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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.
Stations of Cross help with why of suffering
From the earliest days of Christianity, pilgrims have journeyed to Jerusalem to walk in the footsteps of Christ's passion on the road to Calvary. Tradition holds that Mary, the mother of Jesus, herself led by example in making daily visits to the sites of her Son's sufferings, death and resurrection following his ascension into heaven. More than 2,000 years later, Christians are still meditating on his crucifixion through what has come to be known as the Stations of the Cross. Also called the "Way of the Cross" or "Via Crucis" this private devotion has consisted of 14 stations, taken both from ... More
Oils blessed at Chrism Mass sign of unity
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will celebrate the annual Chrism Mass at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock on Monday, April 14 at 5:30 p.m. Priests serving across Arkansas concelebrate this Mass, during which they renew their commitment to priestly service. All are welcome to attend. Anointing oils to be used for sacraments and dedications are also presented for the bishop's blessing. These include the oil for the sick, used in anointing the sick; the oil for catechumens, used during baptism; and the oil for the sacred chrism, which is the primary anointing oil. ... More
Palm Sunday foreshadows what is to come
"The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding (Jesus) and those following kept crying out and saying: 'Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.'" (Matthew 21:1-11) This Scripture describes Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, an event we reenact on Palm Sunday, which is celebrated the Sunday before Easter marking the beginning of Holy Week. The Catholic Church remembers this event during ... 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
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
Diocese closed for staff retreat April 1
The offices of the Catholic Diocese of Little Rock at St. John Catholic Center will be closed for a staff retreat Tuesday, April 1. If you need to reach a member of our staff, please send an email or leave a phone message by calling (501) 664-0340. He or she will respond when available. Thank you for your patience. The diocese will reopen Wednesday, April 2, as usual. Our regular business hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday - Friday. To email a staff member, visit our staff directory, which is listed in alphabetical order. Look for the name of the person ... 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
