Support seminarians online Holy Thursday

Published: March 30, 2020

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The annual Holy Thursday Collection for Seminarian Education will be held April 9. The money from this collection supports the immediate educational and housing expenses of the diocese's seminarians. A donation envelope was inserted in the April 4 issue of Arkansas Catholic. 

Even though public Masses are suspended during the coronavirus pandemic, parishioners can still contribute to this collection in one of three ways:

• Mail a donation or drop it off at your parish.
• Mail to: Holy Thursday Collection, Vocations and Seminarians Office, P.O. Box 7239, Little Rock AR 72217-7239.
• Donate online.

Since the collection was established in 2010, the money has been able to support the seminarian’s urgent needs. “Since that time you have donated over $3,461,330.47,” vocations director Msgr. Scott Friend wrote in letter to parishioners. “As of 2009, Bishop Taylor has ordained 36 new priests.” It costs $36,000 per year to form the men studying for the priesthood for our diocese.

While donations to the Msgr. O’Connell Diocesan Seminarian Fund are invested and only the earnings are used, the Holy Thursday collection can be used now to pay tuition, room and board and health insurance. Your help is needed to cover these costs. Learn how the seminarians are coping during the pandemic by reading Arkansas Catholic. For more information, read or watch their vocation stories, or contact the Vocations and Seminarians Office at (501) 664-0340.