Office of Black Catholics

"What We Have Seen & Heard": 

A Pastoral Letter on Evangelization from the Black Bishops of the U.S.

Black History Month Mass - February 4, 2024

Held at St. Joseph Cathedral in Baton Rouge

Officiant: Bishop Michael Duca

Captured by: CatholicLifeTV-Baton Rouge

ARE YOU INTERESTED?

Institute for Black Catholic Studies

 

IBCS at Xavier University of Louisiana is now accepting application for the three-week program. The Continuing Education and Enrichment (C&E) program courses are offered in three one-week modules. Students take a morning and afternoon course for one, two or three weeks as their schedules and budget allow.

 

IBCS summer session tuition cost and fees are established by the University and

published each year in the Spring. Typically, the increase in fees from year to year is modest. As a gauge, 2023 tuition/ course fees for the Degree Program were $2250 for 6 credit hours. C&E course fees were $180 for the summer session, tuition $375 per week. For both tracks, the housing reservation fee was $77; room and board $302/week

 

The 2024 IBCS dates are June 30-July 19. For additional information, the website address is https://www.xula.edu/ibcs/.  If you have other questions, please free to email me at deaconal2@bellsouth.net or call 225.910.6080

 

Alfred Adams

Director, Office of Black Catholics

IBCS.pdf

READINGS FOR THE WEEK:

May 5, 2024

Sixth Sunday of Easter

      

Who Needs Love?

    Part of the first reading from Acts that we don’t hear is a vision Peter has, in which God tells him that all foods are OK to eat; no longer are some unclean. He later realizes that the vision was a symbol that all people are “clean,” Gentiles as well as Jews. Not all of the early Christians understood. The Jewish Christians were shocked that the Holy Spirit would give gifts, such as speaking in tongues, to Gentiles. Especially Gentiles who had not been baptized.

Now the distinction between Gentile and Jewish Christians doesn’t seem very important today. But we still need to follow St. Peter’s example of sharing our faith in Jesus. Does that mean we should drag any non-believers we meet to church on Sunday? Should we brag about how much we love God?

Today’s gospel gives us a hint at what we can do to bring others to Christ. Jesus makes it sound simple: Love one another as I love you. (Jn 15:12) The second reading from John tells us that love is not people loving God; it’s that God loved us first, enough to send his Son to die for us. We may think that we have chosen to love and follow Jesus, but as the gospel tells us, Jesus chose us before we ever chose him. So maybe that part about loving others as Jesus loves us is this: are we willing to love others without requiring that they love us first? 

How can we do that? I can introduce myself to someone new to the parish that I see in church. I can offer to help the poor without waiting for the pastor to beg. I can make a priority of seeing what I can do for others, instead of what they can do for me. Perhaps part of our daily prayer can be asking God to show us who needs our love today.  Tom Schmidt.



READINGS FOR THE WEEK

Monday: Acts 16:11-15; Ps 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b; Jn 15:26 — 16:4a  

Tuesday: Acts 16:22-34; Ps 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8; Jn 16:5-11 

Wednesday:  Acts 17:15, 22 — 18:1; Ps 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14; Jn 16:12-15

Thursday: Acts 1:1-11; Ps 47:2-3, 6-7, 8-9; Eph 1:17-23 or Eph 4:1-13 or 4:1-7, 11-13; Mk 16:15-20

Friday: Acts 18:9-18; Ps 47:2-3, 4-5, 6-7; Jn 16:20-23

Saturday: Acts 18:23-28; Ps 47:2-3, 8-9, 10; Jn 16:23b-28

RECOMMENDED READING

Eucharistic Miracles and Eucharistic Phenomena in the Lives of the Saints

by Joan Carroll Cruz

On many occasions throughout the history of the Catholic Church, God has provided visible proof of the invisible reality of the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist.


In her book, Eucharistic Miracles, Joan Carroll Cruz documents 36 such miracles which occurred from 800 AD to the present day. This book tells of consecrated Hosts which have visibly turned to human flesh, have bled, levitated, and which have become hard as flint when received by a person in mortal sin. It details the official investigations that have been made into these miracles by scientists throughout the world, and where some can still be venerated today. Eucharistic Miracles also recounts miraculous Eucharistic phenomena in the lives of saints: saints who lived with only the Eucharist for sustenance, received Communication miraculously, or experienced raptures, ecstasies, levitations, visions, locutions, and more.


Pictures and photographs of the miracles, the churches they took place in, and the people involved are also included, adding the final touch to a comprehensive, detailed, and extraordinary overview of these miraculous happenings.


Eucharistic Miracles is a superb compilation of God's visible testimony of the truth of the Catholic Faith, proving the reality of one of its loftiest mysteries — the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist. 

Link to order : https://www.amazon.com/Eucharistic-Miracles-Phenomena-Lives-Saints/dp/0895553031

The Diocese of Baton Rouge celebrated and honored Saturday, November 4, 2023 as a day of Black Catholic History and as a day of United States History

A SPECIAL THANKS to the following for playing an instrumental part in the memorable success of “Celebrating Saints of African Ancestry: Black Catholic History Month”:

Bishop Michael G. Duca, Concelebrating Priests, Deacons and Acolytes; Office of Black Catholics and director, Deacon Alfred Adams; Fr. Thomas F. Clark, SJ, Homilist; the Lectors, Diocesan Gospel Choir, Liturgical Dancers, and Liturgical Coordinator; Fr. Tat Hoang, C.Ss.R, St. Gerard Majella Catholic Church (hosting church parish), and students from Redemptorist/St. Gerard Majella Catholic school who portrayed Saints of African Ancestry; Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary; All supportive attendees including clergy, religious sisters, and church parishes

NATIONAL BLACK CATHOLIC CONGRESS RECAP

CANONIZATION UPDATE NEWS

Mother Lange canonization cause takes step forward


By Matthew Liptak

Special to the Catholic Review


The canonization cause of Mother Mary Lange, founder of the world’s first sustained women’s religious community for Black women, has taken a step forward.


Sister Rita Michelle Proctor, superior general of the Baltimore-based Oblate Sisters of Providence, said her religious community received a Feb. 27 email from the Holy See informing the sisters that the positio – the documentation on the life of Mother Lange, which includes both the theological and historical record of her life – has been approved by the Vatican.


Sister Rita Michelle made the announcement March 5 at her religious community’s motherhouse in Arbutus during the annual conferral of the Mother Lange Awards honoring local Catholics active in the Black Catholic community.


More than 300 people broke into applause and cheers at the news.


“I don’t want you to go and say Sister Rita Michelle has just gone and proclaimed Sister Mother Lange a saint,” Sister Rita Michell said, noting that the sisters have long considered their religious community’s founder a saint in their hearts.


Mother Lange’s positio will go to the Congregation for the Causes of Saints for review, Sister Rita Michelle said.


“Once they have concluded the review, it will be sent to Pope Francis, and he will declare Baltimore Archbishop William E. Lori said he was excited to hear the news.


“With each step forward, more people learn about the life and legacy of our beloved Mother Lange,” he said. “She unlocked educational opportunities for children in Baltimore and beyond during her lifetime – and that impact continues today. The Oblate Sisters have worked very hard to help bring about this key development. Along with so many others, we are delighted.”


From: The Josephite Harvest

CHECK THIS OUT!

From Fr. Joshua Johnson:

   I’m excited to announce that my new book, “On Earth as it is in Heaven: Restoring God’s Vision of Race & Discipleship” is going to be available for Pre-Order at the end of April! In this book, I address the racial divide in the United States of America & I offer practical suggestions that we can all do to console the Heart of Jesus by cultivating unity in the geographical boundaries of our communities. Jesus prayed for unity in John 17. We are invited to join together in prayer, fasting and collaboration so that we can fulfill the desires of Jesus! How can we do this? I suggest we reorient our attention to the ministry of the Early Church in the Bible. Prior to His Ascension into Heaven, Jesus commanded His Apostles to go out and make disciples of all nations.    

    The Greek word for “nations” is “ethnos” and it is translated into our English word, “ethnicities.” After spending many days together in prayer, the Apostles and many other intentional disciples of Jesus received an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Upon the receiving the Holy Spirit in Acts 2, they all went out to accompany people in discipleship from Africa, Asia and Europe. 

The fruit of their ministry was supernatural! In the Book of Revelation, John saw a vision of Heaven and he saw people from every race, nation, tribe and tongue joined together in worship of God. If the geographical boundaries of your Parish is filled with people of different races, ethnicities, languages and socioeconomic backgrounds then I propose you join me in continuing the mission of Jesus so that our Church on Earth can look a lot more like the Church in Heaven! Imagine what our Country could be like if everyone in our community was invited to look at the Face of Christ in the Blessed Sacrament and listen to the voice of Christ in the Sacred Scriptures. The fruit of our communal prayer together can transform our hearts and minds. It can also inspire us to work together to reform the unjust practices and policies that continue to perpetuate division in our land. Discipleship isn’t easy but nothing is impossible with God. 

    I want to invite you to go to www.ascensionpress.com/onearth so that you can sign up now to be notified when my new book will be available for pre-order.

Pre-Order Here 

PRAYER FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY 

God of Mercy and Love we place our African American Families before You today. May we be proud of our history and never forget those who paid a great price for our liberation. Bless us one by one and keep our hearts and minds fixed on higher ground. Help us to live for you and not for ourselves, and may we cherish and proclaim the gift of life. Bless our parents, guardians and grandparents, relatives and friends. 

Give us the amazing grace to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world. Help us, as Your children, to live in such a way that the beauty and greatness of authentic love is reflected in all that we say and do. Give a healing anointing to those less fortunate, especially the motherless, the fatherless, the broken, the sick and the lonely. Bless our departed family members and friends. 

May they be led into the light of Your dwelling place where we will never grow old, where we will share the fullness of redemption and shout the victory for all eternity. This we ask in the Precious Name of Jesus, our Savior and Blessed Assurance. Amen. 

Holy Mary, Mother of Our Families, pray for us. 

Prayer composed by FR. JIM GOODE, OFM, who in 1989 founded this National Day of Prayer for the African American Family. 

ON THE PATH TO SAINTHOOD

FROM THE NATIONAL BLACK CATHOLIC CONGRESS:

In his apostolic letter, Rosarium Virginis Mariae (RVM), St. John Paul II tells how we are to assimilate the mysteries of the rosary by meditating on the life of Jesus as we contemplate each mystery. When we immerse ourselves into the mysteries of the Holy Rosary, and we are rewarded by the "fruits" of the mysteries listed below: 


Joyful Mysteries:

Annunciation: humility;

Visitation: love of neighbor;

Birth of Jesus: detachment;

Presentation: obedience;

Finding in the Temple: greater commitment & devotion to Jesus. 


Luminous Mysteries:

Baptism: openness to the Holy Spirit;

Miracle at Cana: Mary’s intercession;

Proclamation of the Kingdom & Repentance: Christian witness and conversion;

Transfiguration: courage to bear the cross;

Institution of the Holy Eucharist: greater love for the Eucharist.


Sorrowful Mysteries:

Agony in the Garden: trust in God;

Scourging at the Pillar: purity;

Crowning with Thorns: fortitude;

Carrying of the Cross: perseverance in trials;

Crucifixion: forgiveness for others.


Glorious Mysteries:

Resurrection: faith;

Ascension: hope;

Descent of the Holy Spirit: gifts of the Holy Spirit;

Assumption: To Jesus through Mary;

Coronation: final perseverance. 

WBRZ Channel 2 interview with Deacon Alfred Adams during Black History Month. Taken place at St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church in Napoleonville, LA

Black Faith Matters

   

     The role of this documentary is to shed light on "one story" of the Black Catholic experience. An experience unknown to many in our church. An experience that, although unique, is relatable to the Black Catholic, specifically African American Catholic, experience throughout America. 

LINKS