Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church
Hot Springs Village, Arkansas
Though I'm certainly not the only one at Sacred Heart that was born and raised in Arkansas (Hot Springs), most of our wonderful parishioners have come to our quaint Village and parish from places across the United Sates.  Many of you come from dioceses that you loved and lived in for a few or many years.  It is understandable that some (or maybe more than some) have a connection with their previous diocese that might include still getting the diocesan newspaper from your previous diocese.

One of the many blessings that has come to our parish through the efforts of our V.I.P. of the month of July 2021, Bob Honzik, is his efforts and encouragement to get all of our parishioners conncected to the Diocese of Little Rock (that covers the whole state of Arkansas).  From supporting and promoting the many ministries of our diocese that benefit us and so many others through our giving to the Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal, to our prayers and ongoing financial support for our seminarians (most of whom will become the future priests of Arkansas, to encouraging all of us to read the weekly diocesan newspaper (The Arkansas Catholic) in print or on the internet.  Bob (who is from Illinois) has definitely supported not only our parish but our diocese and has inspired many to do the same.

Speaking of supporting the parish, Bob is (and has been) an usher at the 10:00 Mass (and now head usher of our usher ministry) a longtime member of the finance council of Sacred Heart Church, and a key figure in efforts to expand our parish building (including both the A&E wing of our complex and the rectory where I live (where Msgr. Malone lived) and where future pastors will be blessed to call home during their time here.  Bob has been the Grand Knight of our Knights of Columbus Council (and active member and recruiter of our Council and Assembly for many years) and his ongoing efforts to have our seminarian fundraising dinner (which he was in charge of with the help of his faithful and hardworking wife and support, Mary Anne, until the last few years) and other initiatives in our Council led he and Mary Anne to be named Knights of Columbus State Family of the year a few years ago.  Bob and Mary Anne were great supporters and a friend (host in their home) to Msgr. Malone in his time as pastor here and in the time after he became a senior priest and they are a great support to me now in many ways.

I could go on and on about the blessings that have come (and continue to come) through and to Bob Honzik in his time as a parishioner here and I bet I would still leave something out (like heading up the video production of the Fr. Vic Bieberle story)!!  Thank you Bob AND Mary Anne for all you have done and are still doing and for how much you mean to so many (including of course me) here at Sacred Heart Parish throughout the diocese and far beyond (including Honduras and the effort he and Mary Anne started and supported to help a young girl, Karen, who obtained a prosthetic leg and many other blessings as well as blessings to the needy community she lived in).  That's a story worth hearing about some other time.