The Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Little Rock
For 2014, Arkansas Catholic’s theme was “Tools for Discipleship.” In each edition, readers were given inspirational tools designed to help build faith and knowledge in both the Church and with “The Master Carpenter.” The year was filled with celebrations, loss, national headlines and above all, inspirations. God gives us the tools, everything from compassion, mercy, understanding our faith to prayer to answer his call for our lives. Here are five key moments for the year that laid a foundation for us as Catholics worldwide and in Arkansas:
Catholics around the world rejoiced when Pope John Paul II and Pope John XXII were canonized on Divine Mercy Sunday, April 27. St. John Paul II served for 26 years as the leader of the Universal Church from 1978 to 2005 and left a legacy of charity, forgiveness and change, including approving a universal catechism. Pope Francis said, “I think of him as the great missionary of the Church … a man who proclaimed the Gospel everywhere.”
St. John XXII served just five years as pope, from 1958 to 1963, but left his mark on the Church forever by convening the Second Vatican Council. It changed the Church’s structure, liturgy and the way Mass is celebrated today. Vatican II was closed in 1965 by Pope Paul VI, who was beatified by Pope Francis in October 2014.
“He was a man who let himself be guided by the Lord,” Pope Francis said of St. John XXII.
On Oct. 6, Pope Francis encouraged prayerful talks on hot-button social issues, including homosexuality, divorce, birth control and cohabitation during an extraordinary Synod of Bishops lasting two weeks. The discussion was meant to address the “pastoral challenges of the family.”
The pope asked the bishops to speak freely and many did after a midterm report that used conciliatory language for those hot-button issues, leaving the more traditional bishops debating. The final report included more references to Scripture, Catechism of the Catholic Church and teachings of past popes. In the final report, language regarding same-sex unions was altered and discussion of allowing divorced or civilly remarried Catholics to receive communion required more study, according to the bishops.
Pope Francis did not speak during the synod but made closing remarks, saying, “Personally, I would have been very worried and saddened if there hadn’t been these temptations and these animated discussions … if everybody had agreed or remained silent in a false and quietistic peace.”
The synod set the stage for a world synod on the family in October this year, where recommendations will be made to the pope.
On April 1, Bishop Emeritus Andrew Joseph McDonald died at 90 years old, leaving behind spiritual footprints on the lives of Arkansas Catholics that will never fade. Bishop McDonald served the Lord for 65 years as a priest, 41 as a bishop and 28 years as the bishop of Little Rock.
Milestones during Bishop McDonald’s years of service include the first Mass for Life, inviting Mother Teresa to Little Rock to provide nuns for Abba House in 1982, ushering in changes from the Second Vatican Council and constant opposition to abortion and the death penalty. Bishop McDonald was a faithful leader, never forgetting the silent members of the Church, always wearing a tiny feet pin on his suit.
“The Catholic Church is totally pro-life. We pray and long for the day that the life of an unborn child will be fully protected by the laws of the United States,” Bishop McDonald wrote in 1994.
President Barack Obama’s immigration package implemented through executive action Nov. 20 gained support from Catholic leaders, saying it provided relief to undocumented immigrants staying in the United States. Though Obama faced sharp criticism from Congress, Archbishop Thomas G. Wenski, chairman of the U.S. bishops’ Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development, urged those opposed to “take a deep breath” and find a more permanent solution.
“We still need Congress to act to provide comprehensive immigration reform. That’s the real solution,” Wenski said.
Following Obama’s action, Catholic Charities Immigration Services in Little Rock and Springdale were ready to handle an increase in clients. Of the estimated 60,000 undocumented immigrants in Arkansas, about 30,000 were eligible for relief through Catholic Charities after the president’s decision. In a statement, Bishop Anthony B. Taylor said in part, “Ultimately Congress and the administration need to work together to enact comprehensive immigration reform ... While we are optimistic the president’s executive actions may help as many as 60,000 Arkansans, they are not the long-term solution to a broken system of immigration laws and regulations. We long for the day when people who have migrated to our country will be received by an immigration policy that is just and fair.”
What nature tore apart, the lives of the faithful rebuilt for Arkansas families that lost everything in Faulkner County after an EF4 tornado touched down April 27. Though lives were lost, homes destroyed and families were left with nowhere to turn, God showed his presence through parishioners in Central Arkansas parishes who were on the scene the next day helping victims and those sending monetary donations to Catholic Charities of Arkansas.
“There are places where there’s just nothing left,” Father John Marconi, pastor of St. Joseph Church in Conway, told Arkansas Catholic in April. “There are a lot of Hispanic families here, and they have nothing left of their homes but a concrete slab. We spent all day walking the grounds and saw nothing, nothing but piles of rubble.”
In the months since the tornado, Catholic Charities has raised thousands of dollars to assist struggling families and created long-term solutions to help rebuild their lives.
“The outpouring of generosity among the people has been immediate and overwhelming,” said Patrick Gallaher, executive director of CCA, in April.
Please read our Comments Policy before posting.
Article comments powered by Disqus
St. Timothy winner recommends adoration to other teens
History of most contested swath of land in Middle East
Parishes are deepening faith, bonds during revival year
Smaller Black Catholic community addressing challenges
Winning directory photo honors Our Lady of Guadalupe
St. Paul says: How does the Bible define love?
6 steps to getting married in Diocese of Little Rock
Most frequently asked questions on Catholic marriage
St. Joseph a model of solidarity with immigrants
Two gifts after Jesus’ death: Virgin Mary and Eucharist
Why we have an altar, and not just a communion table
Pope: Wars should be resolved through nonviolence
Living relationship with Jesus Christ in the Eucharist
