Our weekend bulletin is an important way for us to communicate with you. Producing it every week could be very costly, but through our arrangement with the J. S. Paluch Company, the parish does not pay for the printing, saving thousands of dollars each year. The Paluch Company arranges for the bulletin to be supported through the generosity of the businesses that you see advertised on the back cover. Most of these advertisers are members of our local community, and many belong to our parish. So, please support these advertisers with your patronage. Tell the business owners that you appreciate their support of our parish through their advertisements in the bulletin. This is one small way that we can work within our own community to weather the economic challenges we face. A strong and vibrant parish is good for our community and a thriving business community is good for our parish. 
The messages of Our Lord to St. Faustina in private revelation were recorded in the saint's diary. She noted that Jesus told her:"My daughter, tell the whole world about My inconceivable mercy. I desire that the Feast of Mercy be a refuge and a shelter for all souls, and especially for poor sinners. On that day the very depths of My tender mercy are open. The soul that goes to Confession and receives Holy Communion will obtain complete forgiveness of sins and punishment."
The Divine Mercy continues with public recitation for the Chaplet of Divine Mercy immediately following the 9:00 a.m. Mass, Monday through Saturday, this week. If you can't join us, pray the novena intention and Chaplet on your own or as a family in your home.
We will celebrate the Feast of Divine Mercy with a Holy Hour at Sacred Heart of Jesus beginning at 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 7. There will be song, solemn blessing and veneration of the Image of Mercy, adoration of the blessed Sacrament, praying the Chaplet of Mercy, Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament, and the opportunity to celebrate the Sacrament of Reconciliation.
A plenary indulgence has been attached to devotions in honor of Divine Mercy Sunday. This indulgence removes all the temporal punishment for sin.
In addition to the promises of Jesus, as related by Saint Faustina, for complete forgiveness of sin and punishment, a special plenary indulgence (under the usual conditions of a sacramental Confession, Eucharistic communion, and a prayer for the intentions of the Holy Father) is granted to the faithful who are in the state of grace, having interior disposition of complete detachment from sin, even venial sin, and who take part in the prayers held in honor of the Divine Mercy before the Blessed Sacrament. This means complete remission before God of the temporal punishment for sin, the guilt of which is forgiven. The faithful can gain these indulgences for themselves, or apply them for a soul in purgatory.
Our Finance Council is investigating the possibility of installing something called a "Hearing Loop" in our church which would allow some people with hearing aids that have an embedded T-coil, to receive an amplified sound from our speaker system directly to their individual hearing aid. The council would like to get an idea of how many parishioners have hearing aids with an embedded T-coil.Since the cost to the church is significant, the question is: How many parishioners would benefit from this endeavor? Please contact your hearing aid provider and ask if your model hearing aid has this T-coil. Then, ask them to activate the T-coil.
We will have a demonstration of the Hearing Loop technology followed by a question-and-answer session on Friday, April 5, at 9:45 a.m. in Classroom C/D in the Education Building. Please consider attending this short demonstration of this new technology if you wear a hearing aid.
"But I will show you a more excellent way." (1 Corinthians 13:1). Love never fails. It is so much more than a mere emotion. Love opens our hearts (and our lives) and allows us to selflessly consider others ahead of our own needs, wants and desires. This same selfless love brought Jesus to the cross and it calls each of us to follow Him by reaching out to others who are in need. CASA is a way for each of us to share in God's incredible love for the world by giving our financial support to others who need it so much more. Become a CASA supporter today. Return your CASA Gift/Pledge in the envelopes provided or visit us on the internet at www.dolr.org. Our parish goal this year is the same as last year, $58,323.83. 
To date, ten babies have been saved (that we know of) in Little Rock's Spring "40 Days for Life" campaign! As we near the end of the Lenten season, please take a stand for Life and continue to pray for an end to abortion. If you have not already done so, check the Pro-Life table in the narthex for meditations. Even more information is available through www.40daysforlife.com/Little Rock. Call Mary Ellen Costello with questions. 
The Arkansas Catholic delivers a year of faith every year. This award-winning weekly newspaper of the Diocese of Little Rock offers you a wealth of information, education and inspiration through print and digital media. Subscriptions are $24 a year ($22 for seniors), and subscription envelopes are available in the narthex. Or, you can get the Arkansas Catholic online for $21.95 a year. Log on to www.arkansas-catholic.org. 
Watch as we expand our Parish Library! You may now enter the library through a door in the narthex marked "Library"...rather than through the Chapel. Currently, we have all the books written by Fr. Lukefahr (who conducted our last mission) available for you to borrow. We are increasing the number of DVD's, including many by the popular Scott Hahn. Children's books and DVD's are also displayed. Watch for reviews of new books recently acquired. These will deepen and strengthen your faith during the Lenten and Easter seasons.  |
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Anyone who has suffered the loss of a loved one in the last year is invited to participate in a series of grief support sessions. These sessions will be held here at Sacred Heart in the Library on Tuesday mornings after the 9:00 a.m. Mass, beginning February 19. There will be six sessions led by Deacon John Froning, and each one will last approximately one and a half hour. If you wish to attend, please make a reservation by calling Deacon John at 226-5506. Time to sign-up for the Spring Sociable Six which
will begin in February. This is an opportunity to meet new people over a simple meal alternating between your couple threesome. To register for this spring, e-mail Jan Winters at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call and leave a message at 922-0526. Please leave your name, address and phone number. If you have questions, I will return your call and answer them. Your group listings and any other pertinent information will be sent to you in early February. Thanks.
will begin in February. This is an opportunity to meet new people over a simple meal alternating between your couple threesome. To register for this spring, e-mail Jan Winters at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call and leave a message at 922-0526. Please leave your name, address and phone number. If you have questions, I will return your call and answer them. Your group listings and any other pertinent information will be sent to you in early February. Thanks. 
Our pre-Lenten parish mission "Being a Faith-Filled Catholic" begins this weekend with Father Oscar Lukefahr, mission director, preaching at all the Masses. Mission talks will be given each day, Monday through Thursday in the mornings immediately following the 9:00 a.m. Mass (lasting about an hour). The same talk will be repeated at 6:00 p.m. each day (with Father Lukefahr making himself available each evening at 5:40 p.m. for any questions about the Catholic faith). On Thursday, there will be a Mass at 6:00 p.m. in addition to the regular 9:00 a.m. Mass, followed by the last talk. A reception will conclude the mission Thursday after each session. Please be ready for a collection that will be taken up on Thursday to help the work of the Vincentian missionary order. Also note: we will offer the Sacrament of Anointing for our sick and elderly parishioners on Tuesday both at the morning Mass and during the evening session. This mission talks are as follows:Monday: "Being Catholic is Knowing Jesus"
Tuesday: "The Bible and Catechism: Listening to Jesus"
Wednesday: "The Four Levels of Happiness: Following Jesus"
Thursday: "Mass and Holy Communion: The Real Presence of Jesus"
Morning coffee will be available in either a classroom or the classroom hallway. Please contact Don Ritter at 224-659-5001 with questions. Please join us and bring your friends!
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| Statue of St. John Vianney donated by Msgr. Malone |
Monsignor B. Malone
The babies we "spiritually" adopted back in April are due to be born January 17, 2013. To welcome them into the world, we are planning a Parish Baby Shower. All parishioners are invited to participate. Please purchase a baby item, and bring it to the church, UNWRAPPED, beginning Saturday, January 5, and not later than Monday, January 14. The Ladies of the Sacred Heart may consider this their "something extra" for January, and bring the gifts to the general meeting on January 14. A display area will be set up in the narthex where the gifts can be left. The donated items will be sorted and then delivered to the local Pregnancy Help Centers in Hot Springs, Benton, Malvern and Little Rock, based on need. Disposable diapers, all sizes, are always welcome. Also, crib sheets, blankets, clothing for preemies and up to 18 months, powders, bath items, bottle, and just about anything else that parents would need for a newborn baby. Please DO NOT WRAP your gift. For information, call Mary Costello (501-922-3915) after January 2. A flyer, listing the needs of each agency will be available at that time. 
A few reservations are still available for the pilgrimage "Pray, Hope and Don't Worry" scheduled for April 10, 2013 hosted by Father Bill Elser. The trip will focus on the places and life of St. Padre Pio, the popular modern-day saint known to many Americans during World War II. Sightseeing includes the American Cemetery, Anzio Beach, Nettuno, Shrine of St. Maria Goretti, Monte Cassino, Benedictine Abbey, and the Polish Cemetery. Visit Pietrelcina birthplace of the saint, Cave of St. Michael the Archangel, and finally San Giovanni Rotondo with many sites related to the saint including his tomb. An optional extension is offered in Rome. For details, call Fran Boudreaux at 501-984-1519. 
During Advent and the Christmas season come into our church library and browse through our selection of suitable books, tapes and DVD's. You will be pleasantly surprised at the number of items available to expand your enjoyment and understanding of these periods of the liturgical year. Go into the chapel and turn left - we are in the room marked Conference Room/Library. Welcome! 
God our Father, Giver of Life, we entrust the United States of America to Your loving care. You are the Rock on which this nation was founded. You alone are the true source of our cherished rights of life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Reclaim this land for Your glory and dwell among Your people. Send Your Spirit to touch the hearts of our nation's leaders. Open their minds to the great worth of human life and the responsibilities that accompany human freedom. Remind Your people that true happiness is rooted in seeking and doing Your will. Through the intercession of Mary Immaculate, Patroness of our land, grant us the courage to reject the "culture of death." Lead us into a new millennium of life. We ask this through Christ Our Lord. Amen.