African-American Catholics Archives

Latin American Church leaders suggest Pope call a ‘World Afro Synod’

Feb 27, 2020

Leaders of Latin American and Caribbean Afro-American pastoral commissions acknowledge that the Church has been paying more attention to the African-descendant community in the past few decades, but they consider that there’s a long way to go for diversity in liturgy and for inclusion in the hierarchy.

By Eduardo Campos Lima

Black Catholics in Brazil struggle against racism in society and Church

Feb 24, 2020

As Afro-Brazilian Catholic activists struggle to promote their culture and increase participation of black people in high-ranking positions in the Brazilian Church and society, the search of a new dialogue with the hierarchy on the agenda.

By Eduardo Campos Lima

Month for black Catholics aims to chip away at ‘exclusion by neglect’

Nov 28, 2019

November is Black Catholic History Month. Some black Catholics talk about the road ahead in dealing with racism.

By Shannon Levitt

Black clergy, women religious, seminarians mark history, celebrate

Jul 28, 2019

The joint conference of the national organizations for black Catholic clergy, women religious, seminarians and deacons finally made its first stop in Baltimore, a city noted for several firsts on the road to equality in the faith.

By Paul McMullen

Claverite Junior convention tackles bullying, helps youth address it

Jul 27, 2019

Confronting social justice issues such as bullying was at the top of the agenda for the 600 or so youth gathered in Houston for the 23rd biennial convention of the Junior Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver.

By James Ramos

Conference celebrates African American Catholics’ gifts to liturgy, ministry

Jul 13, 2019

The Archbishop Lyke Conference began in 2004. This year’s conference was held July 2-6 near Washington, in National Harbor and took place in conjunction with the Father Clarence Rivers Music Institute. Rivers, a Catholic priest who died in 2004, was a noted composer of liturgical music whose work combined Catholic worship with traditional African American music.

By Mark Zimmermann, CNS

New D.C. leader says of facing abuse crisis again: ‘I’m not afraid’

May 17, 2019

Archbishop Wilton Gregory, who’ll be installed as the seventh Archbishop of Washington on May 21, says Washington’s experience of the recent wave of clerical sexual abuse scandals is “unique in the United States.”

By John L. Allen Jr.

Texas parishioners embrace Gulf Coast Mardi Gras traditions

Mar 6, 2019

The bright colored beads around Father Jude Ezuma’s neck looked a lot like a rosary, but on the morning of March 2, the beads signaled a different type of celebration: Mardi Gras on Galveston Island on the Texas Gulf Coast.

By James Ramos