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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.
Partake in Divine Mercy Sunday holy hour
The celebration of Christ's resurrection continues with Divine Mercy Sunday, which recognizes that God's love and mercy endure forever and overcome any sin that separates us from him. This year, we celebrate this feast on April 27. St. Maria Faustina Kowalska, a Polish nun, wrote in her diary that she witnessed a vision of Jesus on Feb. 22, 1931, while she was living at a convent in Plock, Poland. She wrote that Jesus had one hand raised in benediction and the other resting over his heart, from which emanated two rays of light. The apparitions to St. Faustina ... More
Pope Francis, 88, dies day after Easter
U.S. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, chamberlain of the Holy Roman Church, announced the death of Pope Francis from the Casa Santa Marta in Rome at 9:45 a.m. (2:45 a.m. central time), on Monday, April 21. "Dearest brothers and sisters, with deep sorrow I must announce the death of our Holy Father Francis. At 7:35 this morning, the Bishop of Rome, Francis, returned to the house of the Father. His entire life was dedicated to the service of the Lord and of his Church. He taught us to live the values of the Gospel with fidelity, courage, and universal love, especially in favor ... More
Bishop: Pope Francis a messenger of hope
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor issued the following statement, April 21, 2025, following the death of Pope Francis. “The passing of Pope Francis calls us to pray for him and to reflect on our relationship with the Lord. As the spiritual leader for Catholics throughout the world, he led by word and example, always challenging himself along with us to be more Christ-like in the way we live our faith. "He sought to be a messenger of hope and mercy for Catholics and others, calling all to a deeper relationship with the Lord through prayer and good works that reflected the compassion ... More
Diocese addresses office manager's arrest
The Diocese of Little Rock issued the following statement, April 10, 2025, to parishioners of St. Joseph Church in Tontitown regarding a staff member’s arrest. A similar letter was distributed to the parents of Ozark Catholic Academy, which is housed on the church campus. “We at the diocese have some serious and disturbing information to share with you about Paul Scouten, the office manager for your parish since August of 2016. He was arrested earlier today at home on suspicion of distributing, possessing or viewing of matter depicting sexually explicit ... More
The palm branch is a symbol of martyrdom
Palm Sunday is celebrated the Sunday before Easter and marks the beginning of Holy Week. The procession for this Mass reenacts Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. In doing so we wave newly blessed palm branches and sing or cry out in some variation of "Hosanna!" "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" "Hosanna in the highest!" (See Luke 19: 28-40 and Mark 11:1-10.) Some may wonder, why palms? In Jewish tradition, palms were to celebrate triumph or victory. For Christians, the palm branch became a symbol of martyrdom. Even the words ... More
Know your rights: Immigration staff advises
Jennifer Verkamp-Ruthven, director of Catholic Immigration Services for the Diocese of Little Rock, sent the following letter, April 8, 2025, to pastors and parish staff members to assist them in serving the needs of their immigrant parishioners in Catholic parishes in Arkansas. "Dear pastors and parish staff, since the new administration took office in January, a flurry of executive orders has changed or attempted to change federal immigration policies, and this has caused a high level of fear and anxiety among our immigrant brothers and sisters in our diocese. ... More
UPDATE: Front gate entrance now open
UPDATE: The front gate and main entrance to the offices of the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock has been reopened. All visitors may enter the campus of St. John Catholic Center on Tyler Street as usual now. On Monday, April 7, a detour to the back entrance on Harrison Street was necessary because of a downed utility pole from the recent storms. If you need to schedule a meeting with a member of our staff, visit our staff directory. Look for the name of the person you wish to reach and click on the red button under his or her photo to send an email or call us ... More
Give to Catholic Relief Services Collection
The Catholic Relief Services Special Collection will be taken up in all parishes in Arkansas March 29-30. This annual, nationwide collection supports the work of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) in helping people worldwide who suffer from war, natural disasters, violent persecution or extreme poverty. “This year, the Catholic Relief Services Collection has a very urgent significance,” said Bishop Daniel Mueggenborg, chairman of the U.S. bishop's Committee on National Collections. “Recently, the U.S. government abruptly suspended funding for its refugee ... More
