In Memory of 
Monsignor Francis Avery Allen

   
Monsignor Francis Avery Allen was born in Little Rock, Arkansas on December 5, 1907.

He was the second of six children born to Winifred and William S. Allen. Monsignor and his brothers, Bill, Trieber and Charles, and his sisters, Louise and Mary, received their early education from the Olivetan Benedictine Sisters at St. Andrew's Cathedral School.

Frank, as he was called, started serving Mass at the Cathedral at the age of seven years. For several years, he served the daily Mass of Bishop John B. Morris. When he expressed interest in studying for the priesthood, the Bishop arranged for him to enter the Pontifical Roman Seminary. At the age of fifteen, he left for Rome where he spent a year in preparatory study and in learning the Italian language. He then spent three years in the study of philosophy and four in theology. He completed preparations for the holy priesthood at the age of twenty-three and was ordained by special dispensation as he was a year younger than the required age at that time.




Father Allen was ordained in Rome on February 8, 1931 by Cardinal Domilli. He remained in Rome for additional studies until August 19th when he returned to Little Rock. The day after his return from Rome, he said the prayers for the dying at the bedside of his maternal grandmother, Mrs. Louisa Wingrove Boosey, aged ninety-five.


Father Allen celebrated his first Solumn High Mass at St. Andrew's Cathedral on August 30, 1931, with his three brothers as servers. He was assisted by Reverend Gregory Keller, first native of the Cathedral to be ordained, and the Reverend John J. Healy, President of Little Rock College, also a native of the Cathedral. The entire membership of the St. Berchman's Society, composed of all altar boys at the Cathedral, walked in the procession.

Father Allen's first assignment was as a professor at Catholic High School. After one year at Catholic High School, Father Allen was assigned to be part-time assistant rector of St. Andrew's Cathedral. He was on of the priests serving the "I" Street Mission Church.

In 1933 upon the death of Monsignor John Fisher, who had served as secretary to the Bishop, Father Allen became secretary to Bishop Morris. From 1934 to January 1941 Father Allen served as pastor at St. Francis Mission Church, Ledwidge (Little Italy). He served as the Bishop's secretary until 1941 when he was appointed Recotr of the Cathedral, succeeding Monsignor Moran who had died in December 1940. While Father Allen was Rector of St. Andrew's Cathedral, the Cathedral Hall at Ninth & Louisiana (now Our House) was built. In 1947 Monsignor Allen was appointed Pastor of the newly established Parish of Our Lady of the Holy Souls.

Monsignor was instrumental in the development of Our Lady of the Holy Souls School which has been recognized as outstanding among Catholic schools.

Monsigor's crowning achievement came with the dedication of the new Our Lady of the Holy Souls Church on Sunday, May 9, 1971. In August 1987, when Holy Souls observed its sixtieth anniversary as a mission and fortieth anniversary as a parish, it named its Parish Center in honor of Monsignor Allen.

Monsignor received numerous honors during his ministry, among them, Papal Chamberlain with the title fo Very Reverend Monsignor in 1935;Domestic Prelate with the title of Right Reverend Monsignor in 1943; and in 1981, on the occasion of his Golden Jubilee as a priest, Prothonotary Apostolic, the Church's highest rank of Monsignori. He served as Den of the Little Rock Deanery from 1959 until August 1971, and was named Vicar General July 1, 1973. He was a member of the Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus.

Throughout his years, monsignor was a devoted pastor and a long-time friend of Catholic education. One of his favorite hobbies, photography, brought him into close contact with the children. His "picture nights" for the eight graders and their parents became a popular event each may. An official at Holy souls School told this anecdote, "One of our teachers told the children that Monsignor Allen was gravely ill." The teacher asked, "What do you think will be the first thing Monsignor will say when he gets to heaven?" One of the children replied, "He'll say, hold still while I take your picture."

Monsignor always remembered to send cards to all the children in the school on their birthdays.

In a paper written in 1956 on the occasion of his twenty-fifth anniversary, a colleague recalled that as a boy Monsignor performed in school plays and entertained at parties. One of his friends recalled that he once entertained his friends and siblings after a birthday party by walking on the banisters of the viaduct over the Missouri-Pacific Railroad tracks like a tightrope walker, with only his arms extended to balance himself.

Monsignor Allen retired on June 27, 1987, after a ministry of fifty-six years and having served as Pastor of Holy Souls for forty of thoese years. He died on October 11, 1988, and is buried in Calvary Cemetery, Little Rock, Arkansas. 
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