About a week ago, I con-celebrated the funeral Mass of one of our senior priests, Fr. Robert (Bob) Dienert at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Marche, Arkansas. Fr. Dienert was a "Missionary" to Arkansas, coming to Arkansas from Detroit, Michigan and attending seminary at St. John's in Little Rock. He was accepted as a priest in our diocese and served in parishes throughout Arkansas for over 50 years. Please pray for the happy repose of his soul as well as that of Fr. Ralph Esposito, a retired priest who came to the diocese from Pittsburgh in 1979 and served the people of Arkansas for over 20 years until he contracted Esophageal Cancer and had to retire early. These and other missionary priests from places around the United States (like Philadelphia) came to Arkansas in the 1930's, 40's and 50's to help provide for the rural, and not very "Catholic" part of our country. In those days, with so few Catholics in our state, the number of home-grown priests was very few in number. Now for the past 25 years or so, our diocese has been blessed with missionary priests from Nigeria, Uganda, India, and a few other countries to help with the ongoing ministry needs in Arkansas. Unlike the priests I have mentioned earlier, most of these priests are on loan from their diocese and stay with us for a limited time. We are truly blessed to have them, as the alternative would have been to have to close some of our parishes for lack of priests.
I am happy to say that in the last 20 years, the Holy Spirit has been working in our diocese through the leadership of Msgr. Friend to produce many "home-grown" priests who have received positive influences (including priests like Fr.'s Dienert and Ralph) that have led them to give their lives to God as priests for the people of Arkansas. This year with 5 young men (and I want to emphasize the word YOUNG) about to be ordained priests for the Diocese of Little Rock, we have a unique situation in that EVERY Catholic in Arkansas is being invited to this ordination on May 29, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at the Barton Coliseum, 2600 Howard Street in Little Rock. This venue was chosen because of limitations of seating in even our largest Catholic Church due to the coronavirus, and given the capacity of Barton Coliseum (over 8,000) there's plenty of room and parking for Catholics to take part in a priestly Ordination Mass and be there to welcome and congratulate (at least by applause) these newly ordained priests. Believe me, it will be an experience that you will never forget (and hopefully share with others who could not come). Finally, you will get to see many of the priests of Arkansas present at this Mass, which is impressive in and of itself!!
I am happy to say that in the last 20 years, the Holy Spirit has been working in our diocese through the leadership of Msgr. Friend to produce many "home-grown" priests who have received positive influences (including priests like Fr.'s Dienert and Ralph) that have led them to give their lives to God as priests for the people of Arkansas. This year with 5 young men (and I want to emphasize the word YOUNG) about to be ordained priests for the Diocese of Little Rock, we have a unique situation in that EVERY Catholic in Arkansas is being invited to this ordination on May 29, 2021 at 10:00 a.m. at the Barton Coliseum, 2600 Howard Street in Little Rock. This venue was chosen because of limitations of seating in even our largest Catholic Church due to the coronavirus, and given the capacity of Barton Coliseum (over 8,000) there's plenty of room and parking for Catholics to take part in a priestly Ordination Mass and be there to welcome and congratulate (at least by applause) these newly ordained priests. Believe me, it will be an experience that you will never forget (and hopefully share with others who could not come). Finally, you will get to see many of the priests of Arkansas present at this Mass, which is impressive in and of itself!!