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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.
Join us in celebrating the Easter Triduum
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will celebrate Palm Sunday Masses at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 28 and 12:05 p.m. Sunday, March 29. On Palm Sunday, also known as Passion Sunday, Catholics reenact the events of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem to mark the beginning of Holy Week, which commemorates the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, who triumphed over death and made our salvation possible. The bishop will celebrate the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral on Monday, March 30 at 5:30 p.m. Priests serving across the diocese concelebrate this Mass, during which they also renew their commitment to priestly service. Oils to be used statewide in the coming year are presented for the bishop's blessing. These include the oil ... More
Welcome new Catholics at the Easter Vigil
Catholic parishes across Arkansas will welcome an estimated 579 new Catholics into the Church during their Easter Vigil Masses on Holy Saturday, April 4. 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 of faith, be confirmed and receive their first Communion. If there are any elect and/or candidates ... More
Gadberry to be ordained a deacon
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will ordain Stephen Joseph Gadberry to the transitional diaconate on Friday, March 27 at his home parish of St. Peter Church in Wynne. The 6 p.m. Mass will be followed by a reception in the parish hall. He will serve at his first Masses as a deacon at St. Mary Church in McCrory Saturday, March 28 at 5 p.m. in English and at St. Peter Church at 9 a.m. in English and 5 p.m. in Spanish on Palm Sunday, March 29. Gadberry is currently studying theology at Gregorian University, which is part of the Pontifical North American College in Rome in preparation for ordination to the priesthood in 2017. He is the son of Leslie Ann Gadberry and the late Stephen E. Gadberry. To learn more, read or listen to his vocation story. ... More
Seminarians take steps toward ordination
Thirteen seminarians from the Diocese of Little Rock have taken steps toward their ordinations recently. Three made their deacon promises March 5 at Saint Meinrad Seminary in Indiana. They are Dr. Joseph Chan of St. Boniface Church in Fort Smith and Mario Jacobo of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church and Taryn Whittington of the Cathedral of St. Andrew, both of Little Rock. Chan will be ordained a deacon May 26 at his home parish and Whittington and Jacobo will be ordained deacons at the Cathedral of St. Andrew May 28. Four others received the ministry of acolyte Feb. 19 at Saint Meinrad Seminary. They are William Burmester of St. Joseph Church in Conway, Stephen Hart of Christ the King Church in Little Rock, Ramses Mendieta of Immaculate Conception Church ... More
Zukowski funeral to be March 10
Miroslaw “Mirek” Zukowski, a 28-year employee of the Diocese of Little Rock, died March 1 at his Little Rock home. He was 73. Zukowski joined the diocesan staff in December 1987 and took care of buildings and grounds at St. John Catholic Center. At the time of his death he was serving as a maintenance and grounds specialist. He was born Oct. 25, 1941, in Bialystok, Poland. Zukowski and his family immigrated to Arkansas in 1984 with assistance of the Catholic Refugee Resettlement Program. He is survived by his wife, Boqumila Zukowski; one daughter, Agnes Rooke; and two grandchildren. His cremated remains will be interred in the columbarium in the courtyard at Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. ... More
Lenten retreat offers silence with God
Allow your friendship with the Lord to deepen in the sacred stillness and quiet of the 2015 Ignatian Silent-Directed Retreat at St. John Catholic Center in Little Rock. This faith formation program for adults will begin with registration 4:30 p.m. in Fletcher Hall on Thursday, March 19 and conclude Sunday, March 22 with lunch. Participants will learn about silent prayer and how to seek God and his plan for their lives in the silence. The retreat fee of $300 includes nine meals, accommodations for three nights and daily spiritual direction. Limited space is available. The deadline to register is March 9. This event is sponsored by the Office of Faith Formation. Learn more by downloading the retreat flyer. ... More
Return to the Lord this Lenten season
Our Father beckons: "Return to me with your whole heart." Each Lent the Church offers us a 40-day retreat designed to help us respond to God's call. Lent is the primary penitential season of the liturgical year. We partake in Lent with prayer, fasting and almsgiving. Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends with the Easter Triduum — Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Holy Saturday. The Triduum is the liturgical celebration to help us embrace the ultimate act of love: Jesus' passion, death and resurrection, the foundation of the Christian faith. We offer the following resources to help you get the most from your time in desert: Pray without ceasing ... More
Dc. Marschewski's funeral to be Feb. 9
Deacon John Marschewski, minister to deacons for the Diocese of Little Rock and a deacon at Christ the King Church in Little Rock, died Feb. 5 after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 73. To learn more, read Arkansas Catholic. Marschewski joined the diocesan staff in 2005. As minister to deacons, Marschewski served as the bishop’s representative by implementing continuing education and spiritual formation opportunities for 110 active and retired diocesan deacons. He was born Jan. 1, 1942, to the late John Marschewski Sr. and Nan Elaine Mabry Marschewski. He retired as a major after 20 years in the 142nd Artillery Army National Guard. The Helena native moved to Little Rock in 1965, and he and his wife Mary Beth became one of the first families to join Christ the King in 1967. ... More
