Parish and Diocesan News

Men's conference : Men of Faith Little Rock will host the second annual Catholic Men's Conference at Christ the King Church in Little Rock Saturday, Feb. 4. Last year's conference was held on Super Bowl Saturday for the Central Deanery. This year the conference will again be held on Super Bowl Saturday and will be open to all parishes. The theme of the conference is "The Promised Land: Journey or Destination?" Speakers scheduled for the conference are: Robert Rogers, Bill Moyer and Mike VanVranken. Bishop Anthony B. Taylor will celebrate Mass at 7:50 a.m. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. in the Family Life Center and the conference concludes at 4 p.m. Pre-registration is $30, which includes continental breakfast and lunch. Eucharistic adoration will be held during lunch. Attendees will also have the opportunity to obtain faith education materials from the speakers. For additional information, e-mail MenofFaithLR@hot mail.com or visit www.facebook.com/MenofFaithLittleRock.

Caregivers : On Feb. 4 St. Scholastica Retreat Center and Peachtree Hospice will co-sponsor a Caregiver's Day of Recollection from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the retreat center in Fort Smith. The $10 fee includes lunch. The registration deadline is Jan. 27. For more information or to register, call (479) 783-1135 or e-mail retreats@stscho.org.

Food festival : St. James Church in Searcy is hosting its International Food Fest at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 4 in the parish hall. Food from Mexico, Ireland, Germany, Nigeria, Holland and other countries will be served. Advance tickets are $8, or $10 at the door. Children 6 years old and younger are free. Other events include a silent auction and a raffle for four cash prizes. For more information, call the parish office at (501) 268-5252.

Mardi Gras : The Helena Mardi Gras Celebration will be held Feb. 3-5 in the St. Mary Church parish hall in Helena. A Cajun shrimp stew dinner will be served Friday, Feb. 3 beginning at 6:30 p.m. with music and door prizes. Tickets are $12.50 each. Other seafood items will be available for an additional fee. A bake sale with party food, casseroles and desserts will be held Feb. 4-5 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. On Sunday, Feb. 5 a spaghetti lunch will be served for $8.50 for adults and $5 for children from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. A special Mardi Gras raffle will be drawn Feb. 5. For more information, call the church office at (870) 338-6990.

Alumnus of the Year : Sacred Heart School's Alumnus of the Year in Morrilton is Denis Drilling from the Class of 1957. Drilling has served on the school board and Booster Club, as well as assisted during the annual school bazaar. Denis and his wife Dixie host an annual Christmas dinner for Sacred Heart and he initiated and planned the school's first Cajun Fête fundraising dinner in 2011. Over the years, he devised numerous ways to generate funds for the school, including making knives to give as prizes in the bazaar country store booth, which he continues to operate annually. The Drilling children received a Catholic education and seven of their grandchildren have graduated or currently attend Sacred Heart. Drilling is an usher and has served on the parish council and is a longtime member of the Knights of Columbus. The Honorary Alumnus of the Year Award was given to Jack Kordsmeier, who left the school after the eighth grade to help support his family farm. Jack and his wife Irene sent all 11 of their children to Sacred Heart. He has been the president for the school board and Booster Club. A strong supporter of Rebel basketball, Kordsmeier remains a season ticket holder. He has worked the school's annual bazaar for many years, both as dinner usher chairman and in the midway booths. He is a 50-year member of the Knights of Columbus where he is a member of the Fourth Degree and honor guard, served as grand knight and district deputy and is a past Knight of the Year. He initiated bingo fundraising for the school in 1986 and helped raised more than $200,000 to support the school for 16 years.

Artist showcase : Arkansas artist George R. Hoelzeman, a member of St. Mary Church in Saint Vincent, was invited to present his work during the artist showcase at the Southwest Liturgical Conference's 50th annual study week. Hoelzeman was one of 10 artists from North America selected for the showcase that was held in Dallas Jan. 24-28. The Southwest Liturgical Conference is the oldest continuous regional liturgical conference in the United States. Each artist presented seven pieces while discussing their work methods and inspiration. A panel discussion with the selected artists followed the showcase. A 1981 graduate of Sacred Heart High School in Morrilton, Hoelzeman initially studied to be a Benedictine monk at St. Joseph Seminary in Louisiana. He began a decade-long teaching career at Catholic High School in Little Rock in 1988. His liturgical artwork came to international attention in 1991 with "African Way of the Cross" created for St. Augustine Church in North Little Rock. In 1999 he retired from teaching in order to pursue liturgical art, design and consultant work full time. Hoelzeman also leads retreats and workshops on a variety of subjects related to art, history and liturgy.

Science bowl champs : The Science Bowl team at Trinity Junior High School in Fort Smith placed first in the Arkansas/Oklahoma Regional Middle School Science Bowl Competition Saturday, Jan. 21 at the University of Arkansas at Fort Smith. Trinity ended its day with 12 wins, one loss and one tie, defeating Ramsey's three teams, Chaffin's two teams, Kimmons, and Little Rock's Lisa Academy's three teams along the way. The Science Buffs were awarded an all-expenses paid trip to compete in the national competition in Washington D.C., April 26-30. Team members are captain Grayson Furr, Walker Cobb, David Dawkins, Alexis Newman and Josh Taylor.

Christmas performance : On Dec. 13, St. John School in Hot Springs students presented its Christmas program and See Our Stars Shine. The students performed Christmas songs and displayed examples of special art projects.

Bird watchers : Students at St. Joseph Elementary School in Conway recently earned certificates from the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission for participating in its Wings Over Arkansas program. Science teacher Dianna Brown had the students locate 25 birds on a list and log when and where they saw them. The information was then sent in to the Game and Fish Commission, which issued certificates to all the students designating them "official bird watchers of Arkansas." The students can earn higher levels of recognition if they choose.

Football fever : The eighth-grade religion classes at Trinity Junior High in Fort Smith celebrated the many college football bowl games in early January by bringing in canned goods to fill the "bowls" of those in need. On Friday, Jan. 6 items made of cotton were donated in honor of the Razorback's Cotton Bowl appearance. In return for their donations, students were able to wear college gear in lieu of school uniforms. 

For children in need : Immaculate Conception School in North Little Rock participated in a toy drive for Officer Tommy Norman's Christmas drive. Each student was asked to bring in one toy for a child their age. Norman picked up the toys while he was at the school for the Star Student luncheon Dec. 14.

Honoring veterans : Immaculate Conception School in North Little Rock had its annual Veterans Day celebration and assembly on Friday, Nov. 11. Dr. Liana Tyson, the school's music specialist, and her seventh- and eighth-grade drummers entertained the veterans and parents in attendance.

Basketball champs : The fifth-grade girls at Our Lady of the Holy Souls School in Little Rock won the Santa Slam basketball tournament sponsored by the Anthony School. The team includes Jessica Searle, Katie McLauren, Kennedy Phillips, Madi Straessle, Bethy Paladino, Annabelle Brown, Jennifer Mines, Rachel Pinter, Mabry Meadors and coaches Michelle Meadors and Kari Straessle.

Outstanding student : Subiaco Academy senior Toby Turney of Fort Smith was presented with the Second Quarter Martin Schriver Award at the school-wide assembly Jan. 13. The award, named in honor of Martin Schriver, a carpenter from 1900 to 1970 for Subiaco Abbey and Academy, is awarded quarterly to a student who exhibits an exemplary work ethic, involvement in school activities and respect for teachers and fellow students. A student may receive this award only once while attending Subiaco Academy.

Spelling bees : Our Lady of the Holy Souls School in Little Rock and St. John School in Russellville held their school spelling bees recently. At Holy Souls each class in grades 4-8 held a class bee and the winner of the class bee participated in the school bee. Carol Stover was the overall winner and will represent Holy Souls in the Pulaski County Spelling Bee Feb. 7. At St. John School, 44 students participated in this year's contest. The winner was Luis Velazquez. He competed in the Pope County Spelling Bee Jan. 26.

Geography bee : Our Lady of the Holy Souls School in Little Rock held its school geography bee Jan. 11. Each class in grades 4-8 held a class bee and the winner of the class bee participated in the school bee. Alex Lueken was the overall winner. He will take a written test to qualify for the state bee.

Fundraiser : Celebrate Trinity will be held at 6:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 11 in the McAuley Activity Center at Trinity Junior High School in Fort Smith. Tickets are $75 a person and include dinner, drinks, live and silent auctions, casino-style games and live music from Boom Kenetic. For more information, call Becky Ahlert at (479) 461-7990.

Spaghetti dinner : The Knights of Columbus at Our Lady of Fatima Church in Benton will host a pre-Lent spaghetti and meatball dinner from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m., Saturday, Feb. 11 in McGinnis Hall. The dinner also includes salad, bread and a drink. Advance tickets are $7 for adults, $5 for children and free for children 4 and younger. Tickets at the door are $9 and $7, respectively.

Marriage retreat : A Worldwide Marriage Encounter weekend will be held Feb. 10-12 at Subiaco Abbey. The retreat is open to married couples with good marriages who want to make them great. The application fee is $50. For more information or to register, call Stephen and Elaine Lienhart at (501) 312-1119 or e-mail register@arkansas wwme.org.

Troubled marriages : Retrouvaille, a program designed to help troubled and hurting marriages, will hold its next weekends Feb. 10-12 at St. John Center in Little Rock and in Tulsa, Okla. Separated and divorced couples are also encouraged to attend. For more information, call (501) 835-7537 or contact www.HelpOurMarriage.org.

Gift: The Nabholz family of Conway donated $100,000 to the St. Vincent Foundation. The gift from the Nabholz Charitable Foundation will be used to further the mission and ministry of St. Vincent. "We greatly appreciate this generous gift and the Nabholz family's continued commitment to the healing ministry of Jesus Christ at St. Vincent," said Skip Leonard, vice president and chief development officer for St. Vincent Health System. The long relationship between the Nabholz family and St. Vincent began decades ago. In the late 1960s one of three Nabholz sisters, Margaret Nabholz McNeal, was a graduate of the St. Vincent School of Nursing. She practiced at St. Vincent for nearly 30 years. Sister Teresa Rose Nabholz entered the St. Vincent Nursing School in 1951 and later joined her sibling, Emily Nabholz, in the order of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Ky, the founders of St. Vincent Infirmary. Sister Emily serves on the St. Vincent Health System board of directors.

Guardian angel : On Jan. 19 Jason Moore, a sixth-grade student at St. John School in Hot Springs, got to meet a guardian angel. He was eating his chicken at lunch and began choking. Before the teachers could reach him, his "guardian angel," classmate Dakota Kloss, stood up and gave Jason the Heimlich Maneuver, allowing Jason to breathe freely again. When asked where he had learned how to help Jason, Dakota replied, "I learned it in fourth grade (here at St. John's) when we had Red Cross Basic Aid Training."

The young and the old : Two groups at St. Peter the Fisherman Church in Mountain Home made donations to help those in need. The Council of Catholic Women and the Thursday Sewing Club donated several handmade items to local nursing homes, including 72 wheelchair caddies, 159 bibs, 44 lap robes and 115 walker caddies. The CCW also donated 40 patriotic walker and wheelchair caddies to the VA hospital in Fayetteville. Forty-two Christmas gifts were delivered to nursing home residents who have no family. The Quilters and the Red Hat Ladies donated clothing, socks and $5 gift certificates from McDonald's to 24 children through the Department of Human Services.

Holy hour for vocations : A holy hour from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. every Friday will be held in the Fletcher Hall chapel at St. John Center in Little Rock to pray for vocations supporters and for an increase in vocations. The hour is hosted by the House of Formation, temporarily located at St. John Center. Doors are open for adoration to individuals and groups who wants to spend time in front of the Blessed Sacrament. Adorers can leave prayer intentions.

Romantic dinner : A romantic dinner will be served for married and engaged couples at 6:30 p.m., Friday, Feb. 17 at St. John Center in Little Rock. The evening will include a candlelight dinner and presentation on "The Gift of Marriage." The meal, which is $60 a couple, will feature salad, pork, vegetable, bread, dessert, coffee and wine/sparkling cider. Space is limited. Reservations are required by Feb. 15. To make a reservation, mail a check to the Family Life Office 2500 N. Tyler St., Little Rock, AR 72207. For more information or for reservations, call (501) 664-0340, ext. 353 or email tmendez@dolr.org.

Open house : Subiaco Academy is hosting a Discovery Experience for prospective students and their parents Feb. 16-18. The event, which is open to boys in grades 6-10, runs from 4 p.m. Friday to noon Sunday. All activities, including overnight stays and meals, are free. Visiting students will have an opportunity to experience dorm life, shadow classes, meet teachers and current students, tour the facilities and take the placement exam. Recreational activities will include archery and riflery. Campus tours and information sessions with administration and faculty members are on the agenda for the parent guests. For more information or to reserve a place, contact the admission office at (800) 364-7824 or email admissions@subi.org.

After an abortion : The Respect Life Office, through Project Rachel, is starting a post-abortion support group beginning Feb. 20 in Little Rock, Fayetteville, Fort Smith and Hot Springs. The spiritual journey lasts 11 weeks, with small groups of six to eight women. All names and meeting places are strictly confidential. For details, call (501) 664-0340, ext. 357.

King Cake Ball and Mardi Gras dinner : St. Elizabeth's Parish Center in Eureka Springs will be the site for a Mardi Gras dinner and dance from 6 to 10:30 p.m., Tuesday, Feb. 21. The evening will include dancing to the music of the Naturally Brass jazz combo of Bentonville. Costumes are encouraged but not required. An authentic Louisiana dinner will be served for $35 a person or $65 a couple. Pastor Father Shaun Wesley promises to present the largest king cake in Arkansas. For tickets or more information, call Rod and Phyl McGuire at (479) 253-8864. Tickets will not be sold at the door. Seating is limited.

Retreat for women : Christ the King Church in Little Rock is sponsoring a women's retreat Saturday, Feb. 25. Cackie Upchurch, director of Little Rock Scripture Study, will lead the retreat on the topic "Daughters of God, Called to be Faithful." From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., participants will learn more about the qualities of the women in the Old Testament: Miriam, from the story of Exodus; Sarah and Hagar, from the first covenant; and Ruth and Naomi, from Israel's later history. The retreat, which costs $20 including lunch, will be held on the second floor of the Ministries building. Register online at www.ctklr.org or call the church office at (501) 225-6774, ext. 229.

Retreat : Sister Joyce Rupp, OSM, an internationally known author, retreat leader and speaker, will give a retreat on "Boundless Compassion: Living the Heart of the Gospel" Feb. 24-26 at St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith. The cost is $275 a couple and $175 for a single person. Call Cathy France at (501) 664-0340, ext. 330 or e-mail cfrance@dolr.org to register or for more information.

Appointment effective March 1 : Bishop Anthony B. Taylor announced the following pastoral appointment effective March 1: Rev. Joshua Stengel appointed associate pastor of Christ the King Church in Little Rock.

Parish council training : The Diocese of Little Rock will host monthly training sessions for any new parish council or finance council members. The workshops are held on Sundays from 1-3 p.m. The next available dates are Jan. 15, Blessed John Newman University Parish, Jonesboro; Feb. 12, St. John Center Fitzgerald Hall, Little Rock; and March 18, Christ the King Church, Fort Smith. Participants must register by calling (501) 664-0340, ext. 330. The deadline to sign up is one week before the event.

Come and see weekends : Come and See weekends called Monastic Life & Me will be held any weekend between August and May 2012 at St. Scholastica Monastery in Fort Smith. The come and see experience is for women ages 17-50 who are thinking about a possible call to religious life. Weekend experiences are free to all participants. For more information, contact Sister Kimberly Prohaska, OSB, at (479) 783-4147.

What's happening in your parish?: Short articles and photographs about parish and school events and accomplishments are published weekly in Arkansas Catholic. Click here to send information about your events and accomplishments through our "Contact Us" page.

Protecting children and young people: The Diocese of Little Rock is committed to protecting children and young people. If you are aware of abuse or have been abused by clerics, Church volunteers or Church workers, please contact the Diocese of Little Rock at (501) 664-0340, ext. 366, and the State of Arkansas Hotline for Crimes against Children at (800) 482-5964. For pastoral assistance, please contact the victim assistance coordinator for the Diocese of Little Rock, Drs. George and Sherry Simon, at (501) 766-6001.
Diocesan Offices
2500 N. Tyler St.
Little Rock, AR 72207

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