This year, Ash Wednesday is Feb. 18

Ash Wednesday, one of the most popular and important days in the liturgical year, begins our Lenten journey toward the "victory of Easter." This year Ash Wednesday is Feb. 18. Though it is not a holy day of obligation, it is a day of fast and abstinence. On this day, Catholics are marked with ashes, in the form of a cross, on their heads during special Masses worldwide. Why? "The prayer that is said as ashes are given explains it very well. The words are a reminder of our origins, 'Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.' The ashes and the whole season More

St. Valentine teaches us to love

Showering those we love with cards, candy and roses are popular ways to celebrate St. Valentine's Day in the United States. This tradition seems to come from a belief in England and France during the Middle Ages that birds begin to pair on Feb. 14, which just happens to be the feast day of St. Valentine, according to the Catholic Education Resource Center. The connection of romantic love to the Catholic saint can be traced back to Geoffrey Chaucer's Old English poem: "Parliament of Foules." In it he wrote, “For this was sent on Seynt Valentyne’s day More

Diocesan offices to reopen Feb. 2

The offices of the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock will reopen to the public Monday, Feb. 2 with its regular business hours of 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. The offices were closed Jan. 26-30 because of a winter storm. To email a member of the staff, visit the staff directory, which is listed in alphabetical order. Look for the name of the person you wish to contact and click on the red button under his or her photo to send an email. Or leave a phone message by calling (501) 664-0340. He or she will respond as soon as possible. Thank you for your patience. For information about More