Ash Wednesday gifts help mission work

Published: February 21, 2009

The annual Ash Wednesday Collection will be taken up Feb. 25 at all Masses in the Diocese of Little Rock.

Msgr. Scott Friend, vicar general, said this collection "supports the evangelization mission of the Church in Arkansas."

Specifically, this means providing for priests, religious and lay people who serve those who may "lack the financial resources to support fully the priests, religious and lay personnel who serve them."

Last year, nearly $88,000 was collected for this statewide campaign.

Bishop Anthony B. Taylor stressed the importance of the Ash Wednesday collection in a Feb. 1 letter to pastors and pastoral administrators.

"The proceeds from this collection enable us to maintain and continue certain ministry activities that would be difficult, if not impossible, to support any other way," he wrote.

"The funds are used to support missionary activities and the priests and religious who proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ as they serve among the people of our diocese. The priests, religious and lay people in these apostolates are an immense blessing to the people they serve."

Additional donations may be sent to: Ash Wednesday Collection, c/o Laura Lock, Finance Office, Diocese of Little Rock, 2500 North Tyler St., Little Rock, AR 72207.

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