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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.
Five men to be ordained priests May 29
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will ordain five men to the priesthood for the Diocese of Little Rock at 10 a.m. on Saturday, May 29 at Barton Coliseum located on the Arkansas State Fairgrounds in Little Rock. They are: Deacons Alex Smith, Emmanuel Torres, Omar Galván, Brian Cundall and Ben Riley. A holy hour to pray for these men and for an increase in vocations to the priesthood and religious life will be held the night before at 6:30 p.m. at St. Edward Church. This will be the first time the diocese has hosted an ordination at Barton Coliseum. Bishop Francis I. Malone of Shreveport ... More
Nieto, Wendel to be ordained deacons
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will ordain two Diocese of Little Rock seminarians to the diaconate in May. They are Jaime Nieto and Daniel Wendel. Through this process they will become transitional deacons, which is a major step toward priestly ordination. The diaconate ordination Mass for Jaime Nieto will be celebrated at 6 p.m. Friday, May 21 at St. Raphael Church in Springdale. This Mass will be livestreamed on the parish's Facebook page. A holy hour will precede the ordination at 4 p.m. Prayers will be offered for him, his continued discernment of priesthood and an increase ... More
Father Robert Dienert, 90, dies on May 9
Father Robert Dienert, a diocesan priest for 58 years, died on Sunday, May 9. He was 90. A rosary and vigil service will be held at 7 p.m., Wednesday, May 12 at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in North Little Rock (Marche). The Mass of Christian Burial will be at 11 a.m. Thursday, May 13, also at Immaculate Heart of Mary, with burial to follow in the parish cemetery. Memorial donations can be made to the Msgr. James O’Connell Seminarian Fund, Diocese of Little Rock, P.O. Box 7565, Little Rock, AR 72217-7565. Bishop Anthony B. Taylor addressed the following letter to all priests ... More
Mask-wearing optional, but recommended
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor issued the following letter, May 9, 2021, to the people of the Diocese of Little Rock about further loosening the protocols to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in our parishes. "Now that most Arkansans over the age of 16 have access to a coronavirus vaccination, I have sought the advice of the Presbyteral Council and the Diocesan Pastoral Council regarding next steps, and so today I am pleased to promulgate two things. First a further loosening of the anti-COVID-19 protocols that for over a year have prevented an outbreak of disease in any of our parishes ... More
June youth rally to feature Steve Angrisano
The "Glory on the Grounds United Through Faith Youth Rally" will be held Sunday, June 6 at St. John Catholic Center in Little Rock. This event, open to incoming seventh graders to outgoing 12th graders, is the first statewide, in-person event hosted by the Catholic Youth Ministry Office since the COVID-19 pandemic began in early 2020. The outdoor event will be held on the grounds of the offices for the Diocese of Little Rock at 2500 N. Tyler St. Parish check-in will begin at 10 a.m. The program will begin with music at 10:45 a.m. followed by a skit and opening prayer lead by the Youth Advisory Council ... More
Pray rosary marathon to end the pandemic
Pope Francis first appealed to Catholics worldwide to pray the rosary to end the COVID-19 pandemic in May 2020. In Catholic tradition, the month of May is dedicated to Mary. Now, as the virus rages on in places like India, he is asking the faithful again to dedicate the month of May to a "marathon of prayer,' which "rises continuously from the entire Church to the Father" to end this global threat. See How to Pray the Rosary Guide. The theme: "Prayer by the Church was fervently being made to God" (Acts 12:5) refers to the faithful praying for Peter (Acts 12:1-12) "who was imprisoned ... More
Diaconate inquiry meetings begin this fall
The Diocese of Little Rock is starting to prepare for its next permanent diaconate class, which will graduate in 2028. Inquiry meetings will be held at seven locations this fall. Catholic men in good standing with the Church who will be at least 35 years old by 2028 are invited to attend. The five-year diaconate formation program, which is scheduled to begin in the fall of 2023, will be explained. The meetings will be presented in English and Spanish at the same location and time, but in separate rooms. Those discerning a vocation to the permanent diaconate should attend one of these ... More
Schools' staff honored for years of service
Fifteen Catholic school teachers, staff members and administrators were recognized for serving 25 and 50 years in Catholic schools in Arkansas recently. These honorees are usually recognized by the Catholic Schools Office during its Professional Day for Teachers, but this event was not held in 2020 or 2021. 50 Years — Sister Joan Pfauser, RSM, director of archives and Mercy charism at Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock. She previously served at Mercy High School, St. Louis; St. Alphonsus School and Holy Name of Jesus School, both in New Orleans; and Mount ... More
