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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.
Appointments to take effect in April, June
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor recently announced the following pastoral appointments: Effective April 15 — Father John Antony, appointed administrator and chaplain of Trinity Junior High in Fort Smith. He remains pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith; Father Andrew Hart, relieved of his responsibilities as administrator and chaplain of Trinity Junior High in Fort Smith. He remains associate pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Fort Smith; Father Joseph Archibong, appointed to celebrate African Mass at St. Augustine Church in North Little Rock. He remains associate pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock; Msgr. Richard Oswald, relieved of his responsibilities as associate pastor ... More
Apply for men's EPJ team by April 17
The diocesan Hispanic Ministry Office will sponsor an Encuentros de Promoción Juvenil (Encounters of Youth Promotion) weekend for young men ages 18-25 at St. John Catholic Center in Little Rock on July 23-26. The cost is $110 per person. The deadline to register is July 2. To attend, download and return the registration form. To apply for the retreat team, download and return the team application by April 17. For more information, contact Rocio Montes in the Hispanic Ministry Office at (501) 664-0340, ext. 364. Modeled after Cursillo and presented in Spanish, this Catholic movement was developed to teach young adults to evangelize their peers to accept the Gospel, live their vocation and take on leadership roles in Christian groups in their communities. ... More
Special collection to benefit seminarians
The Holy Thursday Collection for seminarian education will be held April 2. The money from this diocesan collection will support the educational and housing expenses for the diocese's 41 seminarians. It costs the diocese $1.3 million to educate these men annually. Msgr. James E. O’Connell started an endowment fund for diocesan seminarians more than 50 years ago. This fund has been invested through the years and was able to cover the costs of educating the seminarians until recently when the number of young men studying for the priesthood increased dramatically. Today the cost of educating one seminarian is $32,000 per year, which includes tuition, room and board, health insurance, and other needs. ... More
Join us in celebrating the Easter Triduum
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will celebrate Palm Sunday Masses at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock at 4:30 p.m. Saturday, March 28 and 12:05 p.m. Sunday, March 29. On Palm Sunday, also known as Passion Sunday, Catholics reenact the events of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem to mark the beginning of Holy Week, which commemorates the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus, who triumphed over death and made our salvation possible. The bishop will celebrate the Chrism Mass at the Cathedral on Monday, March 30 at 5:30 p.m. Priests serving across the diocese concelebrate this Mass, during which they also renew their commitment to priestly service. Oils to be used statewide in the coming year are presented for the bishop's blessing. These include the oil ... More
Welcome new Catholics at the Easter Vigil
Catholic parishes across Arkansas will welcome an estimated 579 new Catholics into the Church during their Easter Vigil Masses on Holy Saturday, April 4. These people have participated in their parish's Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults process and fall into two groups: the elect and candidates. The elect have not been baptized and have been formed in the Christian faith and life. At the Easter Vigil, they will be baptized, confirmed and receive their first Communion. Candidates are baptized members of other Christian churches who wish to become Catholic. During the Easter Vigil, they will make a profession of faith, be confirmed and receive their first Communion. If there are any elect and/or candidates ... More
Gadberry to be ordained a deacon
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will ordain Stephen Joseph Gadberry to the transitional diaconate on Friday, March 27 at his home parish of St. Peter Church in Wynne. The 6 p.m. Mass will be followed by a reception in the parish hall. He will serve at his first Masses as a deacon at St. Mary Church in McCrory Saturday, March 28 at 5 p.m. in English and at St. Peter Church at 9 a.m. in English and 5 p.m. in Spanish on Palm Sunday, March 29. Gadberry is currently studying theology at Gregorian University, which is part of the Pontifical North American College in Rome in preparation for ordination to the priesthood in 2017. He is the son of Leslie Ann Gadberry and the late Stephen E. Gadberry. To learn more, read or listen to his vocation story. ... More
Seminarians take steps toward ordination
Thirteen seminarians from the Diocese of Little Rock have taken steps toward their ordinations recently. Three made their deacon promises March 5 at Saint Meinrad Seminary in Indiana. They are Dr. Joseph Chan of St. Boniface Church in Fort Smith and Mario Jacobo of Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church and Taryn Whittington of the Cathedral of St. Andrew, both of Little Rock. Chan will be ordained a deacon May 26 at his home parish and Whittington and Jacobo will be ordained deacons at the Cathedral of St. Andrew May 28. Four others received the ministry of acolyte Feb. 19 at Saint Meinrad Seminary. They are William Burmester of St. Joseph Church in Conway, Stephen Hart of Christ the King Church in Little Rock, Ramses Mendieta of Immaculate Conception Church ... More
Zukowski funeral to be March 10
Miroslaw “Mirek” Zukowski, a 28-year employee of the Diocese of Little Rock, died March 1 at his Little Rock home. He was 73. Zukowski joined the diocesan staff in December 1987 and took care of buildings and grounds at St. John Catholic Center. At the time of his death he was serving as a maintenance and grounds specialist. He was born Oct. 25, 1941, in Bialystok, Poland. Zukowski and his family immigrated to Arkansas in 1984 with assistance of the Catholic Refugee Resettlement Program. He is survived by his wife, Boqumila Zukowski; one daughter, Agnes Rooke; and two grandchildren. His cremated remains will be interred in the columbarium in the courtyard at Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church in Little Rock. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10 a.m. ... More
