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Catholic Diocese of Little Rock
Understanding Our Church
Explore this treasury of Arkansas writers discussing the Catholic faith on a wide variety of topics. Find what you're looking for by browsing the whole list or search by keyword or author. All articles have been reviewed for theological accuracy. Opinions expressed are those of the author.
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Saints across the millennia: Friends of Christ and our allies in prayer Jerre Roberts As a child, the first creed of the Church that I learned was the Apostles’ Creed. My understanding was rather shallow, as would be expected of a 7 year old preparing for her first Communion, but there was one image in the prayer that fired my imagination. That was the communion of saints. |
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The sacraments are encounters with the saving mysteries of Christ Charles T. Sullivan The word sacrament comes from a Latin translation of the Greek mysterion, which was used by the early Church Fathers to express the “mystery of God in Christ.” The Church proclaims and celebrates this mystery of Christ in her liturgy so that the faithful may draw life from it and be strengthened |
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Praying the Scriptures adds an ancient tradition to reading, study Father Raphael Kitz, OCD In the last paragraph of Vatican II’s document on divine revelation there is an important recommendation. |
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With ability to recognize the difference, we are able to choose good Father Andrew Smith In his seminal work of theology, the “Summa Theologiae,” St. Thomas Aquinas examines many questions regarding our belief in God and our relationship to one another. |
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True stewardship gives generously from gratitude more than guilt Eleanor Henley Contributions to the Church, whether to the local parish or to diocesan drives, have not kept up with inflation in recent years. Catholics, as a religious denomination, give half as much as their Protestant brothers and sisters. |
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Novenas: Nine-day faith journeys remind us on loss, preparation Betsy Wiederkehr Huss Have you ever said a “novena?” Maybe as a child in parochial school, or attending Mass on nine consecutive first Fridays, or maybe you prayed one recently? These devotions of mourning, of yearning, of prayer, of hope are a part of our Church’s tradition. |
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Reconciliation with God reconciles us with community, Church, self Judy Hoelzeman When my mother started getting forgetful in her early 80s, she sometimes asked me to help her write a list of sins before she received the sacrament of reconciliation. Her idea of what was sinful and mine didn’t match, of course, so we didn’t collaborate very well on this project. |
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The fruit of the Spirit: The power to forgive in an outrageous world Abbott Jerome Kodell In March 1996 seven Trappist monks in Tibherine, Algeria, were kidnapped from their monastery at midnight by masked intruders who were later identified as Islamic militants. The decapitated bodies of the monks were produced two months later. |
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‘Ordinary time’ on liturgical calendar is anything but commonplace Deacon Bo McAllister This Sunday as we celebrate the 15th Sunday in Ordinary Time, we find ourselves in the middle of summer break from schools and the time in our Church calendar identified as Ordinary Time. |
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We all share responsibility for the celebration of the Eucharist Msgr. Richard Oswald Writing to the people of the Church in Corinth about the proper disposition with which they should approach the Eucharist, Paul said, “The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? |
