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Catholic Diocese of Little Rock
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Happening Now
The following offers the latest information about events and activities happening in the Diocese of Little Rock.
Mary, Joseph seek shelter in Las Posadas
Published: Friday, December 14, 2018
Las Posadas, which means "the inns" or "the shelters" in Spanish, is a 400 year old Advent tradition in Spanish-speaking countries, particularly Mexico. This novena takes place from Dec. 16-24 and focuses on the struggle of Mary and Joseph to find shelter when they arrive in Bethlehem. Many Catholic parishes and schools in Arkansas host this novena during Advent. Although some have adapted the tradition for their community, generally, this is how it is practiced. Adults and children take part in an evening procession, with two people dressed as Mary and Joseph, ... More
Being called to priesthood? Come and See
Published: Friday, December 14, 2018
The 2018 Come and See Retreat will be held Dec. 28-29 at St. John Catholic Center in Little Rock. Rooted in prayer and to consist of talks, group discussion, vocational videos and personal testimonies by priests and seminarians, this retreat is designed to help participants explore more deeply a possible calling to the diocesan priesthood. It is open to single men ages 16 and older. Activities will be offered in English and Spanish. The retreat will begin at 11 a.m., Friday, Dec. 28 and end at 1 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 29 in Fletcher Hall. Mail the registration form to the address ... More
Weekend for Life for youth to be Jan. 19-20
Published: Friday, December 14, 2018
High school youth are invited attend the 2019 Weekend for Life Jan. 19-20 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Little Rock. This overnight lock-in focuses on right-to-life issues from a youth perspective. It is held the night before the annual Mass and March for Life in Little Rock. It begins on Saturday night and includes a speaker, praise and worship music, prayer, skits and dance. This year's keynote speaker is Steve Karlen, campaign director of 40 Days for Life. He has spoken in 46 states, four Canadian provinces and Mexico City. Karlen lives in Madison, Wisconsin, with his wife and four children. ... More
Mary preserved from stain of original sin
Published: Wednesday, December 5, 2018
Although we celebrate the Immaculate Conception during Advent, the season during which we prepare for the birth of Jesus, this feast is not about the conception of Jesus. This can be confusing because the Gospel reading for this holy day focuses on the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary. "The angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.'" (Luke 1:30-31) The Immaculate Conception refers to the conception of Mary, the mother of Jesus. ... More
Our Lady of Guadalupe protects unborn
Published: Wednesday, December 5, 2018
In December 1531, the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared as an Aztec princess to Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyac, outside a small village near Mexico City. The poor, humble man, who was declared a saint in 2002, told his bishop about the visits from the Virgin of Guadalupe and her desire for a church to be built on the site where she appeared. The bishop asked for a sign to prove that Juan Diego was telling the truth. When Juan Diego asked Mary to provide this proof, she told him to gather the roses growing on the hillside. Even though roses are rare in December ... More
Help provide for retired religious Dec. 1-2
Published: Friday, November 30, 2018
The annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection will be held Dec. 1-2 in the Diocese of Little Rock. Coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO), the appeal benefits 31,000 elderly Catholic sisters, brothers and religious order priests whose religious congregations lack adequate retirement funding. Last year, Catholics in the Diocese of Little Rock donated $152,119.59 to this collection. In 2018, two religious communities with central houses located in Arkansas received financial support from the Retirement Fund for Religious. They are: Subiaco Abbey ... More
Diocese of Little Rock celebrates 175 years
Published: Wednesday, November 28, 2018
Pope Gregory XVI established the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock on Nov. 28, 1843. The first bishop, Andrew J. Byrne, was consecrated on March 10, 1844, in New York and rode into Little Rock on horseback with two other priests on June 4. The Irish-born bishop found a scattered Catholic population of possibly 700 across Arkansas. Being formally established as a diocese did not make building the Church any easier. Bishop Byrne and all who labored with him and after him were confronted with many difficult challenges including extreme conditions, disease, poverty, war and anti-Catholicism. ... More
CCA has fewer and fewer refugees to assist
Published: Wednesday, November 28, 2018
The Refugee Resettlement Office, a ministry of Catholic Charities of Arkansas, has been in the business of formally helping refugees since the 1970s. Over this time period, programs have become increasingly regulated by the U.S. Department of State, which manages resettlement efforts, and by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, which offers assistance to refugees after their first three months in the United States, as well as assistance to other similarly vulnerable populations. The other vulnerable populations are asylees, victims of trafficking, ... More
