Official Website of the
Catholic Diocese of Little Rock
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The following offers the latest information about events and activities happening in the Diocese of Little Rock.

The Diocese of Little Rock will begin a new, permanent diaconate formation program in the fall of 2017. It is open to Catholic men in good standing with the Church who will be 35 years old by 2022. Those interested are invited to attend an informational meeting that will provide an overview of the program and plans leading up to ordination in 2022. Visit our calendar to see a list of all informational meetings in Arkansas. The program will be offered through the diocesan Office of Faith Formation under the direction of Father Erik Pohlmeier. Classes will be taught monthly at St. John Catholic Center in Little Rock for deacon candidates and their wives. The first three years of candidacy will also correspond with the class time for the Little Rock Theology Institute. ... More

Pope Francis proclaimed that a special Holy Year of Mercy will begin Dec. 8 and continue through Nov. 20, 2016. The theme for the year will be: "Be Merciful, just as your Father is Merciful." (Luke 6:36) The Holy Father announced the extraordinary jubilee at St. Peter’s Basilica during a Lenten penance service March 13. He declared the universal year to highlight the Catholic Church's “mission to be a witness of mercy.” Holy years feature special celebrations, pilgrimages, strong calls for conversion and repentance and special opportunities to experience God's grace through the sacraments, especially reconciliation. The doors of the Church “are wide open so that all those who are touched by grace can find the certainty of forgiveness,” Pope Francis said at the penance service. To learn more, visit the ... More

Are you planning a parish festival or school fundraiser and want to get the word out? If so, you are welcome to submit your events to this website. We list Catholic events in Arkansas where the public is invited. The following are examples of events we will list: Parish, school, religious or any Catholic organizational events; Lenten and Advent missions and activities Conferences and retreats hosted by the diocese, parishes, retreat houses or religious orders; major parish or institutional anniversary events; retreats, festivals, fundraisers or feast day events. Events and activities that are closed to the public or are not likely to be attended by those outside the parish, school, religious or organization's community will not be listed on our calendar. Examples of these include: ... More

The annual Junior High Spectacular will be held Sunday, Nov. 8 at Mount St. Mary Academy in Little Rock. This event is open to youth in grades 6-8. This year's presenters are Kyle Heimann and Dan Harms, who make up the acoustic, humor, rock duo Popple. They will focus on theme: "We are One in His Image." In addition to this presentation, the daylong program will include praise and worship, lunch and Mass. The cost is $40 per person. Scholarships are available. To apply, download the registration form. The deadline to register is Oct. 16. To register, download and return the registration form to diocesan Catholic Youth Ministry Office. For more information, contact Tricia Gentry at (501) 664-0340, ext. 418. Catholic Youth Ministry responds ... More

The annual Diocese of Little Rock Deacon Retreat will be held Oct. 2-4 at Coury House Retreat Center on the grounds of Subiaco Abbey. The theme will be: "Be Still and Know that I am God." (Psalm 46:10) All deacons serving in the diocese are invited to come together in prayer and fellowship. A separate retreat for the deacons' wives will be held Jan. 29-31, 2016. The retreat will include Mass, benediction, meditation time, group reflection, instruction from Father Jerome Kodell, OSB, and time to take part in a variety of prayers, such as Stations of the Cross, Divine Mercy Chaplet, the rosary, praying the Scriptures and time to pray the Liturgy of the Hours with the monks of Subiaco Abbey. This event is sponsored by the Minister to Deacons Office. For more information, contact ... More

Six Catholics in Arkansas earned bachelor’s degrees in theology from St. Gregory University in Shawnee, Okla., during a Mass at St. John Catholic Center in Little Rock Sept. 12. They participated in classes through Little Rock Theology Institute.... More

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor issued the following statement about the recent release of a series of videos of Planned Parenthood staff on Aug. 6, 2015. Pope Francis has repeatedly described abortion as the product of a "widespread mentality of profit, the throwaway culture, which has today enslaved the hearts and minds of so many." Over the last few weeks we have been scandalized by a series of videos which reveal the extent to which this mentality governs the actions of Planned Parenthood in the United States, but it is worth noting that this inhumane behavior is not limited to that organization. Indeed, although other abortion facilities may not all harvest fetal organs and tissues for further study ... More

Catholic Charities USA will host its national Applied Institute for Disaster Excellence (AIDE) at the Arkansas 4H Conference Center in west Little Rock Nov 2-6. AIDE is an annual training program that equips the Catholic Charities network, diocesan and parish staffs and partner agencies such as the Society of St. Vincent de Paul and the Knights of Columbus, for their roles in disaster preparedness and response. See schedule or register online. “This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for parishes in our diocese to take advantage of cutting edge instruction,” said Patrick Gallaher, executive director of Catholic Charities of Arkansas. AIDE is a hands-on conference providing instruction on preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation training. The goal of the conference is to make parishes more resilient in the face of catastrophes. ... More