Official Website of the
Catholic Diocese of Little Rock
For best results, put specific keyword, title or phrase in quotes. (i.e. “Ash Wednesday”)
Happening Now
The following offers the latest information about events and activities happening in the Diocese of Little Rock.
69 begin diaconate formation for diocese
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor accepted 69 men into the bilingual, permanent diaconate formation program for the Diocese of Little Rock in May. They will be required to complete five years of formation before being ordained in the summer of 2022. This program is a ministry of the Office of Faith Formation. Of those accepted, 50 men and their wives attend monthly, weekend classes in English at St. John Catholic Center in Little Rock. The remaining 19 men and their wives attend formation classes in Spanish at Subiaco Abbey in Subiaco. Classes begin in August. ... More
Five to be ordained deacons this month
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will ordain five Diocese of Little Rock seminarians to the diaconate in May. These include: Keith Higginbotham, May 18 in North Little Rock; Daniel Ramos, May 20 in Marche; and Joseph de Orbegozo, Patrick Friend and Stephen Elser, May 24 in Little Rock. Through this process they will become transitional deacons, which is a major step toward priestly ordination. The diaconate ordination Mass for Keith Higginbotham will be celebrated at 6 p.m. Thursday, May 18 at St. Anne Church ... More
Bishop announces pastoral appointments
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor announced the following pastoral appointments for the Diocese of Little Rock on April 28 and May 2, 2017. Effective May 3, 2017: Rev. Jason Sharbaugh, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Boniface Church in Fort Smith to assist with the liturgical schedule at Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith through May 14 and at St. Theresa Church in Little Rock from May 15 through June 12. As previously announced, he will provide summer coverage at St. Barbara Church in De Queen and St. Juan Diego Church in Wickes, effective June 13 ... More
St. Scholastica extends term of prioress
Sister Maria DeAngeli, OSB, prioress of St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith, will continue to lead the convent through May 2019. Her fellow Benedictine sisters voted to extend her term on April 21. She was originally elected prioress in 2009 and reelected to an additional four-year term in 2013. The sisters reached their decision after a two-day reflection process. Sister Maria, a native of Lake Village, is the daughter of the late Angelo and Lois DeAngeli and was one of seven children. She entered St. Scholastica Monastery in 1949 and made her monastic profession ... More
Gain indulgence during Fatima centennial
May 13 marks the 100th anniversary of the apparitions of Our Lady of Fatima in Portugal. Pope Francis will make a two-day pilgrimage to the site where the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared to three shepherd children, Sts. Francisco and Jacinta Marto and Lucia dos Santos, in 1917. In a letter to the people of the Diocese of Little Rock, Bishop Anthony B. Taylor invited Arkansas Catholics to join Our Lady of Fatima Church in Benton in celebrating this centennial. "Pope Francis has acknowledged the centennial year and decreed that those who observe the centennial year ... More
Healing Mass for abuse victims is April 20
The Diocese of Little Rock is hosting its first Safe Environment Healing Mass with Bishop Anthony B. Taylor as the celebrant on Thursday, April 20 at 6 p.m. It will be held in Morris Hall Chapel on the grounds of St. John Catholic Center in Little Rock. A reception will follow the Mass. The Mass is being held in April for National Child Abuse Prevention Month, which is dedicated to raising awareness of and preventing child abuse (whether sexual, physical, or emotional). The Mass will be offered for the healing of all victims of child abuse and those impacted by it. All are welcome to attend. ... More
Welcome our new Catholics at Easter Vigil
Catholic parishes across Arkansas will welcome about 585 new Catholics into the Church during their Easter Vigil Masses on Holy Saturday, April 15. These people have participated in their parish's Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults process and fall into two groups: the elect and candidates. The elect have not been baptized and have been formed in the Christian faith and life. At the Easter Vigil, they will be baptized, confirmed and receive their first Communion. Candidates are baptized members of other Christian churches who wish to become Catholic. During the Easter Vigil, they will make a profession ... More
Eight executions set for April in Arkansas
Eight Arkansas death row inmates are scheduled to be executed from April 17-27. They are: Don Davis and Bruce Earl Ward, April 17; Ledelle Lee and Stacey Johnson, April 20; Marcell Williams and Jack Jones Jr., April 24; and Jason McGehee and Kenneth Williams, April 27. After the United States Supreme Court chose not to hear a challenge to the state’s death penalty statutes, Arkansas Attorney General Leslie Rutledge and Gov. Asa Hutchinson scheduled these executions. No death row inmate has been executed in Arkansas since 2005. There are 34 death row inmates ... More
