Diocese names building for Bishop McDonald

Catholic Charities moves into former chancery

Published: June 19, 2010

By Malea Hargett
Editor

Arkansas Catholic photo

Bishop Emeritus Andrew J. McDonald and Bishop Anthony B. Taylor join Elizabeth Reha (center), priests and employees in a song during the dedication of The McDonald Center June 11 in Little Rock.

Arkansas Catholic photo

Bishop Emeritus Andrew J. McDonald and Bishop Anthony B. Taylor join Elizabeth Reha (center), priests and employees in a song during the dedication of The McDonald Center June 11 in Little Rock.

The McDonald Center on the St. John Center campus in Little Rock was dedicated June 11 to honor Bishop Emeritus Andrew J. McDonald.

Bishop McDonald, 86, who retired in 2000, was joined by Bishop Anthony B. Taylor for the ceremony in Morris Hall Chapel, followed by a procession and dedication of the renovated building.

Bishop Taylor said the dedication honors Bishop McDonald "whose legacy of 28 years of episcopal ministry continues to be powerfully evident today, 10 years after his retirement."

From 1972 when he became bishop until the building was closed in 2000 for renovations, the former Pastoral Center was the location of Bishop McDonald's office.

The names behind the buildings
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"I estimated that I spent approximately 10,000 days in this building," Bishop McDonald said. "No wonder it needs renovating."

The McDonald Center will house all of Catholic Charities offices in Little Rock, including the Alcohol and Drug Ministry, Catholic Adoption Services, Catholic Immigration Services, Parish Social Ministry, Disaster Response, Prison Ministry, Social Action and the Westside Free Medical Clinic.

"The McDonald Center will be a hub of both care and service," said Sister Mary Lou Stubbs, DC, Catholic Charities director. "Care and service to whoever comes to us, to whomever we reach out to in their time of need."

Bishop Taylor said it was appropriate to name the building after the former bishop because he established Catholic Social Services, the Refugee Resettlement Program, Catholic Immigration Services, the Mass for Life and other social justice programs during his time in Arkansas.

In his remarks, Dennis Lee, chancellor for administrative affairs and the former Catholic Social Services director, agreed with the bishop, adding Bishop McDonald "courageously stood up for the sanctity and dignity of human life from the moment of conception to natural death, and he challenged the rest of us to do the same."

In 2009 Bishop Taylor borrowed funds from Catholic Charities to pay for the $1.2 million renovation and said funds from the Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal would be used to pay back Catholic Charities over the next several years.

The one-story brick building, which once had a flat roof, now features a pitched roof and windows in every office.

The date of the dedication was meaningful to Bishop McDonald. On June 11, 1943, his father, James, died, and on June 11, 1972 he was informed by Pope Paul VI that he was named bishop of Little Rock.

"Now, on Friday, June 11, 67 years since my father's death ... Bishop Taylor has graciously named the beautifully renovated old chancery building The McDonald Center," he said in his homily. "From the bottom of my heart, I thank you."

Also attending the dedication were current diocesan employees, retired diocesan employees, including Bishop McDonald's first secretary, Martha McNeil of North Little Rock, and close friends.

Since 2002 Bishop McDonald has lived in Palatine, Ill., where he is a chaplain for a retirement home run by the Little Sisters of the Poor.

"I offer daily Mass at 11 a.m.," he said. "At age 86, I fit in very well in that home."

The names behind the buildings

The dedication of The McDonald Center continues the tradition of naming the buildings on the St. John Center campus after the Diocese of Little Rock's bishops.

"This proves that you don't have to die to get a building named after you," Bishop Taylor said jokingly.

The first bishop, Andrew Byrne, was a native of Ireland and served from 1844 to 1862. Byrne Hall houses the Arkansas Symphony Orchestra and Christopher Homes.

Bishop Edward Fitzgerald, who was also born in Ireland, served from 1867 to 1907. St. John Manor, the retirement home for diocesan priests, and meeting rooms are located in Fitzgerald Hall.

Bishop John Baptist Morris came from Tennessee and served until 1946. He is the reason the former diocesan seminary (now the diocesan offices) was named after St. John the Baptist. Morris Hall is the location of the chancery and pastoral offices for the Diocese of Little Rock.

Bishop Albert Fletcher was the first Arkansan to serve as bishop of Little Rock. He cared for the diocese until 1972. Rooms for overnight guests at St. John Center are located in Fletcher Hall.