Diocesan Special Collections

Updated 10-2-26

The following offers descriptions on the special collections that are taken up in all parishes throughout the year. For more information, contact the Stewardship and Development Office.

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Church in Latin America

Fourth Sunday in January

The collection for the Church in Latin America promotes solidarity throughout the hemisphere by providing for pastoral projects in Latin America and the Caribbean. The funds are used to make grants and partnerships that support catechetical and lay leadership programs, youth ministry, evangelization programs and formation programs for religious, priests and deacons.

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Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal

First Sunday in February

The Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal (CASA) is the Diocese of Little Rock’s annual appeal, beginning each year on the first weekend of February. Through CASA, Catholics throughout Arkansas come together to support ministries and needs that extend beyond the capacity of any individual parish. These include seminarian and diaconate formation, Catholic Charities, faith formation, Catholic schools, Hispanic ministry and the diocesan offices that serve our parishes and programs. The appeal begins with a special homily from the bishop and continues throughout the year, inviting the faithful to share in the Church’s mission across Arkansas.

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Ash Wednesday Collection

Ash Wednesday

The Ash Wednesday Collection helps provide priests, religious and lay personnel to parishes that lack the financial resources to pay those salaries and benefits. This collection supports the evangelization mission of the Church in Arkansas.

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Black and Indian Missions Collection

Second Sunday of Lent

The Black and Indian Mission Collection was established in 1884 to bring Christ’s light to the African American, American Indian, Eskimo and Aleut communities of the United States. The funds collected are distributed as grants to dioceses in the U.S. to support evangelization programs for these groups. Our diocese applies for and receives grants each year to support ministries in our state helping these communities.

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Arkansas Catholic Subscription Drive

Last Sunday in February

Arkansas Catholic, the diocese’s weekly newspaper, kicks off its annual subscription drive the last Sunday in February. New subscribers can obtain a subscription envelope at their parish or in their collection envelope packet. Subscribers may choose from the print or digital editions or both. A discount is given to parishioners 65 years and older. For more information, call (501) 664-0125 or visit www.arkansascatholic.org.

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Catholic Relief Services

Fourth Sunday of Lent

The Catholic Relief Services Collection funds emergency relief, human development and peace initiatives around the world. In these countries, nearly half the population lives on less than $2 a day. The collection supports the ministries of these five organizations of the Catholic Church: Catholic Relief Services, Catholic Legal Immigration Network, Inc., Migration and Refugee Services, Social Development and World Peace and the Holy Father’s Relief Fund.

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Holy Thursday Collection for Seminarians

Holy Thursday

The Holy Thursday Collection helps pay for the education of seminarians for the Diocese of Little Rock. The cost to educate one seminarian is $45,000 per year, which includes tuition, room and board, health insurance and other needs.

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Holy Land Collection

Good Friday

The Holy Land Collection is a pontifical collection that supports not only the holy places where Christ walked, taught, lived and died, but also the pastoral, charitable, educational and social works throughout the Holy Land.

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Catholic Home Missions Appeal

Last Sunday in April

The Catholic Home Missions Appeal helps areas in the U.S. and its territories where resources are thin and priests are few. The funds collected help pay for evangelization, religious education, seminarian education, training for lay ministers and poor parishes that would have to close their doors without outside help. For many years, Catholic Home Missions funds have been given to our diocese to help parishes in need of special support.

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Catholic Communication Campaign

Sunday Before Pentecost

This collection funds activities in television, radio and other media to evangelize and spread the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Half of the collection from our diocese is retained for our own local communication projects and half is sent to the national office and used for grants for projects around the country and the world.

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Aid to the Church in Central and Eastern Europe

Third Sunday in May

During decades of communist oppression in Central and Eastern Europe, the Church was limited in its ability to serve and the spiritual life of the Church suffered. Now it is vigorously rebuilding the faith of its people. Proceeds from this collection, sponsored by the bishops of the United States, support religious education programs, seminarian formation, social ministries and rebuilding churches, convents and schools.

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Peter’s Pence

Sunday Nearest Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul

The Peter’s Pence Collection enables the Holy Father to respond with emergency financial assistance to requests for aid throughout the world, including those who are suffering as a result of war, oppression and natural disasters.

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Catechetical Sunday

Third Sunday in September

Catechetical Sunday is the opportunity for parishes across the country to recognize and thank those who give generously of their time and talent in the work of religious education. One half of the collection taken up on this day stays in the parish for religious education expenses and one half goes to the diocesan Office of Faith Formation for statewide formation programs.

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Solidarity Fund for the Church in Africa

First Sunday in October

The solidarity fund supports missionary discipleship for the growing Church in Africa. Contributions pay for pastoral needs, clergy formation, communications programs that bring the Gospel to remote territories, youth ministries and other needs of the Church.

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World Mission Sunday

Next-to-Last Sunday in October

This collection is the only special collection mandated by canon law and taken up in every parish, on the same date, throughout the entire world. These funds support the Pope’s missionary efforts throughout the world. This weekend also cultivates a missionary spirit amongst all the baptized in our diocese.

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Archdiocese for Military Services

First Sunday in November, Triennially

This collection, benefiting the Archdiocese for Military Services, provides pastoral services for members of the armed forces and their families. The collection is held once every three years.

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Catholic Campaign for Human Development

33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

The Catholic Campaign for Human Development works to uphold the dignity of human life and break the cycle of poverty in the United States. Donations to this collection are used for grants to local community-based groups that create jobs, improve education and strengthen neighborhoods. Twenty-five percent of the money collected stays in our diocese for Catholic Charities of Arkansas to help people in need. The remainder of the donations are sent to the national office for projects addressing the root causes of poverty and aligned with Catholic social teaching.

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National Collection for Retired Religious

Second Sunday in December

This special collection is taken up in all parishes nationwide. Thousands of elderly sisters, brothers and religious order priests have spent their lives working in Catholic schools, hospitals, parishes and agencies, often for little pay. Your gift to this collection helps their religious communities provide medication, nursing care and retirement services.

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Christmas Collection

Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

The Christmas Collection in our diocese is the primary source of income for the Clergy Welfare Fund. Your support helps provide benefits for our retired priests. They have given us the gift of their hearts and their lives of service and dedication; let us give them the gift of assurance that their retirement days are spent with dignity and care.

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