Programs and Services

Marriage Preparation

Convalidation Classes — offered for couples who are married civilly and wish to transition to a sacramental marriage. Go to Pre-Cana dates and locations.

Marriage Is Forever — explains the process for getting married in Diocese of Little Rock (policy promulgated April 1, 2006). Review the policy in the Marriage Is Forever brochure (PDF file) or see Frequently Asked Questions.

Pre-Cana Day — a one-day retreat for engaged couples to spend time together reflecting on their relationship and future marriage. Married couples present talks on topics such as the sacrament of marriage, communication, finances, love and sexuality, parenting and natural family planning. This fulfills the educational portion of the required marriage preparation. For more, go to Pre-Cana dates and locations or download the Pre-Cana Day brochure (PDF file) For registration information, download the following:

Pre-Cana registration form (PDF file).

Sponsor Couple — a couple-to-couple marriage preparation ministry between married and engaged couples. The sponsor couple or mentor couple assists the engaged couple in reflecting on the reality of married life. Topics covered include the sacrament of marriage, family of origin, communication, finances, love and sexuality, parenting and Natural Family Planning. This fulfills the educational portion of the required marriage preparation.

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Marriage and Family

Grief Ministry — Have you recently lost a loved one? Do you know someone who has and is struggling with the loss of a loved one? There are many support groups for the bereaved in the central Arkansas area. To learn more, download the Bereavement brochure (PDF file), or contact Elizabeth Reha.

Marriage Encounter — a weekend program for couples who seek to enrich their marriages. Both National and World Wide Marriage Encounters are offered in the diocese. Currently, National Marriage Encounters are held in parishes and World Wide Marriage Encounters are offered at retreat settings. (Available in English and Spanish.) For registration information, download the following:

National Marriage Encounter brochure (PDF file)
Worldwide Marriage Encounter registration form (PDF file).
Encuentro Matrimonial de julio 2008 (formato PDF)

Marriage Anniversary Mass — celebrated each year in the diocese to honor couples who have been married 25 or 50 years or more. For registration information, download the following:

2008 registration form (PDF file).

Ministry to Divorced, Separated or Widowed — includes Beginning Experience, a weekend retreat for adults grieving the loss of a love relationship through death, divorce or separation. For more, see article on this ministry in Arkansas Catholic.

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Mother/Daughter and Father/Son Chastity Program — single-session fertility appreciation and chastity programs designed to provide an atmosphere of love and learning in order to discuss the important topic of growing up and learn about God’s gift of human fertility. These programs also establish a foundation for continued communication between fathers and their sons or mothers and their daughters. For registration information, download the following:

2008 Mother/Daughter Chastity registration form (PDF file)
2008 Father/Son Chastity registration form (PDF file)

Retrouvaille — a weekend experience (with follow-up sessions) designed to help heal and renew troubled and hurting marriages through relationship building and communication. Separated and divorced couples are also encouraged to attend. (Offered in English and Spanish). For registration information, download the following:

Retrouvaille registration form (PDF file)
Retrouvaille-Un ministerio cristiano (PDF file)

Senior Ministry

Senior Resource Ministry — a resource group for those involved in parish senior ministry. Download the current issue of Senior Network (PDF file), a newsletter with stories about seniors and information on parish senior ministries. It is distributed four times a year. The Senior Day and Mass is offered each fall. For registration information, download the following:

2008 registration form (PDF file).

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Singles Ministry

Singles Ministry — available in the Central, Northwestern and Western Deaneries and in some parishes in Arkansas. The objectives for these organizations are to encourage a spiritual belonging within the Catholic Church, to instill an attitude of public service and to develop Catholic social contacts.

Natural Family Planning

Natural Family Planning — an effective, proven method of family planning that is consistent with the teachings of the Catholic Church. It is the only one approved for couples to plan their families. (Classes offered in English and Spanish.) Go to Natural Family Planning classes. For more information about NFP, visit the Couple to Couple League Web site.

Videos and other Resources

Resources, information materials and videos on family topics are also available for borrowing. For more information, call or e-mail Kathleen McNespey.

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