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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.
College students: Trust in God's plan in life
The Catholic Campus Ministry Office will host a weekend retreat for college students Jan. 26-28 at at St. John Catholic Center in Little Rock. Retreat master will be Susej Thompson, director of faith formation and music at Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock. Thompson has served as a Catholic youth, music and campus ministry leader in Little Rock for many years. She has also led music, retreats and spoken at various events throughout Arkansas. Most recently, she led the first Praise and Worship Conference at Our Lady of the Holy Souls. She will address the ... More
Bishop addresses new blessings document
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor issued the following statement, Dec. 19, in response to the Vatican declaration regarding informal blessings for same-sex and unmarried couples. “As many of you know, the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) recently issued the declaration 'Fiducia Supplicans' ('Supplicating Trust'), approved by Pope Francis, which discusses the pastoral meaning of blessings by ordained clergy (bishops, priests and deacons). It’s important to remember that such documents are addressed to the worldwide Church, with its differing pastoral concerns ... More
First Thanksgiving began with the Mass
Thanksgiving, as an American holiday, traces its roots back to 1621 when Gov. Bradford of the Plymouth colony called for a day of public praise and prayer to celebrate the first harvest. But the very first Thanksgiving on American soil took place much earlier; 56 years earlier to be exact, and the highlight of the occasion was a Catholic Mass. The first thing Spanish settlers did when they arrived safely in St. Augustine, Fla., was celebrate Mass in thanksgiving to God on Sept. 8, 1565. "After the Mass, Father Francisco Lopez, the chaplain of the Spanish ships and the first pastor of St. Augustine ... More
Adopting a child is a great work of love
Many in our culture have a negative view of adoption, but St. Pope John Paul II, in an address to adoptive families in the year 2000, made it clear that creating a family through adoption "is in no way inferior to one based on a biological connection. ... Adopting children, regarding and treating them as one's own children, means recognizing that the relationship between parents and children is not measured only by genetic standards. Procreative love is first and foremost a gift of self. There is a form of 'procreation,' which occurs through acceptance, concern and devotion," he explained. ... More
Embrace the Catholic roots of Halloween
Did you know trick-or-treating is Catholic in origin? That is also true for dressing up in costumes and making a jack-o-lantern. If this surprises you, you are not alone. The practice of Halloween has been separated from its Christian roots in the modern world. As a result, some associate Halloween with zombies, vampires, ghosts and the occult. It is especially bad this time of year when we are inundated with disturbing images of darkness and death, leaving Christians to worry if it is wrong to participate in Halloween. Father Steve Grunow, CEO of Word on Fire, explains that Halloween ... More
12 students in spiritual direction formation
After a seven-year absence, the Diocese of Little Rock resumed its School of Spiritual Direction this fall. Twelve students from parishes across Arkansas began taking bilingual classes in September at St. John Catholic Center in Little Rock. The weekend classes will be offered monthly through May as part of the three-year program. Father Daniel Velasco, pastor of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock, was named director of spiritual direction formation in July 2022. According to Arkansas Catholic, he said the purpose of this program is to help people “grow their relationship with ... More
Order your 2024 diocesan directory today
The 2024 Catholic Diocese of Little Rock Directory is now in stock. The gloss-cover softbound directory is the only source for exclusive, updated contact information for every priest, religious and deacon in Arkansas. It also includes information on every parish, school and diocesan office as well as details on Catholic ministries and organizations, hospitals and much more. Directories are $15 each and are available for immediate shipment. Shipping is free. Download the order form and return it with payment to the address provided. For more information, email Mark Brasfield ... More
Apply to be a disaster case manager
Catholic Charities of Arkansas and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul USA Disaster Services are working together with other helping and faith-based organizations to provide long-term recovery case management services for the impacted households from the March 31 tornado that devastated Pulaski, Lonoke and Cross counties in Arkansas. Disaster case managers are needed to coordinate services and resources to address the tornado survivors' complex disaster recovery needs in order to help them re-establish normalcy. This is a grant funded position for up to one year with the ... More
