Official Website of the
Catholic Diocese of Little Rock
For best results, put specific keyword, title or phrase in quotes. (i.e. “Ash Wednesday”)
Happening Now
The following offers the latest information about events and activities happening in the Diocese of Little Rock.
Jubilee Year 2025 Closing Mass is Dec. 28
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will celebrate the closing Mass for the Jubilee Year 2025 in the Diocese of Little Rock at the Cathedral of St. Andrew in Little Rock at 2 p.m., Dec. 28. Everyone is invited to attend this bilingual Mass and reception to follow in McDonald Hall. The Catholic Church has been celebrating the special jubilee year since Dec. 24, 2024. It concludes worldwide on Jan. 6, 2026. The theme was "Pilgrims of Hope." Millions of pilgrims have traveled in hope to visit the holy sites in Rome throughout the year, including Catholics from the Diocese of Little Rock. ... More
Mary, Joseph seek shelter in Las Posadas
Las Posadas, which means "the inns" or "the shelters" in Spanish, is a 400 year old Advent tradition in Spanish-speaking countries, particularly Mexico. This novena usually takes place from Dec. 16-24 and focuses on the struggle of Mary and Joseph to find shelter when they arrive in Bethlehem. Many Catholic parishes and schools in Arkansas host this novena during Advent. Although some have adapted the tradition for their community, generally, this is how it is practiced. Adults and children take part in an evening procession, with two people dressed as Mary ... More
Share joy and hope on Gaudete Sunday
"The spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because the Lord has anointed me; he has sent me to bring glad tidings to the poor, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, release to the prisoners, to announce a year of favor from the Lord and a day of vindication by our God; to comfort all who mourn ..." (Isaiah 61:1-2) These words begin the first reading on the third Sunday of Advent, which is called Gaudete Sunday. "Gaudete" (pronounced gow-deh-tay) is Latin for "rejoice," which refers to the first word of the entrance antiphon. “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I say, rejoice! ... More
Learn, teach about Our Lady of Guadalupe
Devotion to Our Lady of Guadalupe began in December 1531 when the Blessed Virgin Mary appeared as an Aztec princess to Juan Diego on the hill of Tepeyac, outside a small village near Mexico City. The poor, humble man, who was declared a saint in 2002, told his bishop about the visits from the Virgin of Guadalupe and her desire for a church to be built on the site where she appeared. The bishop asked for a sign to prove that Juan Diego was telling the truth. When Juan Diego asked Mary to provide this proof, she told him to gather the roses growing on the hillside. ... More
Share the light of Christ on St. Lucia Day
We celebrate lots of incredible saints during the season of Advent. One of the lesser-known saints, at least in the United States, is St. Lucy, whose feast is celebrated on Dec. 13. This virgin martyr is believed to have died for her faith in the year 304 in Sicily, during the persecutions of Roman Emperor Diocletian, who ruled from 284-305. Not much is known for certain about St. Lucy, but she is among the few female saints listed in the canon of the Mass. Legends about Lucy include a rejected suitor denouncing her as a Christian and miracles that saved her from life in a brothel, ... More
Immaculate Conception is a beautiful gift
Although we celebrate the Immaculate Conception during Advent, the season during which we prepare for the birth of Jesus, this feast is NOT about the conception of Jesus. This can be confusing because the Gospel reading for this holy day focuses on the angel Gabriel appearing to Mary. "The angel said to her, 'Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus.'" (Luke 1:30-31) The Immaculate Conception refers to the conception of Mary, the mother of Jesus. The "immaculate" ... More
Add St. Nicholas Day to Advent traditions
Advent is full of traditions that can make this wonderful season of anticipation lots of fun for kids. At the top of the list is the feast of St. Nicholas on Dec. 6. One of the most popular ways to celebrate St. Nicholas Day is to leave your shoes outside your bedroom door or on the fireplace hearth on the night of Dec. 5 along with a plate of carrots for St. Nicholas' horse. And sometime during the night, St. Nicholas will visit and leave gifts in your shoes. What he gives may vary, but traditionally he gives gold coins or a candy cane to represent his crozier (staff carried by bishops ... More
Nearly 109,000 kids need a home in U.S.
November is National Adoption Month. The Children's Bureau, within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, created this initiative through a partnership with AdoptUSKids and Child Welfare Information Gateway, to raise awareness of the need for adoption. This awareness might happen by examining our understanding of adoption, learning about the ways to adopt or discerning if God is calling us or someone we know to adopt. Adoption can be done in different ways: private, domestic or international, infant adoption through an adoption agency or attorney or the adoption of children ... More
