Immaculate Conception Catholic Church Newsletter — January 2021

Immaculate CONCEPTION

Contents:

2 Examining Our New Year’s Resolutions Through the Lens of Stewardship

3 A New Year, New Challenges, New Opportunities 4 The Arnolds: Savoring the Joy of Serving Jesus 6 The Great Catholic Educator:

St. Thomas Aquinas 7 Golden Falcons Ministry Provides Essential Fellowship and Friendship to Our Senior Parishioners January 2021

Catholic Church

Fulfilling the Teachings of Jesus

Our Parish Altar Society

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hen asked why she enjoys belonging to the Altar Society, Vice President Carolyn Chalmers says that it’s an opportunity to follow the greatest possible example.

“It is such a great way to do what Jesus teaches us to do,” she says. “When I retired, the Altar Society became my source of fellowship and service. It has become the ‘church group’ I really enjoy being part of!”

Along with the other members of the Altar Society, Carolyn serves our parish family in an amazing number and variety of ways throughout the year.

Although there have been no Altar Society activities since March 13 due to the pandemic, the ministry looks forward to resuming its service soon at a date yet to be determined.

The primary responsibilities of the members of the Altar Society are to maintain the altar itself, as well as take care of the altar linens, votive candles, finger towels, and purificators. They also provide funeral meals for grieving families.

Each February, Altar Society members host a shower to gather donations continued on page 5

Immaculate CONCEPTION Examining Our New Year’s Resolutions

Through the Lens of Stewardship

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very January, we all step forward into the New Year with new ideas, goals and resolutions.

But after the initial sparkle of the New Year has faded, it can be easy to forget our once-fervent resolutions. However, we might find that it’s a bit easier to keep our New Year’s resolutions if we look a bit beyond our physical selves. By also involving our spiritual lives, as well as the lives of others, we can add a lot more meaning to our resolutions.

Renowned Catholic author Matthew Kelly says, “We’re all trying to be better versions of ourselves,” and that’s basically what any resolution is about.

Stewardship is essentially the same thing — if we embrace living a stewardship way of life, we become better versions of ourselves. We can use our time and talent to make improvements in our lives, in the lives of others, and in the life of the parish. It all comes down to one basic point — if we acknowledge that everything we have is a gift from God, then we are supposed to be good stewards of those gifts, use them for the benefit of others, and return our talents tenfold to the Lord.

One idea to help incorporate stewardship into your New Year’s resolutions is to make two distinct resolutions each year — one at the beginning of the liturgical year, and one at the beginning of the calendar year.

We can think of the first Sunday of Advent as the Church New Year, and we can make our own spiritual resolutions at this special time each year.

Then, for the new calendar year, we can make resolutions for our health and well-being. In both cases, we can commit to these promises much in the same way we make our commitments during our annual Stewardship Renewal. We can make these

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resolutions, write them down, and share them with someone. Once you’ve written it down and shared it, you are now holding yourself accountable.

We are both physical and spiritual beings. Taking care of the physical side of things is a good start, but if we ignore the spiritual side, what kind of progress are we truly making? Even if you already regularly pray, you can add five more minutes to your prayer time each day to take a step forward in your faith. Even if you read the Bible once a week, you can take a spiritual leap and make it twice a week. One way to make a good resolution is to consider joining or increasing your involvement in one of the parish’s prayer, faith formation or outreach ministries.

Making resolutions requires us to truly reflect on the areas in our lives that we’d like to improve, while also ensuring that our priorities are in order.

Remember, there is no need to take a giant leap all at once. So, as we begin a new calendar year, remember that even the smallest steps forward in faith can go a long, long way as you continuously renew your relationship with Christ.

It all comes down to one basic point — if we acknowledge that everything we have is a gift from God, then we are supposed to be good stewards of those gifts, use them for the benefit of others, and return our talents tenfold to the

Lord.

A Letter From Our Pastor

A New Year, New Challenges,

New Opportunities

Dear Parishioners,

I

t is a new year, and it is my prayer for all of you — and for me, as well — that we can take new steps on our faith journeys, and seek new ways to live out discipleship and stewardship.

Pope Francis once commented on his perspective of our modern approach to life. He said, “Certainly, possessions, money and power can give a momentary thrill, the illusion of being happy, but they end up possessing us and making us always want more, never satisfied. I have learned that the most important thing is to put on Christ in your life, place your trust in Him, and you will never be disappointed.”

The pope has been called “the world’s parish priest.” As we pray for one another in this New Year, may we all ask the Lord to help us appreciate Pope Francis’ approach to life, his simple way of seeing things, and his very basic way of appreciating things. I would hope that we see this year as a time for opportunity, a time to deepen our relationship with Christ, and for that matter with one another.

If we really wish to change our lives and the lives of others, there are two easy ways to do it. We are blessed with many opportunities in this parish to pray, but as much as it is important for us to take advantage of those, we also need to develop a strong personal prayer life. Recall the young Samuel, who was not quite sure what to do with his life, or what direction to go. When he finally settled on that one important prayer, “Speak, Lord, for I am listening,” Samuel gave us the hint as to what we need to do.

Prayer is a two-way street, and part of that is taking the time to listen to God. The second important way is to exude joy. Christ certainly called us to do that.

Pope Francis has had much to say about joy, as well. The Holy Father says, “Joy cannot be held at heel; it must be let go. Joy is a pilgrim virtue. It is a gift that walks — walks on the path of life, that walks with Jesus… proclaiming joy, lengthens and widens that path.”

We must seek that joy and then we need to share it. That is truly our call. Joy translates quite easily into “love your neighbor.”

Yes, there may be challenges ahead in 2021, but we must focus on the opportunities, and then exert the effort to benefit from those opportunities. Happy New Year!

Sincerely yours in Christ,

Rev. John Wakube Pastor 3

Immaculate CONCEPTION

The Arnolds: Savor W

hen it came time to decide where to retire, it was pretty much a “no-brainer” for Barry and Chris Arnold.

“My husband was in the military, and he was assigned to Little Rock Air Force Base in 1985 for three years,” Chris says.

“During that time, we fell in love with Immaculate Conception Church. We saw it was a very active parish and had such an amazing priest, so we became very involved with it. We left in 1988 and were gone for seven years. Then Barry came back to Little Rock Air Force Base in 1995, and we finally decided we wanted to retire here — mainly because of the parish.”

Over the years, the Arnolds have found profound joy and peace by being an integral part of our parish family.

“We enjoy serving our fellow parishioners and our parish priest,” Chris says.

“Our parish community is so wonderful that we are naturally motivated to give back to it. We see volunteering as part of our stewardship commitment. The call to stewardship is the call to do what Jesus has asked us to do and take care of those in need. We find real joy in doing that! When you give to someone else, and you see how happy it makes them feel, it makes you happy as well.”

Chris and Barry Arnold celebrate their annual “Arnoldfest” with their entire family.

For many years, Chris has enjoyed serving as a sacristan and an Extraordinary Minister of Holy Communion.

“When I am serving as a sacristan, I am doing it for God, the priest, and the people who will be attending Mass,” Chris says. “I feel thankful that I can help. When we do things for other people, it is very rewarding.”

Chris also loves being a voice for the defenseless through the Respect Life Committee, which contributes to pro-life efforts and organizations such as the Arkansas Pregnancy Resource Center, the 40 Days for Life campaign, and the March for Life, which takes place each

January at the Little Rock capitol building.

“The pro-life movement has been a passion of mine for a long time,” Chris says. “Life is the beginning of everything, and if we don’t have a love and respect for life, everything just goes downhill. If we don’t care about a baby in the womb, we won’t care about an adult who is suffering.

If we start thinking that the life of an innocent, unborn child is not important, then we think we can make excuses for mistreating everyone else in society.”

Furthermore, Chris enjoys preparing meals for people in need through the Martha’s Kitchen Ministry. She and Barry continued on page 5

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ring the Joy of Serving Jesus also serve at the Stew Pot soup kitchen downtown.

Barry currently coordinates and trains the Extraordinary Ministers of Holy Communion, and serves as a lector.

By laying down their lives for Christ and others, including their family members, Barry and Chris have been abundantly blessed.

They have four children and four grandchildren, whom they serve with God’s love as well.

Week after week, they draw their strength and energy from spending a Holy Hour with the Real Presence of Our Lord at Eucharistic Adoration.

The graces that flow from this devotion help them live out their

The Altar Society

Catholic faith in a beautiful way.

“Adoration is helpful to my spiritual life,” Chris says. “It gives me time to be alone with Jesus in a quiet place where I can reflect and feel closer to God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. We both experience a lot of peace when we go there, and we really enjoy it.”

continued from front cover

of baby items for local pro-life centers such as Birthright. In April, they raise money for hospitality and service efforts.

“Many of our members help out in the community in various ways, such as with hospice, the Helping Hands Ministry, or by bringing Holy Communion to the sick,” Carolyn says. “The Altar Society enjoys raising money to support their charitable efforts. We also try to encourage others to do volunteer work, and reach out to others, while promoting their own personal growth as well.”

Furthermore, in May, Society members put on a special dinner for their spouses and friends. They also prepare meals for the House of Formation in Little Rock, which is a place for young men discerning if they feel called to enter the priesthood.

In September, the Altar Society hosts a luncheon to welcome back its members and give them their service assignments for the coming year. Each November, members make soup and sell it as part of a parish-wide project to raise money for general

parish needs and the parish school. This is done in conjunction with the Arts and Crafts Guild, which sells items that they have made by hand. Also in November, the Altar Society hosts an annual retreat that is open to all of our parish women. The retreat features an inspiring talk from a speaker on a relevant topic, such as an ethical issue or teaching of Sacred Scripture. They hold an annual Christmas party with games each December as well.

Lastly, members originally founded the Prayer Shawl Ministry, which has become a remarkable success.

“It grew so large that they ended up breaking off and forming their own ministry,” Carolyn says.

Overall, the Altar Society works hard to make our parish building feel like home to our parishioners, and to make our parish community feel like family.

“In this age of isolation, we need other people to be there, and really be an active part of our church community,” Carolyn says. “This is what the Altar Society tries to bring about.”

More women are needed to help out with the efforts of the Altar Society once normal activities resume in the near future. For more info on how to fulfill the teachings of Jesus by helping out with this generous group, please contact Joan Finnegan at 501-517-5153 or Carolyn Chalmers at 501-835-5544.

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Immaculate CONCEPTION

T he G reat C atholic E ducator :

B

St. Thomas Aquinas

efore Thomas Aquinas was even born, a holy hermit told his mother he was to be more learned and holy than any other person of his time. As a young boy, he was devoted to prayer and meditation, and his intellectual gifts were quickly recognized. When he was about 11 years old, he was sent to the University of Naples, and about five years later, he became a Dominican friar.

Thomas’ parents were Italian nobility and were not enthusiastic about Thomas’ choice of vocation. They went so far as to have his brothers capture him while he was en route to Rome, and they held him prisoner for two years in an effort to destroy his vocation and his virtue. After the family made one particularly heinous attempt at breaking Thomas’ faith and spirit, he begged God to give him integrity of mind and body, and he was miraculously given the girdle and grace of purity for the rest of his life. This gift almost certainly was essential to the remarkable clarity of his intellect.

After he regained his freedom, Thomas received the best education that was available during a time in human history that arguably represents the best the world has ever offered to scholars and philosophers. His greatest works arise from his total focus on knowing and understanding God, and revealing as clearly as possible the Truth of God to others. He showed that faith and reason are not in conflict, but exist in harmony.

Thomas’ Summa Theologica uses philosophical principles presented in scientific form to systematically explain Christian theology. It was his last work and was left unfinished. Thomas stopped writing after he experienced an unusually long vision on Dec. 6, 1273. When he was urged to finish his Summa, he stated that he could no longer write, for the secrets he had been shown during his vision made all he had written “seem as straw.” He died three months later.

Thomas composed more than 60 works. His powers of synthesis were truly extraordinary. He 6

was able to sift through all that he read, distill the truth, and summarize his conclusions simply, clearly and briefly. His writing is of such genius that it transcends style and art in the beauty of its truth. His works are as relevant today as they were to the 13th century. His principles offer a remedy to such evils as socialism, communism, nihilism, as well as pantheism and spiritism.

Thomas was canonized in 1323, and was declared a Doctor of the Universal Church in 1567. In 1879, Leo XIII declared Thomas Aquinas “the prince and master of all scholastic doctors,” and in 1880, Thomas was designated as patron of all Catholic universities, colleges and schools throughout the world. We celebrate St. Thomas Aquinas’ feast day on Jan. 28.

G olden F alcons Ministry Provides Essential Fellowship and Friendship to Our Senior Parishioners

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or our many older parishioners who are widows or widowers, life can be lonely. Over 15 years ago, Faith Burke was delivering the Eucharist to a woman in her 90s who seemed very lonely.

Faith realized that older adults at Immaculate Conception didn’t have a place to connect. So to meet this essential need, Faith worked with Carolyn Chalmers and Tom Daughenbaugh to form the Golden Falcons group.

Although the COVID-19 pandemic has put a temporary halt on gathering, the Golden Falcons group is still going strong all these years later. This group of retirees and senior citizens meets one Tuesday a month after the 9 a.m. Mass in the Immaculata Hall for a delicious breakfast and fellowship.

Faith greatly appreciates the opportunity for friendship that this ministry provides. She says

that most times, we only see people at Mass and often don’t take the time to truly get to know one another.

“When people walk through the door to come together at Golden Falcons, it’s just so beautiful,” she says. “We don’t know what they have been through since we’ve seen them last. This is a way to just be together and connect.”

Carolyn has also found this

ministry to be a great way to get to know those she sees at weekly Mass.

“I enjoy the camaraderie,” Carolyn says. “If you don’t have young kids in school, you don’t have a way to get to know people.

You go to Mass on Sunday and go home. With Golden Falcons, it’s a chance for socialization.”

Not only does Golden Falcons allow for fellowship, but some speakers regularly stop by to continued on back cover

When people walk through the door to come together at Golden Falcons, it’s just so beautiful. We don’t know what they have been through since we’ve seen them last. This is a way to just be together and connect.” — Faith Burke 7

Immaculate CONCEPTION 7000 John F. Kennedy Blvd.

North Little Rock, AR 72116 Church Office: (501) 835-4323 www.iccnlr.org

Golden Falcons

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share pertinent information. For instance, members of the local fire department have come in to talk about fire safety, funeral home staff have discussed pre-planning funeral arrangements, and a lawyer stopped in to discuss living wills. For Christmas, group members play games and sing Christmas carols. Several members also voluntarily serve meals at St. Luke’s Methodist Church Shepherd Center. Also, Golden Falcons members have gone on field trips to Arkansas Travelers baseball games.

The group members have a mutual understanding that they are there for each other

in times of need. This could mean helping with a grocery store run, providing a ride to church, or assisting with general home tasks.

Faith says she is a “social butterfly,” so this ministry is so important to her. She can’t wait for the day when COVID-19 precautions are lifted and this group can gather again.

“Because a lot of seniors live alone, they are lonely,” she says. “It’s just important to know our church family members, and to be there to assist in any way we can.”

If you would like to attend Golden Falcons events when they begin once again, please refer to the bulletin for upcoming monthly dates.

LITURGY SCHEDULE

Saturday Vigil: 4:00 p.m. | Sunday Masses: 8 a.m., 10:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Daily Mass: Wednesday, Thursday, and First Saturday of the Month at 8:15 a.m.

Confessions: Tuesday: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m., Thursday: 6:00 - 7:00 p.m.

ADORATION

Tuesday thru Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. in the main church