Msgr. Richard Oswald, 84, died Nov. 25

Msgr. Richard S. Oswald, the longtime pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Rogers who once oversaw Little Rock Scripture Study, died Nov. 25 at Arkansas Hospice. He was 84. The son of the late Oscar J. and Hilda M. Oswald graduated from Catholic High School in Little Rock and began his priestly formation at St. John Home Mission Seminary in Little Rock. On May 29, 1965, Bishop Albert L. Fletcher ordained him to the priesthood for the Diocese of Little Rock. Noting his ordination after Vatican II, he told Arkansas Catholic on his 50th priestly anniversary in 2015 More

Monday, Dec. 9 is holy day of obligation

"My brothers and sisters in Christ, the feast of the Immaculate Conception is the patronal feast of the United States and is a holy day of obligation. For a period of time, when this feast fell on a Monday or a Saturday, as it does this year, it was not obligatory. However, the Vatican recently clarified that even when a holy day of obligation is transferred to a Saturday or Monday, there remains the obligation to attend Mass on that day. Elsewhere in the United States a few bishops have made an exception for their diocese, lifting the obligation. We have not done that here. More

Share time, talent, treasure this Advent

Advent begins Sunday, Dec. 1. The word "advent" originated from the Latin "adventus," which means coming. The season of Advent, therefore, is the preparation for the coming of Jesus, first through his birth and ultimately, his coming again in glory at the end of time. This year it runs from Dec. 1-24. Pope Francis encouraged people to carefully prepare their hearts for the coming of the Lord with prayer and charity in a 2023 reflection on the season's purpose. "A good program for Advent," he suggested, would be "to encounter Jesus coming in every brother and More