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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.
Seven to be ordained deacons in May, June
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will ordain seven men to the diaconate in May and June. Six of these are seminarians for the Diocese of Little Rock. They include: Martin Siebold, May 18; Luke Womack, May 19; Ramses Mendieta, May 20; Michael Johns, May 24; Stephen Hart, May 25; and William Burmester, June 2. These men will be ordained transitional deacons, which is a major step toward priestly ordination. The seventh person to be ordained is Matt Glover, diocesan chancellor for canonical affairs. He will become a permanent deacon on May 25. Siebold will be ordained at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in North Little Rock (Marche) on Wednesday, May 18. Guests are invited to come early for eucharistic adoration ... More
Ministry helps gang members start anew
Fuerza Transformadora (Transforming Force) is a Catholic movement that was founded in 2006 by Jaime Torres, a former gang leader, to reach people who are struggling with drug and alcohol addictions, gang life and violence and help them learn about God and change their lives. Torres joined the staff of the Diocese of Little Rock in 2010 and currently serves as associate director of the Office of Faith Formation, where he coordinates this ministry, which has grown to include programs in Arkansas, Texas, Tennessee and Illinois. In November 2014, Catholic Extension in Chicago ... More
Visit door of mercy during jubilee year
Pope Francis asked that every diocese in the world have a door of mercy during the Year of Mercy to be "a place of pilgrimage and spiritual renewal for the faithful." In the Diocese of Little Rock, the official door of mercy is located at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Little Rock. The faithful are invited to make a pilgrimage to the diocesan door of mercy during the jubilee year, which ends Nov. 20. Ten special pilgrimage events are scheduled on the first Saturday of each month through November. To learn more, visit our Calendar of Events. The first one was ... More
Vote for Lumen Christi nominee now
Cackie Upchurch, director of Little Rock Scripture Study, was nominated by Bishop Anthony B. Taylor for the 2016 Lumen Christi Award. This award, presented by Catholic Extension, recognizes an individual or group working in one of America's mission dioceses who demonstrates how faith can transform lives and communities. Past honorees of the Lumen Christi Award, which is Latin for "Light of Christ," have included priests, religious and lay leaders nationwide since 1978. Msgr. Scott Friend, vicar general and director of vocations and seminarians, won the award in 2007. ... More
To our new Catholics: Welcome!
Catholic parishes across Arkansas welcomed 665 new Catholics into the Church during Easter Vigil Masses March 26. They participated in their parish's Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults process. Those who had never been baptized received all three sacraments of initiation — baptism, confirmation and Eucharist. Those who had been baptized in another Christian church made their profession of faith in the Catholic Church, were confirmed and received their first Communion. The list of all who entered the Church in Arkansas can be found in the March 26 issue ... More
Youth convention to feature Mark Hart
The 66th annual Diocese of Little Rock Catholic Youth Convention will be held May 6-8 at the DoubleTree Hotel in Little Rock. This year's featured speaker is "Bible Geek" Mark Hart, a nationally known speaker, SiriusXM satellite radio host for the Catholic Channel and executive vice president of Life Teen International. He will speak to the theme: "Courage Means We Refuse to be Mastered by Fear." In addition to the keynote speaker, the conference will include skits, praise and worship music, prayer, workshops, small group discussion, Mass, a dinner banquet and dance. ... More
Bishop announces pastoral appointments
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor announced the following pastoral appointments for the Diocese of Little Rock on Friday, April 1 and April 6, 2016: Effective May 22 — Rev. Aaron Pirrera, OSB, relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Benedict Church in Subiaco to return to Subiaco Abbey; Rev. Mark Stengel, OSB, appointed pastor of St. Benedict Church in Subiaco. This is in addition to his responsibilities in Subiaco Abbey; Effective May 25 — Rev. Frank V. DuPreez relieved of his responsibilities as pastor of St. Joseph Church in Pine Bluff; Holy Cross Church in Sheridan and St. Mary Church in Plum Bayou, to cover St. Thomas Aquinas Church in Fayetteville ... More
Divine Mercy devotion grows in jubilee year
This year, Divine Mercy Sunday will be celebrated April 3. The celebration of Christ's resurrection continues with this feast, which recognizes that God's love and mercy endure forever and overcome any sin which separates us from him. This observance is especially importance as we continue to celebrate the Holy Year of Mercy. The official Year of Mercy Door at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Little Rock will be open from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Saturday, April 2 for pilgrims. Confessions will be available at 10 a.m. and 1 p.m. A special Mass for pilgrims will be celebrated ... More
