Black Catholic Messenger

Sheila Hodges will succeed Nate Tinner-Williams as editor of Black Catholic Messenger and president of the BCM Foundation, effective August 1. The Harvard and Penn grad says she is "beyond excited" to help lead the publication into its next era. www.blackcatholicmessenger.org/bcm-transiti...

It can be heartbreaking when a loved one falls away from the Church. In an insightful reflection, Joseph Peach, a Catholic author, speaker and youth minister, explores what the story of Jonah reveals about why some people flee from God and how we can pray for their return. Link: buff.ly/3FxcMYH

Through the traveling exhibit What We Inherit: Truth, Repair, and a Promise to the Future at the University of St. Thomas, descendants and Jesuits are showing how confronting a painful past can open the door to healing and a more hopeful future. Read at BCM: buff.ly/EXVsiHu

🎬 The story of Venerable Augustus Tolton, the first Black Catholic priest in the U.S., is now on the big screen! Tolton: From Slave to Priest celebrates his remarkable journey of faith and perseverance. Find out where to watch! 👇 🔗 buff.ly/iuv17T4

“Don’t play with God!” In this Sunday’s Gospel reflection, Father Stephen Thorne explores Jesus’ parable of the vineyard and the responsibility we all share to do God’s work, pursue justice and bear good fruit. Read this week’s Sunday reflection: buff.ly/qNla64E

Long before his beatification, Sheen had a decades-long relationship with the nation’s largest historically African American Catholic fraternal organization--the Knights of Peter Claver. Learn more about this history in our latest article: buff.ly/Xaaf9B9

In a reflection shared by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Dr. Ansel Augustine turns to Scripture to remind us that while suffering is inevitable, it can also become an opportunity for transformation and deeper discipleship with Christ. Read the reflection at BCM: buff.ly/psuqP97

📅 Have an upcoming event or opportunity for Black Catholics to know about? BCM is launching a monthly roundup of events, gatherings & opportunities. Submit by Sept. 25 for our October roundup! buff.ly/PtlRjwP Submission does not guarantee a feature.

Nearly 40 years later, we’re heading back to Hillman. 🎓 The A Different World reboot premieres Sept. 24 on Netflix, bringing a new generation of Black students to the iconic HBCU campus. Read our latest piece on the original show’s legacy and its return: buff.ly/BlCs7O6

🎵 What can Sister Act teach us about the beauty of Black culture in the Catholic Church? More than 30 years later, the film offers a reflection on the joy, creativity, and gifts Black Catholics bring to the Church. Read the article here: buff.ly/cpE3FjN

Whether you’ve been reading BCM for years, just discovered us, or simply want to see more resources created for and by Black Catholics — your voice matters. 📝 Take the survey and help us discern where God may be calling BCM next: buff.ly/XFQjrgD 📚️ Learn more about the survey: buff.ly/7P701jW

🤖 What happens to our sense of purpose when AI reshapes our work? In his latest opinion piece, Black Catholic author and youth minister Joseph Peach reflects on how the rise of AI might actually offer an opportunity to rediscover our true identity and purpose in God. Read it now: buff.ly/XkgPaNh

🚨Are you a Black Catholic man looking for faith, fellowship and community? You’re invited to attend the National Black Catholic Men’s Conference! Titled “The Rock I Stand On,” the gathering will take place in Birmingham, Alabama, Oct. 15–18. Read more: buff.ly/a7TOCxj

What happens when Gregorian chant meets Black Catholic worship? For Dr. Darrell St. Romain, studying the Church’s ancient sacred music opened up new possibilities for the tradition that first formed him. Read more: buff.ly/ik9KFx6

🎉 We’ve hit 300 registrants! Only 200 spots remain! Join us for an important conversation about the future of the Black Catholic Messenger as we enter this new era of leadership. Register now: buff.ly/MsWIhv4

Congratulations to Xavier University of Louisiana, the nation’s only Catholic HBCU, on being named one of the nation’s top HBCUs by Forbes! Read more about the factors behind the ranking: buff.ly/lJCocIX

🏆 A historic win for Frederick Richard. Black Catholic gymnast Frederick Richard has made history as the second Black man to win the all-around title at the U.S. national championships. Read more about Richard’s historic achievement here: buff.ly/9aqwdns (Photo: Anders Riishede/Shutterstock.com)

📢 Black Catholics in Southern California: don't miss this! Blessed Sacrament Hollywood is hosting its first-ever Theology on Tap: Good Spirits: Black Catholic Conversations. 🗓️ Aug. 9 | 🕦 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Food, drinks, fellowship, and a reflection by William S. King. Read more: buff.ly/SKW3DrD

In this heartfelt reflection, Jocelyn DuPont shares how her time at the Institute for Black Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana deepened her faith, expanded her understanding of Black Catholic history and theology, and welcomed her into a lifelong community. buff.ly/FtEctUX

🎉 We're entering a new chapter at Black Catholic Messenger! Be part of the conversation as we look to the future of Black Catholic media with leading journalists, creators, and storytellers. 🎟️ Register: buff.ly/V3EAjGK 📖 More information: buff.ly/ervtY0A

St. Cecilia's in Detroit, one of the nation's best-known Black sports sites, has netted a $5M donation for renovation from LA Clippers owner Steve Ballmer. The long-dormant site was known as a breeding ground and meeting point for top basketball talent in the late 20th century. buff.ly/JPvCOOk

Dr. M. Roger Holland II has been named a Pastoral Musician of the Year by the National Association of Pastoral Musicians, becoming the fourth African American to receive the honor. The Denver professor's Mass settings and hymns are used in Black Catholic parishes across the U.S. buff.ly/0OxUVHL

"One wonders what is in store for them? When the time comes will they be ready? For the fate that befalls them." (From "FATE": a poem by Dorothy Dempsey.) www.blackcatholicmessenger.org/poem-fate/

The interview comes just months after the pope used his maiden encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas", to apologize for the Vatican's role in the slave trade, and one year since he first publicly acknowledged his African-American ancestry.

In a landmark new interview, Pope Leo XIV acknowledged enslaved persons and slaveholding among his ancestors, which genealogists discovered shortly after his election in the 2025 conclave. In comments to NBC News, the pontiff also teased a forthcoming visit to the United States. buff.ly/vflRxDe

The historic meeting, held just an hour from the founding locale of the Ladies Auxiliary, saw a host of Catholic prelates participate in liturgies and other celebrations, including one of the Knights' newest members: the Black Catholic auxiliary bishop Robert Boxie of Washington.

The Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary hosted their 110th national convention this month in Houston, uniting ~1,000 members for fellowship, fundraising, and the business of the order. The six-day gathering featured the centennial celebration for the women's division. buff.ly/gOU8W2n

The pursuit of a superintelligence through AI has thus far featured gross exploitation and disregard for the basic principles of human dignity. Briana Jansky writes that we must change course as a society before it's too late. www.blackcatholicmessenger.org/building-bab...

A new book covers the life of Sr Sandra Smithson, a pioneering Black Catholic who resisted religious racism and helped revolutionize education for the underserved in Nashville and beyond. Author Theresa Laurence spoke with BCM on why this biography is needed now more than ever. buff.ly/A1r52Xq

“Evangelization today cannot simply mean inviting people back to what once was,” said the NBCCC president, Fr Kareem Smith, emphasizing the need for embodied work. “The Church has enough documents. What she needs are disciples who are willing to act.”

The National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus held its convocation this week, bringing nearly 50 members to Houston for fellowship, encouragement, and celebration. Among the highlights was celebration of and with their own new prelate, Auxiliary Bishop Robert Boxie of Washington. buff.ly/rF7mrEJ

Cam Obi, a music producer known for working with Chance the Rapper, Kendrick Lamar, and SZA, has been teasing his debut album for years, with excitement reaching a fever pitch. What most fans don't know, however, is that he is also now Catholic and excited to share his faith. buff.ly/jg9F2lW

An autopsy of Nolan Wells, the Mississippi Black Catholic teen who died under mysterious circumstances on July 4, has found his cause of death to be "undetermined". The independent examination ordered by the family noted missing body parts and the need for further investigation. buff.ly/qYwUBOA

"What we once thought was to be defined primarily through marriage and biology is now defined by models that center partnership and shared caregiving." #family

I hope this article gets attention. It proposes an answer to the “why” of what we have been seeing for a couple generations.

"It is far more than a discussion of the promise and perils of [AI]. In the text, the pope summarizes the richness of Catholic social teaching documents, and highlights the themes of human dignity, the common good, the universal destination of goods, solidarity, and subsidiarity."

"What is evident in plenty of stories is that people in nontraditional models are not rejecting family, but are instead searching for meaningful support and stability amid day-to-day struggles."

As the meaning of family shifts rapidly, the traditional model is increasingly controversial or, to many, markedly obsolete. Efran Menny writes that while cultural differences must be respected, Catholics can present a meaningful vision that stands the test of time. buff.ly/uCwxUyk

For Black Americans, one's hair can be a conundrum, a calling card, or even a creative way of displaying cultural pride. Tulio Huggins, who came of age in mostly non-Black environments, writes that wearing a durag unlocked a crucial spiritual node amid personal testing. buff.ly/8FLnxaA

Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical—titled "Magnificent Humanity" in English—centers themes of disarming words, peace through justice, shifting perspectives, healthy realism, and dialogue. Daryl Grigsby's reading of the new text inspired reflection on the Black Catholic experience. buff.ly/ct8DkL5

Encouraging openness to the spirit and to the foundational transcendentals, Rana Irby offers a new poem, "Hands and Spirit", resolving to virtue in its short span of wordful meditation. www.blackcatholicmessenger.org/hands-and-sp...

"What if some Black Catholic communities are being abandoned not with malice, but through drift? Not because leaders do not care, but because the Church’s imagination is being captured by numbers, narratives of growth, and institutional survival."

The leaders of the U.S. Catholic Church see a vision for growth in certain sectors of society, focusing attention and resources there in an attempt to keep the ship afloat. Fabian Adderley asks: Where does that leave Black Catholics? www.blackcatholicmessenger.org/who-still-ne...

Pope Leo XIV's recent comments on liberty inspire reflection on how America can live up to its original ideals in light of its complicated, anti-Black founding. Tamika Royes writes that this journey begins with acknowledging African-American resistance across North America. buff.ly/jDQllF9

Pfleger has led one of the nation's most vibrant Black Catholic parishes for 45 years, but has now been beset by five allegations of abuse in as many years—resulting in lengthy suspensions, controversial protests from his supporters, and effective exonerations.

Fr Michael Pfleger of St. Sabina Catholic Church in Chicago has been newly accused of sex abuse, prompting his suspension pending an investigation. The 77-year-old activist priest denies the claim, having been the target of other recent allegations that were found not credible. buff.ly/FnFfY5P

Ascension Press will launch "Bible in a Year: Family Edition" in 2027 with Fr Josh Johnson, following up on the mega-popular podcast led by Fr Mike Schmitz. In an exclusive interview with BCM, Johnson shares his hopes for the new project. buff.ly/BfQJJtY

The Fordham University professor is one of the nation's few openly gay Catholic priests and is known for centering Christian social ethics as a widely sought-after public theologian.

Fr Bryan Massingale has received the John Courtney Murray Award from the Catholic Theological Society of America, honoring his advocacy on racial justice and LGBTQ+ issues. He is just the second Black person to receive the nation's top Catholic theological honor. buff.ly/XZi537x