St. John Catholic Center
This campus was built in 1916 to house Little Rock College for Boys until it closed in 1929. From 1930 until it closed in 1967 St. John Home Mission Seminary was located at this site. In 1968, the campus was renamed St. John Catholic Center when it became the home of the Diocese of Little Rock offices. Today it also serves as a retreat center and residence for retired diocesan priests. To learn more, go to History of the Diocese
Visitors to St. John Catholic Center can receive directions and information at the reception desk located on the ground floor of Morris Hall, the main building on the campus. Other buildings include Fitzgerald Hall, Fletcher Hall, Byrne Hall and the Dining Hall. See the map below for their locations.
The Campus
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Byrne Hall — The first bishop of the Diocese of Little Rock, Andrew Byrne, was a native of Ireland and served from 1844 to 1862. Byrne Hall houses the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Christopher Homes of Arkansas. -
Fitzgerald Hall — Bishop Edward Fitzgerald, who was also born in Ireland, served from 1867 to 1907. St. John Manor, the retirement home for diocesan priests, and meeting rooms are located in Fitzgerald Hall.
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Morris Hall — Bishop John Baptist Morris came from Tennessee and served until 1946. He is the reason the former diocesan seminary (now the diocesan offices) was named after St. John the Baptist. Morris Hall is the location of the chancery and pastoral offices for the Diocese of Little Rock.
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Fletcher Hall — Bishop Albert Fletcher was the first Arkansan to serve as bishop of Little Rock. He cared for the diocese until 1972. Rooms for overnight guests at St. John Catholic Center are located in Fletcher Hall. Learn more about the accommodations or contact us to reserve a room
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The McDonald Center — Bishop Andrew J. McDonald, the diocese's fifth bishop, a native of Savannah, Ga., served from 1972 to 2000. Bishop McDonald now lives in Palatine, Ill., where he is a chaplain for a retirement home run by the Little Sisters of the Poor. The McDonald Center, which was dedicated on June 11, 2010, houses the Little Rock offices for Catholic Charities of Arkansas, which includes the Alcohol and Drug Ministry, Catholic Adoption Services, Catholic Immigration Services, Parish Social Ministry, Disaster Response, Prison Ministry, Social Action and the Westside Free Medical Clinic.
How to Find Us
2500 N. Tyler St.
Little Rock, AR 72207
From I-40 West:
- Head West on I-40
- Bear left to I-30 Little Rock
- Exit right on Cantrell
- Continue West on Cantrell to Kavanaugh
- Turn right onto Kavanaugh
- Turn right onto Tyler
- Tyler Street leads directly to the front gates of St. John Catholic Center
From I-40 East:
- Head East on I-40
- Bear right to I-430 to Little Rock/Texarkana
- Exit right on Cantrell/Hwy-10
- Continue East on Cantrell to Tyler
- Turn left onto Tyler
- Tyler Street leads directly to the front gates of St. John Catholic Center
From I-30 North:
- Head North on I-30
- Bear right to I-430 to Little Rock
- Exit right on Cantrell/Hwy-10
- Continue East on Cantrell to Tyler
- Turn left onto Tyler
- Tyler Street leads directly to the front gates of St. John Catholic Center