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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.
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
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
Each year four Arkansas Catholic parishioners receive $1,000 scholarships from Little Rock Scripture Study to assist them in pursuing college degrees in fields such as theology, Scripture, sacred music, canon law, liturgy, pastoral administration or religious education. This year, the deadline to apply for the Scholarship for Studies Preparing for Lay Ministry is Friday, May 5. Active Catholics who are enrolled in college or graduate school may receive more information about the scholarship by contacting Cackie Upchurch, director of Little Rock Scripture Study ... More
The Minister to Deacons Office at the Diocese of Little Rock is hosting three deacon recommitment Masses to make it easier for deacons and their families to attend. In the past, this event was only held in Little Rock, but this year it is also being held in Rogers and Jonesboro. Bishop Anthony B. Taylor celebrated the first Deacon Recommitment Mass at St. Vincent de Paul Church in Rogers on Saturday, April 1. He will celebrate the second at 3 p.m. in Morris Hall Chapel on the grounds of St. John Catholic ... More
This year, Divine Mercy Sunday will be April 23. 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 he decreed that the Second Sunday of Easter would henceforth be known as Divine Mercy Sunday. On Divine Mercy Sunday, parishes often host ... More
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
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
The Holy Thursday Collection for seminarian education will be held April 13. The money from this Diocese of Little Rock collection will support the educational and housing expenses for the diocese's 31 seminarians. It costs the diocese more than $1 million to educate these men annually. Msgr. James E. O’Connell started an endowment fund for diocesan ... More