The Parish: 1990-1997
The 90s brought many changes to Holy Souls parish, among them, some rapid-fire changes in parish leadership, and plans for enlarging and refurbishing Holy Souls School.

Father Aureli in early 1991 initiated publication of a monthly parish newsletter, now called "The Parishioner."

On June 1, 1991, Father Aureli took sabbatical leave and was succeeded, as pastor pro-tem, by The Rev. David LeSieur [now Monsignor], who had been pastor of St. Anne's parish, North Little Rock.  (Father LeSieur earlier had been an assistant pastor at Holy Souls from 1979 to 1982.)

Four months later, when Father LeSieur became the Diocesan Minister to Priests, the pastor of St. Paul's parish in Pocahontas, Arkansas, The Rev. Joseph Correnti [later Monsignor], was transferred by Bishop McDonald to the Holy Souls pastorate.

The end of the 1991-92 school year brought the beginning of construction of the new school addition, a $1.7 million project.

Holy Souls parish celebrated its 45th anniversary in August 1992 and the following month it hosted the 17th annual Catechetical Day convention, attended by 500 delegates from all parts of Arkansas.

As the year ended, Father Correnti announced plans to introduce the Stephen Ministry to the parish.  This is a lay movement that provides personal help for those who are hurting, the bereaved, divorced, unemployed, the sick and dying

The new year -- 1993 -- brought the dedication by Bishop McDonald of the refurbished and enlarged parish school.  The dedication ceremony included a surprise for the diocesan superintendent of schools, Sister Henrietta Hockle, O.S.B., who served Holy Souls School as teacher and principal for more than two decades.  A plaque in the school vestibule dedicates the school addition to Sister Henrietta.

The big two-story addition to the parish school was built on the site of the old mission/parish church.  Only the bell tower of the original edifice was preserved.  It is freestanding.  The school addition includes administrative office, a music room, three kindergarten rooms, a religious library for the parish, new seventh and eighth grade classrooms and an elevator for the handicapped.

In February, the parish affiliated with RAIN (Regional AIDS Interfaith network) and in April the missionary image of Our Lady of Guadalupe was venerated in the parish, and the Men's Club donated $5820 to purchase window blinds for the parish school.

In the spring of 1993, The Rev. Wilfred Okorochukwu, one of three Nigerian priests who had come to Arkansas, was assigned to Holy Souls as associate pastor.

In August, the parish hosted the 18th annual Arkansas Catechetical Day as part of the diocesan sesquicentennial celebration and the following month a big delegation of young parishioners traveled to Denver, Colorado for the World Youth Day at which His Holiness Pope John Paul II presided.

In October, a parish renewal mission was preached by Father Joseph Wyss, O.P., and 22 volunteers were recruited for the first class to be trained as Stephen Ministers.  In December 1993, Mrs. Mickey Stolzer was honored for 35 years of service in the Holy Souls School cafeteria.

At this point, a corps of Catholic High School and Mount St. Mary Academy student volunteers were rounding out their third year as tutors in the parish school.

The Holy Souls Men's Club inaugurated a scholarship program at the parish school in April 1994 and the following month, The Parishioner began publishing an installment biography of the late Monsignor Allen.

Just before the end of that school year, the pupils of Holy Souls School composed the following prayer to Our lady of the Holy Souls Purgatory:

Mary, Our Lady of the Holy Souls, pray for us and all souls in Purgatory. 

Help us to help them by our continued prayers. 

Please pray for the release of all Holy Souls from their suffering and agony.  May God grant them the purification needed because of their sins. 

May they experience Heaven in all its glory with the light of God's love and in absolute Unity of His Kingdom.

Amen.

In June of 1994, Father David LeSieur [now Monsignor] became pastor of Holy Souls parish, while still holding diocesan offices as director of vocations and seminarians, minister of priests, and director of continuing education of the clergy.

Earl Kelone retired in December 1995 as parish organist after 47 years of service, and with the onset of the New year -- 1996 -- the parish instituted all-day Exposition of the Most Blessed Sacrament on Wednesdays.

[In late 1996], the church kneelers were reupholstered, and the parish instituted an "Adopt a Spot" gardening project for beautification of the church grounds.  A sprinkler system was installed to irrigate the grounds and the front terrace planter.