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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.
U.S., Canada to be reconsecrated to Mary
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) and Canadian Conference of Catholic Bishops will join together in renewing the two nations' consecration to the Blessed Virgin Mary on Friday, May 1. Archbishop José Gomez, president of the USCCB, will lead the prayer service on behalf of the United States at 2 p.m. central time. All are invited to watch it live on the USCCB Facebook page. "Through a collective dedication or entrustment of a nation to Mary, an act of consecration is meant to be a reminder to the faithful of the Blessed Mother’s witness to the Gospel and to ask for ... More
Celebrate 20 years of Divine Mercy Sunday
This year, we celebrate the 20th anniversary of the institution of Divine Mercy Sunday on April 19. The celebration of Christ's resurrection continues with this feast, which recognizes that God's love and mercy endure forever and overcome any sin that separates us from him. In the 1930s, Jesus appeared to St. Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun, and directed her to promote his divine mercy worldwide. St. John Paul II canonized St. Faustina on May 1, 2000. Five days later the Vatican decreed that the Second Sunday of Easter would henceforth be known as Divine Mercy Sunday. ... More
Bishop: No public Masses through May 18
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor issued the following letter to the people of the Diocese of Little Rock, April 15, 2020, to address further changes to his March 12 mandate suspending all public Masses and non-essential events during the COVID-19 pandemic. "I want you to know that I appreciate what a difficult time this has been for all of us, especially the suspension of public Masses and all other public gatherings in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. I think we have all grown in our love for and longing for the Eucharist. I know this has been very hard for our priests, who miss intensely ... More
Immigration offices now closed to public
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, Catholic Charities Immigration Services in Little Rock and Springdale have both closed to the public, said director Jennifer Verkamp-Ruthven. "If anyone needs to reach us, they can call our office," she said. "When they call, they can ask about consultations. Some cases are being done remotely." To reach the Little Rock office, call (501) 664-0340, ext. 314. In Springdale, call (479) 927-1996. Catholic Charities Immigration Services provides low-cost immigration counseling and support to families and individuals who are eligible for immigration ... More
Westside Medical Clinic is closed for now
Westside Free Medical Clinic is not designed to screen or test or treat for COVID-19. Appropriate protective gear is not available for the staff and volunteers and the available limited resources need to be in the hospitals at this time. Westside director Karen DiPippa said all the clinics have been postponed until they can safely reopen. Scheduled patients have all been contacted by phone to inform them of the postponement. Patients are being given a tentative appointment for rescheduling with the understanding that it is subject to change. No new patients are being accepted at this time. ... More
Catholic schools closed for school year
Theresa Hall, superintendent of Catholic schools, made the following decision on Monday, April 6, 2020: "As per Governor Hutchinson’s announcement and with the approval of Bishop Anthony B. Taylor, the Catholic schools in the Diocese of Little Rock will not have onsite instruction for the remainder of this school year. The schools are to continue to use AMI days focusing on the core subjects and most important standards in our curriculum." This decision comes after closing schools first on March 16-30 to minimize the spread of COVID-19. On March 19 the decision was made to keep schools ... More
Bishop offers ways to celebrate Holy Week
In response to the coronavirus pandemic, Bishop Anthony B. Taylor mandated the suspension of all public Masses through April 15, which includes Holy Week and Easter. The Vatican's "Decree in the Time of COVID-19," released March 25, declared that since the date of Easter cannot be moved, "bishops and priests may celebrate the rites of Holy Week without the presence of the people and in a suitable place, avoiding concelebration and omitting the sign of peace." This means the laity are to celebrate the holiest week of the liturgical year at home. "The decree encourages pastors ... More
Make sure you're counted in 2020 census
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor supports the efforts of the 2020 census to count every person who lives in the United States. Every person living in your home needs to be counted. That includes children and newborn babies, citizens and noncitizens, relatives and nonrelatives and even those staying with you temporarily. Census data guides how more than $675 billion in federal funding is distributed to states and communities each year for schools, health care facilities, roads and social services. Your responses to the census are safe and secure. ... More
