November is National Black Catholic History Month

On July 24,1990, the National Black Clergy Caucus of the United States named November as Black Catholic History Month. They designated this month to be a time to celebrate the long history and heritage of Black Catholics.

During the same year, the first celebration of Black Catholic History Month began in November in various cities in the United States with the celebration of St. Martin de Porres’ Feast Day. On Nov. 3 of that year, a liturgy celebrated the 150th anniversary of St. Martin’s transition to eternal life.

St. Augustine's (Augustine of Hippo) birthday is also celebrated on Nov. 13. He was a theologian, philosopher and the bishop of Hippo Regius in Numidia, Roman North Africa. We not only pray for souls and saints during November, we also remember saints and souls of Africa and the African Diaspora.

In the world today there are more than 200 million people of African descent in the Roman Catholic Church.

There are currently five active Black Catholic bishops in the United States: Most Rev. Roy Edward Campbell Jr., Most Rev. Fernand J. Cheri III, O.F.M.; Most Rev. Shelton J. Fabre, Most Rev. Wilton V. Gregory, and Most Rev. Joseph N. Perry.
There are seven retired Black Catholic bishops: Most Rev. Gordon D. Bennett, S.J., Most Rev. Edward K. Braxton, Ph.D., S.T.D.; Most Rev. Edward Curtis Guillory, S.V.D.; Most Rev. Martin D. Holley, Most Rev. John H. Ricard, S.S.J.; Most Reverend Guy Sansaricq and Most Rev. J. Terry Steib, S.V.D.

The National Black Catholic Congress is a non-profit organization dedicated to improving the lives of Black Catholics across the United States. A congress (or conference) is held every five years. The next congress is in 2022.

Some of the more noteworthy Black Catholic Organizations include the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus (NBCCC), the National Black Sisters’ Conference (NBSC), the National Black Lay Catholic Caucus (NBLCC), the National Association of Black Catholic Administrators, the Black Catholic Theological Symposium (BCTS), the Institute for Black Catholic Studies (IBCS), the National Black Catholic Apostolate for Life, the National Black Catholic Seminarians Association, and the Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver.

Xavier University of New Orleans is the only private historically Black Roman Catholic university in the state of Louisiana. The university hosts the Institute for Black Catholic Studies Program (IBCS) every summer. The IBCS offers a master’s degree, and continuing education and enrichment, that educates and forms priests, seminarians, deacons, religious and lay ministers for Catholic ministry in black Catholic communities.

Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux
Before the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux was established, it was part of the Archdiocese of New Orleans, at which time there were three black Catholic parishes, St. Luke the Evangelist in Thibodaux and St. Lucy in Houma (which both had schools), and Holy Eucharist in Morgan City. All three parishes were closed in 1967.

Under the guidance of Bishop Warren L. Boudreaux, founding bishop of the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux, two of the closed parishes (St. Luke and St. Lucy) reopened under the pastoral leadership of the Josephites, a congregation of priests and brothers whose exclusive mission is to serve the African American community. This year on Oct. 18, both of these parishes, which are currently pastored by Msgr. Cletus (Frank) Egbi and Deacon Martin Dickerson, celebrated 35 years of reestablishment.

Currently there are about 3,500 registered Black Catholics in the Diocese of Houma-Thibodaux. Black Catholics attend the Cathedral of St. Francis de Sales, St. Bernadette and Holy Rosary in Houma, St. Joseph Co-Cathedral, Christ the Redeemer, St. Genevieve and St. John the Evangelist in Thibodaux, St. Bridget in Schriever, Holy Rosary in Larose, Holy Savior in Lockport, St. Mary’s Nativity in Raceland, and Sacred Heart in Morgan City.

Black Catholics share not only their ethnicity, culture and leadership, but also their spirituality, the gift of song, praise and welcome with the universal Catholic Church.

(Christine J. Streams is the diocesan liaison for Black Catholic Ministry.)