A Catholic you want to know: Dawna Parker

Parishioner of St. Mary's in Helena-West Helena expands art, architecture tour of church

Published: December 24, 2016

By Brenda Clark
El Dorado Correspondent

Dawna Parker, manager of the Arkansas Welcome Center in Helena-West Helena, often leads tours of St. Mary Church.

Dawna Parker, manager of the Arkansas Welcome Center in Helena-West Helena, often leads tours of St. Mary Church.

Why you want to know Dawna Parker: Dawna is the founder of the art and architecture tours at St. Mary Church in Helena-West Helena. She leads tours of the historical church along with fellow parish member, Jo Turner. Dawna is also the manager of the Arkansas Welcome Center at Helena-West Helena. Her passion is history and she served as editor of a book about Catholicism in Helena.

Parish: St. Mary Church

City: Helena-West Helena

Age: 69

Family: Married 48 years to Richard; two sons, Matthew and Brent

IN HER OWN WORDS

Arkansas Catholic’s theme this year is “Grow in your Family of Faith.” What are some ways you learn about Jesus and Church teachings?

I have a daily e-mail on my phone from The Catholic Company. That gives me a prayer of the day, daily saint, meditation, daily Scripture and Gospel.

Tell us about the tours.

Jo Turner and I do the actual church tours, and we have some parish ladies that act as the hostesses. We’ve been doing the tours for four years.

Originally, the tour was created as part of the 75th anniversary of St. Mary’s. Father Benoit (Mukamba, CSSp), the pastor, wanted a couple of things to celebrate that anniversary.

The commemorative book, “Catholicism on the Mississippi: The Helena Story,” came from that. It was, of course, the Mississippi River that brought Catholics to Helena. The first part of the book deals with the history of the parish; the second part is an oral history provided by former students at Sacred Heart Academy, the parochial school that existed alongside St. Mary Church for almost a century. So we did the book and it was decided to do a tour of the church during the big celebration.

The tour was successful and just about a year later, the American Queen Steamboat Company personnel decided to add an additional excursion stop for its passengers when the boat was docked in Helena. The American Queen is a passenger steamboat, based in Memphis, that travels up and down the Mississippi River. Jo Turner and I were kind of involved with the American Queen, in other ways, so we decided to do the St. Mary Church tours for the steamboat passengers. That is how the formal tours began. Then we got to the point where we printed formal tour brochures. Now we also do tours for groups, or individuals.

What is your favorite part of the tours?

Meeting the people … especially from the American Queen because they come from all over the world.

How long have you been a member at this parish? Have you been Catholic all your life?

I have been a member of St. Mary Parish for eight years. I converted from the Methodist faith at 21. I went to a Catholic girl’s college because my mother had graduated from there. Members of her family were able to attend St. Mary’s College for Women, just outside of Kansas City, because a rich Catholic aunt had donated multiple scholarships to be used for educating female members of the family. By my final year at the college, the nuns had me; I converted.

Why do you like being Catholic?

I like the history and the tradition, which is what first attracted me. I just find it to be the most fulfilling religion that I’ve ever experienced. I am really comfortable in this religion. I think I was born to be Catholic. I like the discipline and structure. It helps me. I need the discipline and the structure. One of my goals is to read the Bible from cover to cover.

What is your educational background?

I have a bachelor of arts from St. Mary College; it is now known as the University of St. Mary (in Leavenworth, Kan.). My master’s degree is in European history from St. Louis University.