Black Catholic History

[M.SIGGA]

I got this really cool article from Black Catholic Monthly:

History, Heritage, and Truth

Some people lambast Christianity as "a white man's religion." Worse yet, there have been Christians, Black and White, Protestant and even Catholic, who regard Catholicism as a "white church." Amazingly enough, these myths and misconceptions remain entrenched in some people's minds.

On July 24, 1990, the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus of the United States designated November as Black Catholic History Month to celebrate the long history and proud heritage of Black Catholics. Two commemorative dates fall within this month, Saint Augustine's Birthday (November 13) and Saint Martin de Porres' Feast Day (November 3). More importantly, November not only marks a time when we pray for all saints and souls in loving remembrance, but also a time to recall the saints and souls of Africa and the African Diaspora.

Some people forget that Christianity did not originate in Europe and even express surprise when they learn that Black Catholic History began in the Acts of the Apostles (8: 26-40) with the conversion of the Ethiopian Eunuch by Philip the Deacon. This text is important for several reasons. First, it chronicles the conversion of the first Black African in recorded Christian history. Second, the text suggests that the man was a wealthy, literate, and powerful emissary of the Nubian Queen and also a faithful, practicing Jew prior to his baptism. Clearly, he was not an ignorant heathen. Third, the Ethiopian Eunuch's conversion predates the conversions of Saints Paul and Cornelius. Most significantly, many cite this conversion as the very moment when the church changed from a Hebrew and Hellenist community to the truly Universal and Catholic Church.

Black Catholics trace their faith history back to Christian antiquity long before other nations heard the "Good News." Christian Africa was indeed a "leading light" in early Christendom. Black Catholics point to three popes who were born in Africa: Saints Victor I, Melchiades, and Gelasius I. All three shepherded the early church through tough and tumultuous times in history. Black Catholics claim many Black Saints like Saints Cyprian, Zeno, Anthony of Egypt, Moses the Black, Pachomius, Maurice, Athanasius, Pisentius, Mary of Egypt, Cyril of Alexandria, Monica of Hippo, Augustine of Hippo, Perpetua, Felicitas, and Thecla. Some of these mystics, monastics, ands, martyrs literally made the church what it is today.

Not many people know that King Nzinga-a-Nkuwu Mbemba (Afonso the Good) of the Kongo and his subjects made their profession of faith thanks to the work of Portuguese missionaries one year before Christopher Columbus made his famous voyage in 1492, or that Pope Leo X consecrated the king's son, Henrique, Titular Bishop of Utica in 1518 which was one year before Martin Luther nailed his list of ninety-five theses to the Church in Wittenberg. Bishop Henrique was the first native bishop of West Africa. However, he died in 1531. The Congolese Church and the hopes for an indigenous clergy died with him. Finally, the genocidal slave trade killed true evangelization in sub-Saharan Africa for several centuries.

Notwithstanding the moral crimes of chattel slavery, the French and Spanish missionaries ministered to their free and enslaved African population within their respective colonies. This ministry laid the foundation for Black Catholic communities within the United States, i.e. Mobile, Alabama; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Saint Augustine, Florida. It is important to note that many African-American Catholics cherish a certain Peruvian Dominican, Saint Martin de Porres, the only Black Saint from the Western Hemisphere to date.

Tragically, the American Catholic Church did not seriously commit its time and resources to minister to the African-American population during the ante-bellurn or post-bellum periods. However, God made a way!!! In spite of insuperable obstacles and opposition, African-American Catholics created a remarkable movement of faith and evangelization. Many courageous people played pivotal roles within church history like Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange, Mathilda Beasley, Daniel Rudd, and the Reverend Augustus Tolton. They witnessed their faith, ministered to their people, and left lasting legacies in the face of prejudice, ignorance, and indifference. One cannot read their stories without feeling tremendous joy, sorrow, and inspiration. They are truly heroic accounts!

Black History Month provides opportunities to learn and share the whole history and rich heritage of Christian Catholicism. Ubi Victoria Veritas! The Victory of Truth!

[hyperdulia again]

"Mobile, Alabama" :b

[PatrickRitaMichael]

I know this is slightly off topic, but I wonder why people think of the Catholic Church as all white when it's the biggest in the world and spans all continents (I'm sure there are Catholic scientists in Antarctica! ), races, countries, cultures, and peoples.

But, that article was cool. I never really knew all that stuff. Good to know! Thanks

[foundsheep]

so true

[thicke]

I am not proud to say I live in the city where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

I am proud to say however that the bishop here (MY BISHOP - No, you CAN'T have him), Bishop Terry Steib is African-American.

If I am not mistaken sir (M.SIGGA), he is from your neck of the woods. IIRC, you are from the great state of Louisiana. Bishop Terry is also.

Edited February 4, 2004 by thicke

[foundsheep]

That Kitchen looks just like our kitchen here in California. BTW I like the knights apron on that guy.

[hyperdulia again]

Why's the Bishop standing with my Pawpaw?

[M.SIGGA]

Yep, I'm a good'ole Louisiana boy and there is almost just as many Black Catholics here as white ones, which is different than anywhere else in America. Black Catholics, many are Creoles, have very strong religious values and the Church plays a very important role in family life - I'm Creole and whenever someone in my family celebrates a Sacrament, the WHOLE family shows up at the Church and gives a big party and celebration with music, food, gifts, and dancing.

[hyperdulia again]

Le gens de couleur...*sighs wistfully remembering something buried in the dna*

[M.SIGGA]

Le gens de couleur...*sighs wistfully remembering something buried in the dna*

lol it's les gens de couleur libre with an accent leaning right on the ''e''

[M.SIGGA]

ha we might be les cousins de différentes familles lol.

[Donna]

Great writer.

Thanks, Sigga!

[hyperdulia again]

libre=free and I will never get used to pluralising articles...in Mobilesque (I made that up) we don't...it got too complicated...Sigga, I really think we are related and it wouldn't surprise me at all...my family started pretending to cuban (to explain the browness) in the 1890's though..lol

[M.SIGGA]

ha, a lot of mine still pass for white so I only see them at weddings and funerals. when I become governor I plan to expose the masses :ph34r:

[hyperdulia again]

I'm not sure if it can even be called passing anymore though..there aren't "one drop laws" anymore and i'd feel kinda silly telling people i was black...i do have a whole set of cousins in rochester new york though who i only found out about last year, rochester's where the family members that were too dark to pass went...although I don't really get why we lost touch, because its always been an open secret in South Alabama that anyone whose ancestry goes back to the French days is partly African in Ancestry.

I think we just established why there aren't more black Catholics...passing..