The Official Newspaper of the Diocese of Little Rock
The Vatican announced May 24 that Pope Francis appointed Father Erik Pohlmeier the next bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine in Florida. For 24 years, Father Pohlmeier served as a pastor in the Diocese of Little Rock, which encompasses the entire state of Arkansas
Raised in Paris, Ark., Father Pohlmeier was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Little Rock on July 25, 1998. before his episcopal appointment, he was pastor of the largest parish in Little Rock, Christ the King Church, and director of the Office of Faith Formation and Office of Deacon Formation. He was the theological consultant for Arkansas Catholic newspaper for 19 years and director of continuing education of clergy since 2019.
In his new appointment, Father Pohlmeier succeeds Bishop Felipe J. Estévez, who has served as bishop for the past 11 years and is retiring. He will be installed as the 11th bishop of St. Augustine Friday, July 22 with Archbishop Thomas Wenski of Miami presiding at the ordination liturgy. Bishop Anthony B. Taylor of Little Rock and Bishop Estevez will be co-consecrators.
With a series of “I dos,” Bishop Erik T. Pohlmeier was married to the Diocese of St. Augustine during his episcopal ordination July 22 at St. Joseph Church in Jacksonville.
His parents, Deacon Tom and Sharon Pohlmeier of St. Joseph Church in Paris, and about 40 family members from Arkansas, Texas, Virginia, Florida and Missouri filled the first few rows to watch the Diocese of Little Rock priest be ordained a bishop. Among the 2,250 in More... 
This is a summary of the description of Bishop-elect Erik T. Pohlmeir’s coat of arms provided by artist Renato Poletti of Italy.
Episcopal Motto
“Seek First the Kingdom of God.” (Matthew 6:33) For his episcopal motto, Bishop Erik Pohlmeier has chosen these words taken from the Gospel of Matthew where the evangelist underlines the priority of the goals of the Christian life.
The Diocese
On the right side of the shield (the observer’s left since in heraldry, the right More...
While Bishop-elect Erik Pohlmeier was a seminarian in the 1990s, he called Anne Dierks, then the diocesan respect life director.
“He called me at the diocese and said, ‘I am a seminarian at St. Meinrad’s. There is no pro-life information up here, can you send me some?’” she said.
In 2008, he reached out to the Couple to Couple League, an international nonprofit that promotes the Church teaching of natural family planning, to join its board of More...
When Bishop-elect Erik Pohlmeier was appointed the diocesan faith formation director in 2016, he made it his priority to listen, traveling to all parishes in the state throughout a two-year period. He researched and worked to understand the needs of each parish and the diocese as it related to the larger, national picture.
What resulted was a 14-page “Report on the State of Faith Formation” he presented to parish leaders in 2018. His passion for evangelization More...
In his 24 years of priestly ministry in the Diocese of Little Rock, Bishop-elect Erik Pohlmeier has pastored parishes, held a variety of diocesan roles including director of faith formation and diaconate formation and has been a national voice for natural family planning.
When it was publicly announced May 24 that Pope Francis had chosen him to be the next bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine in Jacksonville, Fla., the responses of the faithful he’s More...
The Vatican announced today that Pope Francis has appointed Father Erik Pohlmeier the next bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine in Florida. For the past 24 years, Bishop-elect Pohlmeier has served as a pastor in the Diocese of Little Rock, which encompasses the entire state of Arkansas
Raised in Paris, Ark., Father Pohlmeier was ordained a priest for the Diocese of Little Rock on July 25, 1998. He is currently the pastor of the largest More...
Father Erik Pohlmeier, a priest for 24 years in the Diocese of Little Rock, was chosen by Pope Francis May 24 to become the 11th bishop of the Diocese of St. Augustine, Fla.
He will be ordained and installed a bishop at St. Joseph Church in Jacksonville Friday, July 22.
“‘Seek first the kingdom of God,’” Bishop-elect Pohlmeier said during a May 24 morning press conference, his first public words about his appointment. “Now these are words More...
Bishop Anthony B. Taylor issued this statement to the parishioners of the Diocese of St. Augustine May 24 regarding the appointment of Father Erik Pohlmeier as their new bishop.
“Bishop-elect Pohlmeier is one of the most capable priests of the Diocese of Little Rock, and he will be sorely missed. He comes from a very devout Catholic family with a strong commitment to Catholic education. His father is a permanent deacon, his mother is the secretary More...
El Obispo-electo Pohlmeier es uno de los sacerdotes más capaces de la Diócesis de Little Rock y se le extrañará mucho. Él viene de una familia católica muy devota con un fuerte compromiso a la educación católica. Su padre es un diácono permanente, su madre es la secretaria de su parroquia local y de su escuela parroquial en Paris, Arkansas, y sus hermanos y hermanas están muy involucrados en la vida de la Iglesia. ¡Él More...
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