Black Catholic History Month
- 1 in 4 Catholics is Black
- Catholic organizations such as the Knights of Peter Claver played integral roles during the Civil Rights Movement and continue to fight for social justice today
- There are over 900 Black Catholic Saints. Some Prominent Black Saints include: Sts. Monica, Augustine, Josephine Bakhita, Martin de Porres View a more complete listing here.
- Simon of Cyrene helped Jesus carry his cross and is the first African mentioned in the Gospels.
- Melchior, who was Black, was one of the “Wise Men” who appeared at Jesus' Birth
- There have been 3 African Popes: Sta. Victor, Miltiades, and Gelasius
- Fr. Augustus Tolton was the first Black Priest in the United States (1886)
- Bishop James Healy was the first Black Bishop in the United States (1875), since then there have been over 24 Black Bishops in the United States.
- Pope Francis recently named Most Rev. Wilton Gregory Cadinal-Designate. Most Rev. who is the Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Washington, DC will become the first African-American cardinal.
AFRICAN AMERICAN FAMILY PRAYER
GOD OF MERCY AND GOD OF 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, grandparent’s 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 who are less fortunate, especially the motherless,
the fatherless, the homeless, 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.
(Composed by Fr. James Goode, OFM, Evangelist)
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, grandparent’s 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 who are less fortunate, especially the motherless,
the fatherless, the homeless, 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.
(Composed by Fr. James Goode, OFM, Evangelist)