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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.
Proclaim the Gospel of Life in January
Catholics across the United States are asked to pray for and take action to protect human life in January each year. In the Diocese of Little Rock, there are several ways to pray for an end to abortion and legal protection for the unborn. These include the annual Mass for Life and March for Life and Weekend for Life for high school youth. And for those unable to attend in person, virtual events such as the Arkansas Knights of Columbus Novena for Life and national Nine Days for Life and Prayer Vigil for Life offer a variety of ways to be active in this effort. ... More
Diocesan offices to close at noon, Jan. 9
The offices of the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock will be closed to the public from noon, Thursday, Jan. 9 through Friday, Jan. 10 because of a winter storm. The Inclement Weather Policy is in effect for diocesan staff. St. John Catholic Center will reopen Monday, Jan. 13. To reach a member of our staff, visit our staff directory, which is listed in alphabetical order. Look for the name of the person you wish to reach 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. ... More
Christ's baptism ends the Christmas season
The Baptism of the Lord concludes the celebration of the Christmas season. This feast celebrates that, before starting his public ministry, Jesus allowed himself to be baptized by St. John the Baptist. The United States Catholic Catechism for Adults explains why Jesus, who was totally faithful to the Father's will and free of sin, would choose baptism. "Jesus’ immersion in the water is a sign for all human beings of the need to die to themselves to do God’s will. ... He wanted to show his solidarity with human beings in order to reconcile them to the Father. By commanding his disciples ... More
2025 MLK Memorial Mass to be Jan. 18
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will celebrate the 38th annual Diocese of Little Rock Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Mass at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 18 at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock. This event was originally scheduled for Jan. 11 but was postponed because of the forecasted winter storm in the area. During this Mass, the bishop presents the Daniel Rudd Award to a Black Catholic who is active in his or her parish and community. All are invited to attend. It is sponsored by the Diocesan Council for Black Catholics. For more information, contact Rosalyn ... More
Epiphany reveals Jesus king of all nations
The Wise Men from the East followed the star of Bethlehem until it led them to the newborn king, Jesus Christ. They prostrated themselves and presented him with gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. (Matthew 2:1-12) Among Western Christians, tradition holds the names of the Wise Men to be Casper, Melchior and Balthasar. They are regarded as saints and their relics are enshrined in the cathedral at Cologne, Germany. It is traditionally believed there were three because they presented three gifts and the belief they were kings riding camels comes from two Old ... More
Encounter, learn and act to fight poverty
Nearly 37 million people live in poverty in the United States. Fifteen percent of these are children. In Arkansas, nearly 16 percent or 485,000 people are poor. January is Poverty Awareness Month and the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) offers a daily calendar with reflections that offers ways to learn about poverty in America. CCHD, the national anti-poverty program of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, offers other resources to create awareness of and ways to address the root causes of poverty in America, including the website, Poverty USA. ... More
Mary, Mother of God is celebrated on Jan. 1
"Called in the Gospels 'the mother of Jesus,' Mary is acclaimed by Elizabeth, at the prompting of the Spirit and even before the birth of her son, as 'the mother of my Lord," explains the Catechism of the Catholic Church regarding this title for Mary. "In fact, the one whom she conceived as man by the Holy Spirit, who truly became her son according to the flesh, was none other than the Father's eternal Son, the second person of the Holy Trinity. Hence the Church confesses that Mary is truly 'Mother of God ('Theotokos') '" (no. 495) "Theotokos," comes ... More
Holy Family is Role Model for All Families
We celebrate the feast of the Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph during the Christmas season. The Catechism of the Catholic Church quotes the 1964 homily of Pope Paul VI on the feast of the Holy Family: “May Nazareth teach us what family life is, its communion of love, its austere and simply beauty, and its sacred and inviolable character.” (no. 533) And St. Pope John Paul II marveled at God's plan for the incarnation in his Dec., 31, 1978 homily: "The birth of Jesus in Bethlehem gave rise to this unique and exceptional family in the history of mankind. In this family ... More
