As the first series of Why Catholic? sessions wraps up around the diocese, diocesan leaders are offering one more opportunity to get together with fellow participants to deepen their faith.
Adult enrichment sessions will be held in English in seven locations around the state as well as five locations in Spanish. The sessions will cover “Jesus: The Fullness of Divine Revelation,” “Sacred Tradition: The Life-Breath of the Church,” and “Sacred Scripture: The Word of God.”
All of the 2 1/2-hour sessions will happen in April and are open to all Catholics, not just those who joined a Why Catholic? small faith community.
Sister Mary Glynn, SJC, diocesan director of religious education and Christian initiation, said participants are asked to make their reservation with the local organizer because books and materials must be ordered.
All sessions are free.
The enrichment sessions in English will be lead by Sister Maureen Colleary, FSP, a national Why Catholic? presenter.
They will be held:
Thursday, April 19: Blessed John Newman University Parish, Jonesboro, 6:30-9 p.m. Contact Nancy DePriest, (870) 932-2529.
Friday and Saturday, April 20-21: Our Lady of the Holy Souls, Little Rock, 6:30-9:30 p.m. April 20 and 9-11:30 a.m. and 12:30-3 p.m. April 21. Contact Edi Gabriel, (501) 664-0340, ext. 323.
Sunday April 22: Performing Arts Center, Subiaco Academy, 2-4:30 p.m. Contact Donna Forst or Carol Geels, (479) 934-4411.
Monday, April 23: St. Edward, Texarkana, 6:30-9 p.m. Contact Susan Mervish, (870) 772-7098.
Tuesday, April 24: St. Vincent de Paul, Rogers, 2-4:30 p.m. and 6:30-9 p.m. Contact Debi Snyder, (479) 636-4020, ext. 48
Wednesday, April 25: Christ the King, Little Rock, 7-9:30 p.m. Contact Jan Greenway, (501) 225-6774, ext. 243.
Alma Garcia, another Why Catholic? presenter, will lead sessions in Spanish on:
Thursday, April 19: Blessed John Newman University Parish, Jonesboro, 6:30-9 p.m.
Friday and Saturday, April 20-21, St. John Center, Little Rock, 6:30-9 p.m. April 20 and 9:30-11:30 a.m. April 21
Sunday, April 22, St. Andrew, Danville, 2-4:30 p.m.
Monday, April 23, St. Barbara, De Queen, 6:30-9 p.m.
Tuesday, April 24, St. Vincent de Paul, Rogers, 2-4:30 p.m. and 6:30-9 p.m.
With 71 of the 73 parishes reporting, Sister Mary said 8,900 Catholics participated during Lent in the English sessions. One parish alone served 1,017 people.
The tally for Spanish participants was incomplete, Sister Mary said.
“Everybody I talked to said it was going very well,” said Sister Mary, who also was a small faith community leader at Mount St. Mary Convent in Little Rock.
The four-year program began in the Diocese of Little Rock this spring. Sign up for the next six sessions will begin in September. Participants will meet from early October through mid-November.
