Christ the King Church in Little Rock hosted the new bishop of Trujillo, Honduras, for four days in early March as 90 missionaries from Arkansas prepare to leave for Honduras later this month.
Bishop Luis Sole, who was ordained in June, was invited to Little Rock to strengthen the bonds established 10 years ago when Christ the King first starting sending missionaries each spring for a weeklong medical and construction mission.
The mission trip March 25 to April 2 is also an evangelization effort by the parish. This year Abbot Jerome Kodell of Subiaco Abbey will celebrate Mass for the missionaries and local residents and lead the evangelization work.
Sandee Haslauer, mission director, said pastor Msgr. Francis I. Malone invited the new bishop to travel to Arkansas to meet Bishop J. Peter Sartain, Abbot Kodell and the Christ the King mission leaders. Also during his visit, Bishop Sole toured Christ the King School, Catholic High School and Mount St. Mary Academy and celebrated Masses on Ash Wednesday with Bishop Sartain at the Cathedral of St. Andrew and at St. Edward Church. Haslauer said the bishop was also able to squeeze in visits to the headquarters for Heifer International and the Clinton Presidential Center in downtown Little Rock.
On March 1 the parish hosted a potluck dinner for the bishop. During the event, the bishop was presented with an Arkansas Traveler certificate signed by Gov. Mike Huckabee.
