Our bishop, Anthony Taylor, kicked off the annual Catholic Arkansas Sharing Appeal (CASA) by talking about the "Year of Consecrated Life" and our diocesan Office for Religious.  The fact is, every year the bishop could highlight a different ministry in Arkansas that needs the support of CASA in order to do the Lord's work, and never get to all of them before he retires.  That shows us the variety of ministries and people who benefit from our generosity to this annual appeal.

Please fill out a pledge card and drop it into the collection basket or mail it yourself, as soon as you can.  This past weekend, I spoke of my support of CASA from my own means and made a challenge and a promise.  The challenge is for more of our parish families to make a financial gift to CASA this year.  (Last year we had a little over 300 families give and through their generoisity, we met and then exceeded our goal.  WAY TO GO)!  The promise I made this year is that for every family who makes a gift to CASA this year, I will donate one dollar to CASA.  My hope is that my personal gift this year will be $400 or $500 - or more. Please make this possible by your gift to CASA.  Any amount, especially from those who have not given to CASA before, will be accepted and appreciated.

With the start of Lent this coming week (as Wednesday is Ash Wednesday), I am going to provide additional opportunities each week for people to receive the healing gift of the Sacrament of Reconciliation.  These will be on Tuesdays from 4:30-5:00 p.m. and Saturdays from 2:30-3:30 p.m.  Please don't wait until Good Friday to encounter the Lord's compassion and love in this wonderful sacriment.