The Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Little Rock
Nothing helps a visitor connect to a new place more than sampling the local flavor and that includes Catholic landmarks. Arkansas Catholic went off the beaten path and asked local Catholics and Arkansas ex-pats for some of the best things to see and do.
Named in honor of French monarch Louis IX and acquired by Thomas Jefferson via the Louisiana Purchase, the famed “Gateway to the West” St. Louis offers a number of attractions for families.
It also boasts a strong contingent of Catholic landmarks, according to St. Louis native Nick Ferrara, now a member of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock.
Among these are the Shrine of St. Joseph, (shrineofstjoseph.org) a church dating to 1846 and site of the only authenticated miracle in the Midwest. Another Catholic site, St. Joseph Carondelet Convent (csjsl.org) offers guided tours of the motherhouse, with its striking architectural features and historical artifacts. Among these are the body of St. Aurelia and six other saints and martyrs from the earliest days of the Church, which are on display in the chapel.
Ferrara also recommends visiting Calvary Cemetery, which includes the likes of General William Tecumseh Sherman, Dred Scott and Tennessee Williams, and not one but two cathedrals. The Old Cathedral at 209 Walnut Street was erected as a log house in 1770 and the current building, dedicated in 1834, was the first cathedral west of the Mississippi and the birthplace of the St. Vincent de Paul Society in America.
The Cathedral Basilica of Saint Louis (cathedralstl.com) is an opulent structure that took 80 years to complete. Located at 4431 Lindell Boulevard, the church features a museum detailing the building’s history including its design, its consecration in 1926, its designation as a basilica by Blessed Pope John Paul II in 1997 and his visit in 1999.
The list of other attractions is long. Summertime visitors can catch a Cardinals baseball game (stlouis.cardinals.mlb.com) not far from the Gateway Arch. Forest Park (forestparkforever.org), the site of the 1904 World’s Fair, boasts a number of attractions including museums, an outdoor amphitheater and the city’s zoo, which offers free general admission. Not far from there is the eclectic U-City Loop neighborhood (visittheloop.com), where Ferrara suggests lunch at vintage diner Blueberry Hill followed by shopping and entertainment. Or, tour the Anheuser Busch brewery at 12th and Lynch Streets (budweiser tours.com) and then head north along the riverfront for a five-star dinner at Tony’s.
“If you have children, you have to go to City Museum. It is the best children’s museum I have seen and it is great for teens too. It is open on weekend evenings, which is a bonus.”
— Malea Hargett, editor
Being so close, it is easy for Arkansans to downplay Memphis’ historical and cultural significance. Where else can you touch the microphone into which Johnny Cash sang, walk in the footsteps of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s fateful last days and top it off with a plate of signature Memphis-style dry rubbed ribs — all in the same day?
Memphis is a city of contrasts and its Catholic history is no exception. While St. Peter Church (stpeterchurch.org), originally completed in 1843 at 190 Adams Avenue, anchors the oldest Roman Catholic parish in the region, the diocese itself has only been around since 1971 when it was carved out of the westernmost edge of the Diocese of Nashville.
In addition to St. Peter Church, with its fortress-like exterior, gothic characteristics and many fine stained glass windows, Suzanne Aviles, director of communications for the Diocese of Memphis, recommends St. Mary Church at 155 Market Street (stmary-memphis.com). Completed in 1870, the building served a primarily German congregation and those influences can be seen in its hand-carved altar, pews and confessional and the original stained glass windows fashioned in Munich. Don’t miss the secret Grotto of Lourdes on the south side of the church’s interior.
Another Catholic must-see is the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception (iccathedral.org) at 1695 Central Avenue. Tucked into a tree-lined neighborhood, the cathedral was recently renovated and the extensive mosaics encircling the aspe are breathtaking in their intricacy.
The Catholic landmarks are not far from other attractions. Both St. Mary and St. Peter Churches are within a couple of miles of Beale Street (beale street.com), AutoZone Park, home of Redbirds minor league baseball (milb.com) and the FedEx Forum (fedexforum.com), site of a number of sporting events and concerts. The Rock and Soul Museum (memphisrocknsoul.org) and Sun Studios (sunstudio.com) where Elvis cut his first demo are both in proximity as well.
Where to eat in Memphis is largely a no-brainer, given how many options there are for good food. Aviles suggests after Mass at the cathedral, visiting Central BBQ, one of her personal favorites and located just a few blocks east on Central Avenue. Or, after touring the historic downtown churches, make sure to stop by Gus’ World Famous Fried Chicken at 310 S. Front Street for what some critics have called the best bird in the country.
“You can get an outstanding burger at any Huey’s location, but bring the family by the midtown joint at 1927 Madison Avenue for atmosphere that will remind you of your favorite college hangout. Of course, if you went to school in Memphis, it probably was.”
— Dwain Hebda, associate editor
If you only think booze and beads, you’re missing much of the Crescent City’s story. The Catholic Church landed in what would become the United States when French explorer Robert Cavelier de la Salle planted a cross in Louisiana soil in 1682. The first recorded Mass happened at the mouth of the Mississippi River on Mardi Gras in 1699 and St. Louis Church, the city’s first parish, erected its first permanent church in 1727.
Sarah McDonald, director of communications for the Archdiocese of New Orleans, said such history is on ready display throughout the city’s parishes and cemeteries. Of these, she recommends three: St. Louis Cathedral and Old Ursuline Convent (stlouis cathedral.org), and Immaculate Conception Church.
The cathedral, which can trace its line to the aforementioned St. Louis Church, is one of the city’s iconic structures. Located at 615 Pere Antoine Alley, its three spires towering over Jackson Square in the city’s French Quarter, it represents the oldest continuously-active Catholic church in the country.
However, even it takes a back seat to the Old Ursuline Convent in terms of longevity. That structure, located at 1100 Chartres Street dates back to 1752 and lays claim to the title of oldest building in the Mississippi River Valley by virtue of a fire in 1788 that burned St. Louis Church to the ground as well as nearly everything else in the French Quarter except, miraculously, the convent.
Sister Helen Prejean, the Louisiana native whose story of working on death row inspired the movie “Dead Man Walking,” also recommends visiting the city’s famous above-ground cemeteries, specifically Lafayette Cemetery #1 at 1400 Washington Avenue and St. Louis Cemetery #3 at 3421 Esplanade Avenue. The former was used in the movie “Double Jeopardy” and the latter includes the final resting place for many of the city’s religious. Locals urge caution, however, and recommend taking a group tour.
The city’s reputation for fine food means a good meal is never far away. McDonald suggests the fried oyster, bacon and havarti po-boy with fried bread pudding for dessert at Ye Olde College Inn, a short car ride from City Park’s Storyland and Botanical Gardens (neworleanscitypark.com); or, after touring the New Orleans Museum of Art, try the breaded veal and onion pizza at Venezia, less than two miles away.
If you attend any of the many special events held in the French Quarter (frenchquarter.com), simply follow the smell of Italian cooking to Irene’s at 539 St. Philip Street.
Incidentally, a great break from the shopping on Magazine Street is Casamento’s which Sister Helen boldy proclaims the best oysters in New Orleans, but you have to hurry — the place is closed June, July and August.
“Take the St. Charles streetcar to see the Live Oaks, antebellum homes, Loyola University and Audubon Zoological Gardens. It’s only $1.25 to ride.”
— Malea Hargett, editor
“Our favorite restaurant in New Orleans is Bayona in the French Quarter. Chef Susan Spicer hasn’t disappointed us ever, but don’t wait until you get to New Orleans to make a reservation. For a late night treat, go to Brennan’s and get the Banana’s Foster from the original, it is worth it and you won’t have to wait to be seated. For your stay, the Windsor Court Hotel at the edge of the Quarter is amazing.”
— Leslie Henson-Kita, advertising manager
Those wishing to keep close to home are not lacking for in-state diversions, either. In Little Rock, tour the Cathedral of St. Andrew at 617 Louisiana Street (csalr.org), the oldest continually operating house of worship in the city. Dedicated on the first Sunday of Advent in 1881, the cathedral was one of the first buildings in the state to be constructed entirely of native granite. Its 3,000-pipe, 25-bell organ was installed in 1931 at a cost of $20,000, a fortune given the Great Depression that gripped the country. All four deceased former bishops of Arkansas are entombed there.
The cathedral is just down the street from the equally historic St. Edward Church (saintedwards.net) at 801 Sherman Street. Originally serving a primarily German Catholic congregation, St. Edward features extensive woodcarvings native to that part of the world, along with beautiful stained glass and soaring Gothic design.
Both churches are in Little Rock’s downtown which is also home to many of the city’s most popular attractions including the Clinton Presidential Center (clintonpresi dentialcenter.org) Old Statehouse and Historic Arkansas museums (arkansasheritage.com/explore/) and the MacArthur Museum of Military History (arkmilitaryheritage.com). Along the Arkansas River, the River Market (rivermarket.info) is home to the annual Riverfest music festival (riverfestarkansas.com), farmer’s market, outdoor movie screenings and plenty of live music in neighborhood bars, restaurants and hotels.
St. John Center, home of the diocesan offices, is another Catholic historical landmark (http://www.dolr.org/offices/stjohn/stjohn.php). It is the former home to Little Rock College and St. John Seminary and is located at 2500 N. Tyler Street. The center is in the Heights neighborhood, with its collection of shops and bistros crowding Kavanaugh Boulevard.
Another Little Rock attraction is Calvary Cemetery at the corner of Wright Aveune and South Woodrow Street, the official cemetery of the diocese. Many beautiful and ornate statues mark the graves of some of Little Rock’s most prominent Catholic founding families and the “Priest’s Circle” section remembers many of the priests who have served the state since 1933.
“For first-class steaks, don’t miss The Butcher Shop at 10825 Hermitage Road in west Little Rock. You can pick out your own steak, even step up to the grill and cook it yourself if you like. But hey, you’re on vacation — just order the blackened ribeye with the sautéed mushrooms and thank me in the morning.”
— Dwain Hebda, associate editor
About an hour south of Little Rock is Hot Springs (hotsprings.org), billed as “America’s first resort.” Tour the historic bath houses and other entertainment downtown, spend the day at the state’s only amusement park, Magic Springs (magicsprings.com) or rent a pontoon boat and cruise one of the local lakes. Sunday morning, don’t miss Mass at Church of St. John the Baptist at 589 W. Grand Avenue or St. Mary of the Springs at 100 Central Avenue.
“Garvan Gardens is a little out of the way, but it is always beautiful, especially during the spring and in winter with Christmas lights.”
—Malea Hargett, editor
“Our new favorite ‘date night’ restaurant is Jahna’s, an Italian restaurant with filet mignon that is divine. A fun-for-the-whole-family restaurant is Bleu Monkey Grill. The menu is so vast it can be overwhelming, but there is something for everyone and don’t miss the mac and cheese balls if you like comfort food.”
— Leslie Henson-Kita, advertising manager
“Between Jan. 15 and April 15, Oaklawn Racing is the place to catch some of the potential Triple Crown contenders in action and enjoy one of the best corned beef sandwiches in Arkansas.”
— Rose Harrigan, circulation manager
Those wanting to explore the northwestern portion of the state should consider a stop in Eureka Springs (eureka springs.org), home to St. Elizabeth of Hungary Church at 30 Crescent Drive, a small church that is the unlikely home to some of the finest sculpture in the diocese.
It began with local resident Richard Kerens erecting a chapel in memory of his mother, Elizabeth. Bishop Edward Fitzgerald convinced him to expand the project, which he did complete with imported Italian marble altars and mosaic floors and an exterior clad in dolomite limestone from local quarries. Fifty years later, the church underwent renovation and Father Joseph Laurio took the opportunity to further augment the church, by enlisting an Italian artists’ society to create a number of marble statuary. Later, Father Laurio added to that collection of art by originating plans for Stations of the Cross vignettes to be sculpted in Italy from white Carrara marble.
After touring the church and its unique unattached belltower, visitors can retire to a room at the Mount Victoria Bed and Breakfast (mountvictoria.com), one of several bed and breakfasts in Eureka Springs. The Mount Victoria occupies the same 1904 building that once served as the parish school, rectory and parish hall. Enjoy the historic downtown district, annually recognized as one of the best main streets in America, book a trail ride or take advantage of being surrounded by the natural beauty and sportsman’s playground that is the Boston Mountain Range. Or, drive an hour west and explore the many treasures of the acclaimed Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville (crystalbridges.org).
“There are so many great bed and breakfasts in Eureka Springs. If you don’t have young children in tow, there is no reason to stay at an ordinary hotel.”
— Malea Hargett, editor
“I love the Food & Wine Festival in November. They bring chefs from the famous wineries and pair their food and wines at the local restaurants.”
— Leslie Henson-Kita, advertising manager
Please read our Comments Policy before posting.
Article comments powered by Disqus
What the Catholic Church teaches about purpose for work
Three Catholic High seniors sign to discern priesthood
More pastoral appointments announced
I knew in fifth grade Jesus was my best friend
St. Joseph a model of solidarity with immigrants
Two gifts after Jesus’ death: Virgin Mary and Eucharist
Why we have an altar, and not just a communion table
Pope: Wars should be resolved through nonviolence
