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Catholic Diocese of Little Rock
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The following offers the latest information about events and activities happening in the Diocese of Little Rock.
The Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary, normally celebrated on Dec. 8, will be observed on Monday, Dec. 9 this year. Since Dec. 8 falls on the Second Sunday of Advent, the feast was moved to the following day. And even though it still is a solemnity, which is the highest level of feast day in the Church, the obligation to attend Mass did not transfer with the feast. Simply Catholic gives a good explanation for this exception. "According to the Church’s canon law, the obligation to attend Mass is fixed to a date, not necessarily ... More
The annual Retirement Fund for Religious collection will be held Nov. 30 - Dec. 1 in the Diocese of Little Rock. Coordinated by the National Religious Retirement Office (NRRO), the appeal benefits more than 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 $166,927.48 to this collection, and two religious communities in Arkansas received financial support from the Retirement Fund for Religious. They were: Subiaco Abbey ... More
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor announced the following pastoral appointment Thursday, Nov. 21, 2019, for the Diocese of Little Rock: Effective Jan. 1, 2020: Rev. Erik Pohlmeier, appointed pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock. This is in addition to his current responsibilities as Diocesan Director of Faith Formation and Director of Continuing Education of the Clergy. Bishop-elect Francis I. Malone, JCL, PA, ceases to be pastor of Christ the King Church, effective Dec. 31, 2019. He was appointed by Pope Francis as bishop of the Diocese of Shreveport, La. ... More
Each year, the Diocese of Little Rock participates in an annual collection for the benefit of the Catholic Campaign for Human Development (CCHD) during the weekend before Thanksgiving. This year’s collection will be held Nov. 23-24. Although most of the collection is sent on to the CCHD national office for use in a nationwide grant program, 25 percent of the collection stays in the state and is used by Catholic Charities of Arkansas to fund its CCHD local grant program In this fiscal year’s program, $17,230 in grants was distributed throughout Arkansas ... More
Pope Francis has appointed Msgr. Francis I. Malone, JCL, PA, bishop of Shreveport, La. The appointment was announced Tuesday, Nov. 19 in Washington, D.C., by Archbishop Christophe Pierre, apostolic nuncio to the United States, and Bishop-elect Malone was in Shreveport for the official announcement. The Diocese of Shreveport is in the state of Louisiana and has a total population of 812,200 of which 41,335 are Catholic. The ordination and installation Mass will take place at 2 p.m., Jan. 28, 2020 in the Cathedral of St. John Berchmans in Shreveport. ... More
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor announced the following pastoral appointments Monday, Nov. 18, 2019 for the Diocese of Little Rock: Effective Nov. 14: Rev. Eugene Luke, OSB, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Joseph Church in Paris, and as sacramental minister of St. Anthony Church in Ratcliff to return to Subiaco Abbey. Effective Nov. 18: Rev. Reginald Udouj, OSB, appointed administrator of St. Joseph Church in Paris, and sacramental minister of St. Anthony Church in Ratcliff. For more information about priests serving in Arkansas parishes, visit our Priest Directory ... More
The seventh annual Catholic Schools Scholarship Appeal kicks off Nov. 16 to assist schools statewide in raising funds for need-based tuition assistance. This year, applicant families qualified for $3 million to assist 765 students. Parishes and schools have committed $1.6 million in assistance, leaving $1.4 million still needed and thus the need for this appeal. Bishop Anthony B. Taylor addressed a letter to previous donors thanking them for their contributions that allowed 48 students to receive tuition assistance ranging from $500 to $1,000 per family in 2018. ... More
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor announced the following pastoral appointments Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2019, for the Diocese of Little Rock. Effective Oct. 28: Rev. Balaraju Akkala, appointed associate pastor of St. Stephen Church in Bentonville, and administrator of Blessed Stanley Rother Church in Decatur. He is relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Church in Rogers; Rev. Salvador Márquez-Muñoz, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of Blessed Stanley Rother Church in Decatur. He remains pastor of St. Mary Church in Siloam Springs. ... More