

October’s game was a full house with 250 players. In the past few months, the event has been selling out with regular patrons buying their tickets in advance for the next bingo. Robbie Estes, president of OCA, said profits have doubled with the October bingo bringing in $6,397 and the November night netting $8,150.

Kate Lunsford, OCA’s new event management director, said the event is a great partnership.
“Bingo has spread the word about OCA, which is great for the school and the food pantry,” Lunsford said. Patrons look forward to the next bingo night Dec. 13.
“Playing bingo is synonymous with being Catholic,” Purifoy said of the evening.

TONTITOWN — The path is not always straight, and no one understands that like Chase Feltner.

As the new hire for the dean of athletics at Ozark Catholic Academy in Tontitown, Feltner feels his circuitous path has brought him to the place he needs to be. 

Most people associate the Feltner name with either running or burgers. And both would be true.

Feltner can lay claim to both, just at different times in his life.

As a high school student, Feltner ran mid-distance races and broke state and regional records, earning him the All-American title in track at Russellville High School in 2002. In 2003, he was awarded the highly regarded Gatorade Track Player of the Year. 

His success also carried over to the classroom, where he graduated with a 4.0 grade point. Combined, it was his athleticism and academics that got the attention of the legendary Coach John McDonald at the University of Arkansas, who offered Feltner and his twin brother scholarships to run.

“Being successful in the classroom was important to me,” Feltner said, “and focusing on my studies and what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted to make sure I could be successful and prepare for my future.” 

The running genes were legitimate. Their father, John, was a running phenom and was inducted into the Arkansas Hall of Fame more than 20 years ago. Chase Feltner would later be inducted in 2021, an honor he holds dear as he and his dad are currently the only father-son duo.

Despite his love for running, after three semesters, he and his brother, Travis, both decided to hang up their running cleats and focus on school.

“It came down to the joy that I had experienced running, it just wasn’t there anymore,” Feltner said. “I had lived out a dream to wear the U of A jersey and everything was there, but something was missing, and that was really the first time in life that I was experiencing that emptiness, but I didn’t know what that was.” 

Running had been his life, but something was missing. 

Following graduating in 2007 with a degree in marketing management and a minor in finance and communications, Feltner moved to Los Angeles, worked in a restaurant on Sunset Strip across from the famous Mel’s Diner, often frequented by the stars. The following year, he moved to Panama City Beach, Fla., and worked as a bartender while his brother, Travis, worked as a weather reporter.

With these experiences under their belt, both brothers moved back home to Fayetteville the following year and opened the iconic “Feltner Brothers” that has been a part of the local scene for 16 years. Not veering too far off the path, one could say there were “burgers in their blood.” Their grandfather had opened the original “Feltner’s Whataburger” in Russellville in 1967. Still open today, the restaurant continues under their aunt. 

“Our restaurants were not affiliated, but we knew we could be successful with the name,” he said. “We were so young, and we didn’t want to work for anyone else,” Feltner said with a laugh of their 2009 restaurant debut in Fayetteville.

Still, the demands of keeping a flourishing business afloat took their toll on both brothers. A second location, interestingly, was opened in Tontitown in the summer of 2018 before OCA opened its doors. 

“But we had to keep an eye on what’s important,” the 40-year-old said. 

As the family grew and changed, so did their dreams for the business. Feltner and his brother took different paths, but their younger brother, Grant, stepped in as a new owner of the business. When the pandemic hit in 2020, it was a struggle to keep both establishments, so the Tontitown location closed.

“We spent time refocusing our efforts with the rebranding and refreshing of the business in Fayetteville to keep it successful,” he said. 

All the while, that still small voice had gotten louder for Feltner.

In 2023, he entered the seminary with the Diocese of Little Rock and continued discerning what a life of holiness looked like for him. That led him a year later to join the Trappist monks at St. Joseph Abbey, an old dairy farm turned monastery, in Massachusetts, where Feltner said it was isolated and the cold winters appealed to him. 

But the voice continued to call, and Feltner said it brought him back to Arkansas to be with his family. 

“The Lord was asking me to come home, and there was a peace in making the decision,” Feltner said. “I have never felt more free in making that decision.”

Feltner, who attends both Fayetteville parishes of St. Thomas Aquinas and St Joseph, reflects on how his resume has been a primer for this new position, which includes overseeing all athletic programs and coaches.

“I told the Lord, after 18 years of doing the same thing, and then from 2023-2025 bouncing around, he better have something good for me,” he said with a laugh. “When I learned that the dean of athletics position was open, I felt really fortunate.”

“I feel the Lord has prepared me in all the aspects — faith, business, sports and working with youth — to be better prepared to do this job,” Feltner said. “I find myself sitting in the chapel at OCA and see the Lord’s humor. I have to pinch myself in this moment. This school has a mission and vision to help get the kids to heaven and to help them with who God intends them to be. We get a chance to develop who they are as athletes and individuals, and I am excited to be a part of that mission.”

She has been a volunteer in two countries and two different churches, so it is easy to understand why Cindy Argueta makes a difference in any parish she attends.

A parishioner of St. Mary Parish in Siloam Springs, Argueta, 20, has taken on various roles and been actively involved with everything from youth retreats to parish religious education classes to Vacation Bible School. For the past two to three years, Argueta has divided her time between the demands of being a college student, working and volunteering at her parish. But, as in other aspects of her life, Argueta has not shied away from a challenge.  

Currently, Argueta is a junior studying kinesiology and sports medicine at John Brown University in Siloam Springs. She juggles her demanding academics while working two jobs. She manages the women’s soccer team with the work/study program at JBU and also at the Walton Family Health Complex.

In her home country of El Salvador, Argueta said she was very involved with her childhood church. Since moving from El Salvador with her parents and older brother as an early teen, Argueta decided to continue her desire to volunteer at her church and became involved at St. Mary’s.

“I am inspired by the people around me,” she said. “I have people who helped bring me closer to Christ, and I want to do the same,” she said.

If you were canonized, what would you be the patron saint of? 

“I think I would be the patron saint of smiles. I like smiling, being kind and helping others.” 

TONTITOWN  —  When the days turn crisp and school is back in session, “Sorting Day” at Ozark Catholic Academy is right around the corner. 

The day’s event is marked with cheers and chanting at a ceremony that the entire student body attends. But the event centers around bundles of paper packages containing screen-printed house T-shirts ready for new students and faculty to rip open and reveal their new school family. Welcome to your new home away from home.

For those who find making friends in high school daunting, joining a house can provide a new sense of identity.

This idea is reason enough for three schools in the Diocese of Little Rock to adopt house systems into their school-wide curriculum to encourage community, foster leadership and establish culture.

Similar to the houses at the fictional Hogwarts Academy in the “Harry Potter” book series by J.K. Rowling, the separation of students into different groups, or houses, encourages a sense of belonging and family. Administrators say students who do not participate in sports find it to be a chance to be a part of a team, and students see houses as a way to mingle with the upperclassmen whom they otherwise do not see.

Although somewhat new to the idea, Kristy Dunn, principal at St. Theresa School in Little Rock, said her pre-K to eighth-grade school is still figuring out how to best incorporate the house system. 

“To be fair, we just started in 2023,” she said, “but I have already seen friendships develop between families who otherwise may not have interacted with one another,” she said.

“We wanted families to mix with other families,” added Dunn, “not necessarily just from their homeroom. It was a strategy for building relationships, fellowship and devotion to a particular saint.”

St. Theresa’s approach proves that every school tailors the house system to their needs.

After a decade, St. Vincent de Paul School in Rogers, serving students from pre-K to eighth grade, has expanded its pilot program from four houses, four faculty leaders and limited participation by seventh- and eighth-graders to a school-wide program. 

“After visiting the Ron Clark Academy in 2022, we recognized the alignment between the house model and our school’s mission of faith, knowledge and service and were inspired to expand it to include all students, kindergarten through eighth-grade,” said assistant principal of curriculum, Danielle Mooney. 

Mooney said the expansion has since transformed the culture of the school.

“This inclusive model ensures every member of our school community is part of something larger,” she said. “It is a collective that celebrates growth, connection and shared purpose.”

Since opening their doors in 2018, OCA, for ninth-12th graders, has used the house system, but has expanded upon and improved it as the school has grown. 

“We have presidents, vice presidents, captains, sophomore Prefects, freshman Prefects and spiritual leaders,” said Patrick O’Donohoe, a senior. “All of these roles have been part of the system for some time, but now each of these positions comes with greater responsibility and a deeper level of commitment.”

Unique to each school, the houses themselves can be different. St. Vincent de Paul uses the cardinal and theological virtues for the house names. OCA has four houses represented by symbols that reflect the northwest Arkansas region: water, elk, oak and mountain. Each house has a characteristic virtue of a saint for students to emulate, such as purity, generosity, piety and peace. St. Theresa’s houses are named after saints, with the notable difference being that they induct entire families.

“We use a literal raffle barrel to draw names,” Dunn said. “We draw the family names, so entire families are sorted, not just students.”

“The transformation in our school culture has been profound,” said Mooney of SVdP’s integration of the house system. “The most notable changes have been the increased excitement, engagement and sense of belonging among both students and staff. It’s not unusual to see eighth-grade students and teachers greeting and encouraging kindergarteners in the hallway, or lower-grade teachers reaching out to their junior high house counterparts for mentorship and support.”

O’Donohoe, who serves as head boy for the OCA student body, also believes the house system is beneficial for creating a better sense of unity. 

“I think the house system is good for high schools because you get to meet new people and create connections through games and competitions within all of the grades,” he said. “It’s a really special opportunity to continue building culture, community and a sense of identity. There are a variety of different ways students can help by planning events, leading prayers or mentoring the underclassmen. The houses have changed by bringing more leadership roles to all of the grades, not just juniors and seniors.”

“The house system has unified our school in spirit and action,” Mooney said of Rogers schools. “Students and staff alike earn house points for embodying core virtues, demonstrating school spirit, participating in service and striving for academic excellence. It’s a joyful, uplifting and dynamic system that has raised the bar for what it means to be part of our school community.”

Service has been a hallmark of the life of Dr. Jim Gorman. But deciding to enter military service at age 63 surprised even those closest to him.

On July 19, after months of preparation, Gorman, an obstetrics and gynecology physician in Fayetteville, will leave the area he has called home for 28 years to embark on an unexpected second act in his life. 

His first stop will be Newport, R.I., for Officer Development School. Following those five weeks of physical and academic training, he will graduate Aug. 22 and enter the United States Navy as a commissioned lieutenant commander in the Medical Corps, stationed at Camp Pendleton in Oceanside, Calif., for the next three years.

For a man who seemingly has everything, this next step seemed out of step for a man entering his golden years. His wife of 38 years, Janet, and three daughters may have envisioned retirement to be less active, not active service. But Gorman sees this next stage in his life as an opportunity to continue a life of service.

“My priorities have always been God, family and country. Up to this point, I have best served God by serving my family,” said Gorman of his decision. “Now I feel I can best serve my family by serving my country.”  

In truth, Gorman’s desire to serve his country goes back as far as high school when he wanted to enlist. 

“I wanted to join the Marines, but my dad suggested I go to college first,” he said. 

With that advice, Gorman attended Rockhurst University in Kansas City and, after graduating, wanted to attend medical school. He was offered a three-year scholarship from the Navy but turned it down, as he needed a larger scholarship. Subsequently, he was offered a full scholarship at the University of Kansas, where he attended medical school, completed his residency and went on to practice in Kansas City for five years before moving to Arkansas in 1997. 

He worked as an OB-GYN at Parkhill The Clinic for Women in Fayetteville.

“I have always wanted to be a Navy physician and have always been in awe of military personnel,” he said. “When I was a tourist at Pearl Harbor, I saw service women and men doing their jobs and that’s what impressed me. I was in total awe of their dedication.”

Father Jason Sharbaugh, pastor of St. Thomas Aquinas Parish on the University of Arkansas campus in Fayetteville, where Gorman and his wife were parishioners, gave his blessing for this new phase. 

“Jim is one of the most confident and personable individuals that I have had the pleasure of knowing,” said the pastor, who has known the Gormans for over eight years.

“He is the epitome of being both an officer and a gentleman,” said Father Sharbaugh, whose dad also served as a physician in the Army. “I feel Jim fits that mold as a military doctor and is very inspiring both in his career and as an individual.”

Still, making the dream a reality, Gorman admitted, has not been without its challenges.

Even the Navy recruiter he contacted initially was uncertain and told him he had about a 10 percent chance of accomplishing the feat at his age. Over a year later, Gorman passed the physical exam, received the age waiver and completed the necessary interviews and written applications. He was commissioned this past spring April 17 and took his oath of office April 24. 

However, another hurdle of even greater significance remained — the approval of his wife and daughters.

Janet Gorman said she was initially skeptical. She remembers the morning in March 2024 after Gorman had stayed up researching the possibility of pursuing this dream. 

“That morning, he said it looked like he could join the military, but I didn’t think it was going to happen. I was enthusiastic, but I wasn’t sure that it would ever happen,” she said.

His daughters also took some convincing. Two of them reside in Northwest Arkansas, with one daughter in Rogers having their first grandson and another daughter in New York is expecting grandchild number two in September. Knowing their dad would be on the West Coast serving in the military led to some heartfelt conversations. 

“I wrote each of the girls a letter,” said Gorman, in the hopes it would help them understand his commitment to both them and to his country. 

“Both of us were praying to come to the right decision with this,” said Janet, whose dad was a ranking officer. “My prayer was being reinforced that Jim needed to do this. I’ve never seen him so passionate about anything other than God and his family. He has always put God and his family first, but I think we will grow stronger through this,” she added. 

In many ways, Gorman’s faith has prepared him for the service of his country. 

“I have prayed that I do God’s will, and God helps me to use the skills he has given me to his greater glory,” he said. 

“I will obey the orders of those appointed above me,” reads a section of the naval sailor’s creed. 

Gorman finds these words reassuring as he has followed the providential guidance of God throughout his 63 years. 

“I won’t ever be able to serve my country,” Gorman said. “But I hope I can serve those that do.”

Martin Luther King Jr. said that one of life’s most persistent and urgent questions is, “What are you doing for others?”

This would be an easy answer for senior Regina Mora. Her high school career at Ozark Catholic Academy is full of examples where Mora has been doing for others and preparing herself for a career in service.

Mora attended St. Vincent de Paul School in Rogers, where she graduated. She said she chose to continue her Catholic education and go to OCA because she wanted to be able to continue to receive the sacraments. 

“I also liked the smallness of the school and the personal relationships I could form because of the size,” she said.

Mora also wasn’t shy about getting involved. She participated in dance, archery and volleyball, while also expanding her horizons in clubs such as Letters of Love and the Art Club. Mora even pushed herself beyond her comfort zone to perform a monologue for her drama class’s production of “Evening of the Arts at OCA.”

But it was her role as president of the National Honor Society where Mora really flexed her leadership muscles.

College preparedness counselor Caroline Elser said, “Regina led several dozen high school students and that is no easy feat, even for adults…. She was the first person to volunteer and always followed through on her word. She has a heart for service.”

Through NHS, Mora organized students in making cards for the elderly at a local nursing home, hosted several fundraisers and sold candy-grams to increase friendship at the school. 

Another class that Mora found herself enjoying while developing her photography skills was being on the yearbook staff. Mora was one of two photo editors, allowing the school to create two books in one year.

“Regina knows how to lead so that others will follow her,” faculty yearbook adviser Nicole Doke said. “Her sincere personality leads to a positive environment that others want to be a part of, and I imagine she will continue to evangelize through her future vocation in nursing.”

Following graduation, Mora, daughter of Jose and Maria Mora, plans to attend John Brown University in the fall to pursue a degree in nursing. Her goal is to become a certified registered nurse anesthetist (CRNA). 

Mora’s dedication to serving others has set her on a path to do more of the same in her career choice. 

“Don’t worry about what others think of you, believe in yourself and work hard,” Mora advised. 

Elser added, “As someone who has spent much of her time in high school volunteering and serving others, it makes sense that she is going into a profession dedicated to caring for others. She is humble and kind and is led in everything by her Catholic faith. She is just the kind of person you would want caring for you or a loved one if ill or injured.”

Father Rodolphe Balthazar will celebrate his 25th anniversary as a priest in June with his community at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Rogers.

The Diocese of Little Rock will commemorate Father Balthazar’s silver jubilee, along with other jubilarians, at a special Mass June 25. Father Balthazar’s priestly ordination was June 29, 2000, and for those who know him, this is a time to acknowledge a vocation rooted in faith and shaped by resilience.

“I first had the desire to be a priest during my First Communion,” Father Balthazar said. “After I received the sacrament of First Communion, I told my mom that I didn’t want to sin anymore, and my mom told me if I wanted other kids to feel that way, maybe I should be a priest.”

Born and raised in Haiti, Father Balthazar’s calling grew through a childhood steeped in faith — daily Mass attendance, nightly rosaries and regular spiritual quizzes from his mother, who asked her children to answer 10 questions about the gospel after every Sunday Mass. 

“Whatever happens,” she would tell him, “if you have your guardian angel and the Blessed Mother on your side, it will work out.”

Father Balthazar served as a priest in Haiti for 19 years, but he offered his services to the Diocese of Little Rock in 2019. It wasn’t his first connection to Arkansas — pastor Msgr. David LeSieur had met him during a 2010 mission trip to Haiti following the devastating earthquake. Later, when Bishop Anthony B. Taylor sent word that Father Balthazar was available to serve in the diocese, Msgr. LeSieur was happy to welcome him to Rogers.

“Father Balthazar has been in our parish since October of 2019, and he’s been invaluable to all of us,” Msgr. LeSieur said. “He’s multilingual, speaking English, French, Spanish and the dialect of Haiti.”

In addition, Father Balthazar decided to pursue a master’s degree in counseling from Missouri Southern State University, graduating in 2024. 

“His compassion in ministry, coupled with the knowledge of his degree, allows him to bring a great pastoral sensitivity to everything he does,” Msgr. LeSieur added.

On April 30, 2024, Father Balthazar was incardinated into the Diocese of Little Rock.

“He’s a priest of this diocese now — this is his home,” Msgr. LeSieur said.

That home includes his brother, Hamlet, who currently lives in Rogers. He has a sister in Paris, France, and another brother and his mother who remain in Haiti. Father Balthazar worries about the worsening security situation in Haiti, which has made it too dangerous to visit. 

Parishioners and staff at St. Vincent de Paul describe Father Balthazar as a calming, joyful presence with a heart for the hurting.

“He brings the hope and peace of Jesus Christ to the sick, the dying, the poor, the lonely, and those battling addiction or spiritual oppression,” said Deacon Ronnie Hoyt, a former parish manager who first met Father Balthazar through the parish’s mission work in Haiti. “He tirelessly offers his time, compassion and joyful spirit to anyone in need.”

Hoyt also credits Father Balthazar with being a unifying force in the diverse parish community. 

“He has a gift for lifting others up with his words and actions — encouraging people to grow in faith and serve with love.”

Although Father Balthazar’s daily ministry includes presiding over weekend and daily Masses and other sacraments, he also offers pastoral counseling. Despite a demanding schedule, he remains grounded in prayer and focused on others.

A simple celebration for Father Baltazar will take place in early summer and will be a moment to express gratitude for the priest.

“I just try to say ‘yes’ every day,” Father Balthazar said.

Less than a year after an EF3 tornado ripped through Rogers, St. Vincent de Paul School has opened a new junior high wing that doubles as a tornado safe room — a structure built to withstand the kind of storm that damaged the parish campus and left its community shaken.

The addition, which officially opened in November 2024, was in the works before the May 26 storm struck. But the disaster underscored its necessity and reassured school leaders and families.

“We were so thankful the tornado hit after the school year had ended,” said principal Alice Stautzenberger. “And even more thankful that we were already in the process of building a safe room.”

The new wing marks the third Catholic school in Arkansas to construct a tornado-safe structure, following Sacred Heart in Morrilton in 2018 and Christ the King in Little Rock in 2015. The Rogers addition was part of a broader renovation plan, but it gained new significance when a 2023 state law mandated that all public and private schools incorporate a FEMA-compliant safe room into any renovation project.

“Unlike many schools that have added a standalone safe room, ours was fully integrated into the new junior high wing,” Stautzenberger said. “That’s what makes it unique — it’s not just a shelter, it is the building itself.”

The building is designed to withstand EF-5 tornado conditions, including 250-mph projectiles. The wing has reinforcements, such as thicker walls and footers, heavier doors, fewer windows, sirens and a specialized HVAC system. A generator keeps the ventilation running during emergencies. Safety shutters seal the space from floor to ceiling.

At more than 6,000 square feet, the new structure includes four classrooms for seventh and eighth grades, restrooms, storage and a flex room. The space is designed to hold approximately 450 people — the entire school population — with each student and staff member having an assigned space during drills or bad weather.

The building’s resilience was put to the test even before it opened. When the May tornado swept through the city, the building shell emerged unscathed, even as nearby parts of the church and school were damaged.

“The city was hit with an EF3 tornado, and the building was built for an EF5,” said Rick Parker, a former school board member and consultant and advisor for the school renovation project. “There was massive damage around the church and the school, and this portion of the project had no damage.”

Parker said that compliance with the 2023 law caused some delays, as the project was already underway. 

“It took around 30 days to revise the design for the junior high portion,” he said, adding that there was an increase in cost. “The tornado-safe requirements added 32 percent to the cost of the junior high portion of the building, with close to an additional $800,000 needed for completion.

“We had to look at other ways to save and to seek additional pledges,” Stautzenberger said, noting that the 2023 law did cause some projects to stall because construction became cost-prohibitive. 

Construction began in October 2023, and by November 2024, the doors were open for the new junior high wing and safe room.

“In retrospect, I heard a lot of groaning about the price increase when we had to pivot,” Parker said. “But since last year’s tornado, nothing negative has been said.”

The new wing also provides additional space for parish and school programs, and if severe weather threatens during Mass or meetings, parishioners would also have access to the building. 

Parker said his granddaughter, who attends the school, told her classmates during one of the drills that her “Pops” helped make the school safe.

“That made it all worth it,” he said. “The students understand we did this for them.”

“It is very reassuring to have this on campus, seeing the damage that can be done,” Stautzenberger said.

Every parish is challenged with bringing together groups of individuals of varying ages and cultures to worship and serve. This can be especially true for a parish on a college campus at the service of students, young families and longtime parishioners all coming together to worship.

At St.Thomas Aquinas University Parish, on the University of Arkansas campus, one women’s group is working to find ways to serve the students and the surrounding parish community they call home.

The St. Phoebe ministry group — 11 women strong — began as a grassroots parish organization in 2022 to serve the students. With the goal of creating and organizing events, liturgies and programs, members aim to fill in the gaps and provide services to the community. 

Following the synodal process set forth by Pope Francis, they also see their ministry as an example of how parishioners can accompany and work with the clergy and staff to discern God’s will.

“We saw there were more and more non-students attending our church; returning alumni, graduate and international students, faculty and staff of the university were all a part of the growing population at St. Thomas,” said Anne Marie Candido, co-chair of the St. Phoebe service organization.

Named after St. Phoebe, widely recognized as the first woman deacon and a generous contributor to St. Paul’s ministry, the organization seeks to follow in her footsteps and honor her.

Founding member Margot Martin gave a substantial gift that kickstarted the group’s charitable giving. The Margot Martin Endowment Account helps with initiatives that foster or reflect inclusivity. Martin especially wanted to help students and parishioners in the margins and to help those who cannot help themselves. 

Through her endowment, large donations have been made to Canopy, an organization that supports refugee resettlement in northwest Arkansas, the M&N Augustine Foundation and 7 Hills Homeless Day Shelter. 

Kim Jones, acting co-chair, remembers when her dad was on UA faculty in the 1970s, the parish was a family parish. 

“I was married at the parish in 1987,” she said, “I raised my family in Bentonville, then moved to Springdale to go to work at the University of Arkansas campus and decided to make St. Thomas my home parish again.” 

Jones said the St. Phoebe ministry tries not to overlap with other ministries. She said the group operates with the questions, “How am I called to live out my faith in this place that God put me? and “How can we best serve the students and live out the faith?”

Since 2022, they have implemented regular Meet & Greets and made $1,000 donations to community organizations such as the Campus Pantry and two Arkansas parishes in need. They have also offered a fall discussion series on Catholic Social Justice teachings and Bible studies and donated children’s books, rosaries and a medical kit for the Masses. 

They also offered financial support to female students who want to attend discernment retreats and for students going on a mission trip to the Dominican Republic this summer.

Since the old St. Thomas Aquinas church was razed and Mass and parish activities were relocated to the Student Union Theatre, the group helps with setting up the altar and serving as sacristans, lectors, ushers and greeters.

Candido said the St. Phoebe group is also doing what they can with the newly constructed church by pledging $5,000 for a stained glass window of St. Catherine of Siena, a doctor of the Church. 

“In the old church,” she said, “there were no windows depicting women of the Church, and we wanted to be able to make this contribution.”

Pastor Father Jason Sharbaugh said he is thankful for the St. Phoebe group. 

“The parish is unique in that it is specific to campus ministry focused on what is such an important time in student’s lives away from home and also decision-making in life. To have a stable parish group provide examples is part of reciprocal grace,” he said.

Softspoken and introspective, Brizynn Smith may make a quiet first impression. But spend some time getting to know this young woman and she also makes quite the impression. 

A sophomore at Ozark Catholic Academy, Smith made the difficult choice after graduating from Trinity Catholic High School in Fort Smith in 2023, to attend a Catholic high school more than an hour away from her home in Van Buren. 

She admits that it isn’t always easy, since she wakes up as early as 4:20 a.m. to get ready and meet the shuttle that she, her younger sister Brylee and five other students ride from Immaculate Conception to Tontitown where OCA is located.

Smith, daughter of Dan and Mia Smith, longtime parishioners of Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith, said this year she has learned to be more independent and is now serving in a leadership role as a prefect for the House of the Mountain.

This kind of determination has helped in equal measure in her other endeavors. Smith started a drumline club this year so she and other musical students could pave the way for the school to introduce more music programs.

“Drumming is such a big part of my life,” Smith said. “I wanted to make it available for other students.”

That enterprising spirit prompted Smith and her dad to drive to Indiana this summer and buy an old drumline set from a high school that was upgrading their drums. They returned with five snares, two quads and four bass drums and donated them to the school. 

Smith’s drum instructor, Don Martin, a former drummer for pop country star Carrie Underwood, helped the Smiths refurbish the drums: tuning them, replacing the heads and getting them in working order for the school year.

“I have been her instructor for four years since she started percussion at Trinity, but she has progressed because once she decides to do something, she is going to be committed,” he said. “Finding that complete drumline set couldn’t have been any better for her or the school.”

“I was surprised to see how many people signed up for the club,” Smith admitted. “It was hard trying to figure out how to teach it, but everyone has been willing to learn, and I am grateful to be able to get it started.”

Smith said her goal for the drumline is to debut at the school’s basketball Colors Day Game Jan. 24. She also hopes to play at pep rallies and home games in the future. 

Beyond the school day, Smith, who turns 16 Jan. 23, is also pushing her boundaries by training to become a volunteer firefighter for Crawford County District 5 Fire Department. She said she started thinking about it because her dad is a volunteer firefighter and her grandfather is a forest ranger.

“My dad would go on calls, and I wanted to know how I could help,” Smith said. 

With that inspiration, she attended a board meeting in October, spoke with the fire chief, and is now taking the necessary classes each month.

While it could have been unnerving for some, being the youngest trainee and one of only three women in the department has not derailed her enthusiasm. Smith said she has learned so much already, but she is training until she is 18 years old and then she will be able to go on calls. 

“Already I have learned to cut open a car, pull hoses and learned to draft and pull water from a source,” she said.

Smith, a 4.0 GPA student, also has an unexpected penchant for Latin, currently a favorite class of hers.

“I really enjoy that I can attend a Latin Mass and understand it now,” she said. 

Beyond this, Smith said she also writes music and is trying to teach herself guitar. This year she is also adding archery to her list. 

“It will be my first time to try a school sport,” she said excitedly. 

CORRECTION: The original publication of this article incorrectly spelled Brizynn Smith’s first name. This online version has been corrected.