On May 31 Deacon Larry Lipsmeyer will celebrate 20 years since his ordination to the Diaconate in Little Rock. Since the day of his ordination, Deacon Larry has faithfully served the people of Sacred Heart of Jesus parish, his only assignment since ordination. When you see Deacon Larry, congratulate him and thank him for his years of service to our parish.Good and Gracious God, we thak you for the gift of Deacon Larry. You called him 20 years ago to serve you as a minister of the Lord, Liturgy and Charity. We ask you to continue to bless him and Jan, as she has faithfully supported him in his ministry. Loving Father, fill Deacon Larry with your Holy Spirit, a spirit of love and service so that he may bring to completion the good work You have begun in him. Amen.
Registrations are now being accepted for our Catholic Charities Summer Institute, July 8-13, 2018. This is a five-day program open to high school age youth (grades 9-12) designed to learn about Catholic social teachings and how to put them into action. This year we will be cooking out for the homeless and working at several worksites in the Little Rock area. This week also includes an optional overnight experience at the Heifer Global Gateway Village. The fees are listed in the registration brochure. If you have questions, you can contact Trish Gentry, This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. at the Diocese of Little Rock Youth Ministry Office, 501-664-0340, extension 418. Scholarships are available for those in need. 
The first ever diocesan Leaders for Life youth conference will be held July 13-14 at St. John Center in Little Rock. Through presentations, activities, and hands-on workshops, participants will engage in the pro-life work of the Church and discover how to boldly proclaim respect for the inherent dignity of all human life. For more information or to register, please visit dolr.org/events/leaders-for-life-youth-conference or call the Respect Life Office at 501-664-0340, extension 325. 
FORMED.org offers a wealth of materials on three saints who lives are remembered in liturgies near the end of June: the Solemnity of the Nativity of Saint John the Baptist on June 24 and the Solemnity of Saints Peter and Paul on June 29. In his homilies on June 2-3, Father Bill reminded us of the desirability of our participation in these Solemnities. To come to a better understanding of the role of these three saints in Christian and salvation history, we might want to check out some of FORMED's resources: for Saint John the Baptist, look at Segment 3 in the Wild Goose series, "Baptism in the Holy Spirit and FIre." For Saints Peter and Paul, the series Footprints of God has two relevant programs, "Peter: Keeper of the Keys" and "Paul: Contending for the Faith."If you have registered as a FORMED uses, you can access these programs in the search bar on the homepage by entering the title you want. If you have not registered yet, typed FORMED.org into our browser, enter the parish
s code - CNT7WK - on the FORMED homepage, and create a password for your continued use of the website.
Members of St. Francis of Little Italy will be selling raffle tickets the weekend of July 14/15 at all Masses. Their 91st annual Italian Festival and Bazaar is scheduled for Sunday, October 14, 2018. Raffle tickets are $1.00 each or six for $5.00. 
There are two new DVDs: (1) Ladies of the Sacred Heart donated The Shack, their April movie of the month, and (2) The Knights of Columbus donated two copies of the book The First American Martyr, the life of Blessed Stanley Francis Rother. The books are on the new book shelf in the library. 
Knights of Columbus Council 10208, along with Deacon Tim Costello in Little Rock, would like to thank all parishioners who participated in the "Share a Chair" program for Fletcher Hall at St. John's Center in Little Rock. Chairs were placed in nearly 40 rooms. We also want to thank Deacon Larry Lipsmeyer and Michael Downes for helping collect and transport the chairs. Deacon Costello is deeply appreciative of our donations to this program and wants you to know our parish is in his thoughts and prayers. 
The Knights of Columbus cordially invite all parishioners to join us as we celebrate our nation's freedom and heritage. Happy Birthday United States of America! The event follows the Patriotic Rosary and Mass which will begin at 10:30 a.m. (NO 9:00 a.m. Mass, that day only). Menu includes grilled burgers and hot dogs, potato salad, cole slaw, baked beans, buns, condiments, Father Bill's ice cream, and beverages from the donation refreshment center. Sign-up before or after Mass this weekend or next. 
Please help St. John's School in Hot Springs by saving coupons, box tops and labels for education. They can be turned in for educational materials. Please put your labels in the container on the cabinet in the hallway of the Administration and Education Building. Don't throw away St. John's money! 
The next blood drive supported by the Knights of Columbus and hosted by the Village United Methodist Church at 200 Carmona Road, is scheduled for 8:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 10, 2018. The church is located near the intersection of Carmona Road and DeSoto Boulevard. Contact Bob Woodall at 501-282-6072, Arkansas Blood Institute, to schedule an appointment. Blood donors this month will receive a t-shirt and a voucher for one entry to the Little Rock Zoo. Please donate a gift of life! 
Please don't forget that in addition to Mass and the devotions on First Friday, July 6, we will offer the Sacrament of Anointing during the First Friday Mass for those who have serious or chronic illness, and for our elderly who wish to receive the healing, comforting touch of the Lord and the prayers and support of your fellow parishioners who participate in Mass that day. 
The members of our parish family have an opportunity again this year to "spiritually" adopt a child who is newly-conceived in the month of May. You see, not all newly-conceived babies are allowed to be born. In fact, almost 2,000 babies lose their lives to abortion each day. It is these babies who are in danger, who you are being asked to "adopt."Prayer commitment cards will be available after all Masses next weekend, May 12-13. You can "adopt" a baby and then name a baby, thereby giving this baby the humanity he or she deserves. Just say a short prayer each day for nine months for your unborn baby and all unborn children.
You will receive monthly reports describing your baby's development, and your baby will be born in late January, 2019. At that time we will have a baby shower, and all parishioners will be invited to bring gifts. The gifts will be donated to local pregnancy centers. The latest Center for Disease Control report from 2013 shows a steady decline in the number of abortions each year, beginning in 1980. Prayers, programs and awareness are working.
We have found a group that will benefit from receiving cancelled stamps. They are appreciative of our ability to collect them for the benefit of their "Ministry With the Poor Fund." It is through the Sisters of the Holy Cross in Notre Dame, Indiana.Please drop your stamps in the available container on the credenza in the hallway. Thanks much.
Ladies of the Sacred Heart are still asking for pull tabs from soda or beer cans, soup, vegetable or fruit cans, and pet food cans for the Ronald McDonald House Charity. There is a box in the hallway cabinet where the tabs can be placed. We appreciate all past contributions. 
Parishioners who had their portraits taken in early March/April can pick-up their free 8x10 portrait from the table in the church hallway. See Lynne Border with questions. "Brother Francis, the Barefoot Saint of Assisi," produced by the Augustine Institute, has received the Audio Publishers Association's annual award for best audio drama. It can be found on the FORMED website. The audio drama follows the life of St. Francis from his youth through his conversion to a life of true piety and service. Listener reviews of the audio drama are uniformly positive: it tells the story of St. Francis that may do not know, its reenactments of scenes from St. Francis' life are compelling and convincing, and its message for our materialistic age is timely and necessary.If you have registered as a FORMED users, you can access "Brother Francis, Barefoot Saint of Assisi" in the search bar on the homepage by entering the title. If you haven't registered yet, just type FORMED.org into your browser, enter the parish's code - CNT7WK - on the FORMED homepage, and create a password for your continued use of the website allowing you unlimited access to its library of materials.