Religious orders in diocese offer options for discernment

Published: September 30, 2006

In addition to the 71 active diocesan and extern priests and 68 active deacons serving in Arkansas Catholic parishes and ministries, men and women religious serve as priests, brothers and sisters across the Diocese of Little Rock.

According to the 2006 Official Catholic Directory, there are 47 religious priests, 30 religious brothers and 234 religious sisters representing a wide variety of religious orders in Arkansas.

For anyone considering a religious vocation, the following list of religious orders serving in the state offers many options to choose from.

*Offers formation in Arkansas

Men Religious

Monastery of Marylake, Little Rock*
Discalced Carmelites (OCD)
Four priests, two brothers
Superior: Father Ralph Reyes, OCD
Vocations Director: Father Luis Joaquin (405) 235-2037
For more information, call the monastery at (501) 888-3052.

Subiaco Abbey, Subiaco*
Order of St. Benedict (OSB)
25 priests, 29 brothers
Abbot: Jerome Kodell, OSB
Vocations Director: Brother Francis Kirchner, OSB ()
For more information, call (479) 934-1000 or visit http://www.subi.org.

Benedictine Fathers of Conception Abbey (OSB)
Three priests in Arkansas
Based in Conception, Mo.
For more information, call (660) 944-2857 or visit http://www.conceptionabbey.org/ Vocations/toc.htm.

Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis (CFP)
One brother in Arkansas
Based in Cincinnati, Ohio
For more information, call (513) 924-0111 or visit http://www.franciscan-brothers.net.

Clerics of St. Viator (CSV)
One priest in Arkansas
Viatorian U.S. Province Office in Chicago
For more information, call (847) 398-1354 or visit http://www.viatorians.com/2006/ become/.

Congregation of the Missions (CM) (Vincentians)
Two priests, one deacon in Arkansas
Part of CM Southern Province in Dallas
For more information, call Father Tom Stehlik at (501) 753-9117 or visit http://www.cmsouth.org.

Divine Word Missionaries (SVD)
Two priests in Arkansas
U.S. vocations office in Epworth, Iowa
For more information, call (800) 553-3321 or visit http://www.svdvocations.org.

Glenmary Home Missioners (GHM)
Two priests in Arkansas
Based in Cincinnati, Ohio
For more information, call (800) 935-0975 or visit http://www.glenmary.org/vocations/.

Holy Ghost Fathers (CSSp)
Three priests in Arkansas
Western Province Holy Spirit Provincialate in Houston
For more information, call (713) 522-2882 or visit http://www.spiritans.org/vocations/.

Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter (FSSP)
Two priests in Arkansas
U.S. vocations office in Elmhurst, Penn.
For more information, call (570) 842-4000 or visit http://www.fssp.com/main.

Women Religious

Carmelite Monastery of St. Teresa of Jesus, Little Rock*
Discalced Carmelite Nuns/Cloistered Nuns (OCD)
14 nuns
Prioress: Sister Cecilia Chun, OCD
Vocations Directress: Sister Mary Alice Grace, OCD
For more information, call (501) 565-5121, e-mail or visit http://www.littlerockcarmel.org.

Holy Angels Convent, Jonesboro*
Congregation of Olivetan Benedictines (OSB)
48 sisters
Prioress: Sister Mary Anne Nuce, OSB
Vocations Director: Sister M. Thérèse Johnson, OSB ()
For more information, call (870) 935-5810 or visit http://www.olivben.org/Vocation/vocation.htm.

Monastery of Our Lady of Charity and Refuge, Hot Springs*
Good Shepherd Home
10 sisters
Superior: Sister Theresa Marie Lalancette, OLCR
For information, call (501) 623-1393, e-mail or visit http://www.adorationchapel.org/Sisters_of_Charity/sisters_of_charity.html.

St. Scholastica Monastery, Fort Smith*
Order of St. Benedict, Benedictine Sisters (OSB)
66 sisters
Prioress: Sister Cabrini Schmitz, OSB
Vocation Director: Sister Kimberly Rose Prohaska, OSB ()
For more information, call (479) 783-4147 or visit http://www.scholasticafortsmith.org/ vocation.html.

Congregation of the Sisters of Charity of the Incarnate Word (CCVI)
One sister in Arkansas
U.S. Province in San Antonio
For more information, call (210) 734-8310 or visit http://www.amormeus.org/committments.html.

Daughters of Charity (DC)
Five sisters in Arkansas
West Central Province in St. Louis, Mo.
For more information, call (314) 533-4770, ext. 103, or visit http://www.dcwcp.org/vocation.htm.

Dominican Sisters of Springfield (OP)
Two sisters in Arkansas
Based at Sacred Heart Convent in Springfield, Ill.
For more information, call (217) 787-0481 or visit http://www.springfieldop.org/makinglifechoices.aspx.

Dominican of the Immaculate Conception (OP)
Three sisters in Arkansas
U.S. province in Justice, Ill.
For more information, call (708) 458-3040 or visit http://www.sistersop.org.

Handmaids of the Holy Child Jesus (HHCJ)
One sister in Arkansas
U.S. Mission House in Houston
For more information, call (281) 914-4664 or visit http://handmaidsisters.org.

Missionaries of Charity, Calcutta (MC)
Four sisters in Arkansas
U.S. Midwest Providence in St. Louis
For more information, call (314) 533-2777.

Missionary Carmelites of St. Teresa (CMST)
13 sisters in Arkansas
U.S. province in Houston
For more information, call (281) 445-5520.

Missionary Catechists of the Poor (MCP)
Four sisters in Arkansas
Based in Monterrey, Mexico
For more information, call (501) 603-5346 or visit http://www.misionerasmcp.com.

Missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart (MSC)
One sister in Arkansas
Based in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico
For more information, call Sister Josefina Gutierrez at (479) 784-9450.

Religious Sisters of Mercy (RSM)
47 sisters in Arkansas
Part of Regional Community of St. Louis
For more information, call (314) 909-4661 or visit http://www.mercync.org/stlindex.htm or speak to a religious sister of mercy in Arkansas by calling (501) 664-5977 in Little Rock or (479) 478-3002 in Barling.

School Sisters of Notre Dame (SSND)
Two sisters in Arkansas
Part of St. Louis Province
For more information, call (314) 633-7016 or visit http://www.ssnd-sl.org.

Sisters of Charity of Nazareth (SCN)
One sister in Arkansas
Based in Nazareth, Ky.
For more information, call (502) 348-1500 or visit http://www.scnfamily.com.

Sisters of St. Joseph of Carondelet (CSJ)
One sister in Arkansas
Part of St. Louis Province
For more information, call (314) 678-0315 or visit http://www.csjsl.org.

Sisters of St. Joseph of Baden (CSJ)
One sister in Arkansas
Based at St. Joseph Convent in Baden, Pa.
For more information, call (724) 869-2151, ext. 6285 or visit http://www.stjoseph-baden.org/vocations.asp.

Sisters of St. Joseph of Cluny (SJC)
One sister in Arkansas
Cluny Provincialate House in Newport, R.I.
For more information, call (401) 846-4757.

Men and Women

Little Portion Hermitage, Berryville*
The Brothers & Sisters of Charity (BSC)
Integrated Monastery and Public Association
10 integrated members, two brothers, four sisters
General Minister: John Michael Talbot, BSC
For more information, call (479) 253-7710 or visit http://www.LittlePortion.org.

Return to the Vocations section index.