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.
Junior High Spectacular to host Popple
The annual Junior High Spectacular will be held Sunday, Nov. 8 at Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock. This event is open to youth in grades 6-8. This year's presenters are Kyle Heimann and Dan Harms, who make up the acoustic, humor, rock duo Popple. They will focus on theme: "We are One in His Image." In addition to this presentation, the daylong program will include praise and worship, lunch and Mass. The cost is $40 per person. Scholarships are available. To apply, download the registration form. The deadline to register is Oct. 16. To register, download and return the registration form to diocesan Catholic Youth Ministry Office. For more information, contact Tricia Gentry at (501) 664-0340, ext. 418. Catholic Youth Ministry responds ... More
Deacon retreat to offer lots of time to pray
The annual Diocese of Little Rock Deacon Retreat will be held Oct. 2-4 at Coury House Retreat Center on the grounds of Subiaco Abbey. The theme will be: "Be Still and Know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10) All deacons serving in the diocese are invited to come together in prayer and fellowship. A separate retreat for the deacons' wives will be held Jan. 29-31, 2016. The retreat will include Mass, benediction, meditation time, group reflection, instruction from Father Jerome Kodell, OSB, and time to take part in a variety of prayers, such as Stations of the Cross, Divine Mercy Chaplet, the rosary, praying the Scriptures and time to pray the Liturgy of the Hours with the monks of Subiaco Abbey. This event is sponsored by the Minister to Deacons Office. For more information, contact ... More
Six earn theology degrees in Little Rock
Six Catholics in Arkansas earned bachelor’s degrees in theology from St. Gregory University in Shawnee, Okla., during a Mass at St. John Catholic Center in Little Rock Sept. 12. They participated in classes through Little Rock Theology Institute.... More
Bishop addresses Planned Parenthood
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor issued the following statement about the recent release of a series of videos of Planned Parenthood staff on Aug. 6, 2015. Pope Francis has repeatedly described abortion as the product of a "widespread mentality of profit, the throwaway culture, which has today enslaved the hearts and minds of so many." Over the last few weeks we have been scandalized by a series of videos which reveal the extent to which this mentality governs the actions of Planned Parenthood in the United States, but it is worth noting that this inhumane behavior is not limited to that organization. Indeed, although other abortion facilities may not all harvest fetal organs and tissues for further study ... More
Disaster training conference to be Nov. 2-6
Catholic Charities USA will host its national Applied Institute for Disaster Excellence (AIDE) at the Arkansas 4H Conference Center in west Little Rock Nov 2-6. AIDE is an annual training program that equips the Catholic Charities network, diocesan and parish staffs and partner agencies such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the Knights of Columbus, for their roles in disaster preparedness and response. See schedule or register online. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for parishes in our diocese to take advantage of cutting edge instruction,” said Patrick Gallaher, executive director of Catholic Charities of Arkansas. AIDE is a hands-on conference providing instruction on preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation training. The goal of the conference is to make parishes more resilient in the face of catastrophes. ... More
Pope Francis to visit U.S. in September
Pope Francis will make his first visit as pope to the United States Sept. 22-27. The Holy Father will go to Washington, D.C., Sept. 22-24, to meet with President Obama and address a joint session of Congress. From Sept. 24-26 he will visit New York City to address the United Nations General Assembly and take part in a multi-religious service at the 9/11 Memorial and Museum at the World Trade Center. He will close his visit by attending the 2015 World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia from Sept. 26-27. To learn more, see the complete schedule for his visit or visit the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The World Meeting of Families was created by St. Pope John Paul II in 1994. It is held every three years and sponsored by the Holy See’s Pontifical Council for the Family. ... More
Scholarships available for pro-life camp
Scholarships are available for Catholic students to attend Camp Joshua at Crossheirs Retreat Center in Humphrey. This pro-life camp is open to youth 14 to 19 years old and is sponsored by Arkansas Right to Life. The $100 fee includes meals, accommodations, materials and T-shirt. To apply for a scholarship, call Liz Tingquist in the diocese’s Catholic Youth Ministry Office at (501) 664-0340, ext. 333. To register for the camp, visit the website. Camp Joshua is a three-day pro-life camp designed to teach students how to be effective pro-life leaders. It will be held July 28-30, and will include informative workshops ... More
Bishop addresses Supreme Court decision
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor issued the following statement Wednesday, July 1 in response to the U.S. Supreme Court decision in the case of Obergefell v. Hodges requiring all states to license and recognize same-sex unions as a marriage. "To the people of the Diocese of Little Rock: Last week the U.S. Supreme Court issued a ruling that now requires all states to grant same-sex unions the same legal status as true marriages. This decision runs counter to the truth of marriage, which by its very nature is about love and commitment shared between consenting adults but also about much more; it is also for the purpose of bringing forth new life and raising the children born of that union. This is no less true for those married couples who are unable to conceive children of their own, but who nonetheless reflect the mutual complementarity of the sexes ... More
