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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.
Lenten 40 Days for Life goes to March 28
The Lenten campaign of 40 Days for Life is being held outside the Planned Parenthood clinic at 1501 Aldersgate Road in Little Rock, a place where chemical abortions take place. The Little Rock prayer vigil was supposed to begin on Ash Wednesday, but was canceled because of winter weather. Prayer warriors are invited to pray outside the clinic from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily through March 28. The international 40 Days for Life ministry highlights prayer, fasting and a peaceful, prayer vigil outside an abortion facility to pray for an end to abortion. For details about the Little Rock ... More
Ashes to be sprinkled over head this year
Ash Wednesday begins our Lenten journey toward the celebration of Easter. Though it is not a holy day of obligation, it is a day of fast and abstinence. Normally, we are marked with ashes, in the form of a cross, on our forehead. However, this year, because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Vatican has asked that ashes be sprinkled over our heads instead. In it's "Distribution of Ashes in Time of Pandemic," the Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship and the Sacraments, described how priests should bless the ashes to be distributed with holy water silently at the altar and then address ... More
Diocese closes Feb. 11 because of weather
The offices of the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock are closed to the public on Thursday, Feb. 11. The Inclement Weather Policy is in effect for diocesan staff. To reach a member of our staff, visit our staff directory and click on the name of the person you wish to reach to send an e-mail. Leave a phone message by calling (501) 664-0340. He or she will respond when the offices reopen. Thank you for your patience. For information about Catholic ministries and programs, please visit our ministry directory for a list of programs statewide. To contact a diocesan ministry ... More
St. Valentine's example 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
English Pre-Cana to be virtual through June
Are you planning to get married in a Catholic church in Arkansas? If so, find out what you need to do by reading the Getting Married Guide. Because marriage is lifelong, the Church wants to help you build a strong, lasting marriage. For this reason, couples seeking marriage in the Catholic Church are asked to spend several months in marriage preparation. It is so important, that all couples are required to fulfill an educational program to marry in the Diocese of Little Rock. Options include: Pre-Cana Day, the Sponsor Couple program or some other diocesan-approved ... More
English Convalidation Day to be virtual
Convalidation classes are offered for couples who are married civilly (i.e., "outside the Catholic Church") and who wish to have a valid marriage recognized by the Church. Canon law requires that Roman Catholics marry according to sacred ritual before a priest or deacon, unless a dispensation (permission) is received from the Church beforehand. If a Catholic does not observe this requirement and marries outside the Church, his or her marriage is not valid. Couples who wish to have their civil marriage recognized by the Church are asked to participate in a special ... More
Observe National Marriage Week Feb. 7-14
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops partners with other organizations to promote National Marriage Week each year to help build "a culture of life and love that begins with supporting and promoting marriage and the family." It is always held Feb. 7-14. The 2021 theme is: “To Have, To Hold, To Honor.” World Marriage Day, held on the second Sunday of February, is part of this observance. This year, it falls on Valentine's Day, Feb. 14. World Marriage Day "honors husband and wife as the foundation of the family — the basic unit of society. It salutes the beauty of their faithfulness ... More
World Day for Consecrated Life is Feb. 6-7
The World Day of Prayer for Consecrated Life will be Feb. 2, which is also the feast of the Presentation of the Lord. Celebration of this event is transferred to the following weekend, Feb. 6-7, to allow parishes to highlight the gift of religious life and pray for those discerning a religious vocation. The Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CICSAL) at the Vatican addressed a letter to all consecrated persons Jan. 18 highlighting the difficulty of the past year and noting the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on religious communities worldwide. ... More
