Black Catholic History Month

November is Black Catholic History Month
to honor the history and contributions
of Black Catholics to our Church and our world.

November is
Black Catholic History Month

to honor the history and contributions of Black Catholics to our Church and our world. Here at Old St. Mary’s Cathedral, we had a

Black Catholic Awareness Event

Saturday, 2025 November 8
5pm - Gospel Mass
with Fr. Bart Landry, CSP
7pm - Food, Music, Presentation, & Fellowship

Presentation by Dr. Kim Harris
(Loyola Marymount University (LA))

This was a time to celebrate the 5th anniversary of the Black Catholic Messenger and discover more about Black Catholics. We had a wonderful and inspiring presentation by Dr. Kim Harris. We learned about the power of spirituals to inspire hope and faith, and also to help guide escaped slaves to freedom. We learned the importance and value of using music from different cultures in our liturgies to remind us we are a bold, beautiful universal Church. Paulist Father Bart Landry enlightened us on the Gospel call to freedom and that we are all called to help each other be truly free.

Gospel Mass presided by Fr. Bart Landry, CSP

Dr. Kim Harris
(Loyola Marymount University (LA))

“What does it mean to be black and Catholic? It means that I come to my church fully functioning…I bring myself, my black self, all that I am,
all that I have, all that I’m worth,
all I hope to become. I bring my whole history, my traditions, my experience, my culture, my African-American song and dance and gesture and movement and teaching and preaching and healing and responsibility
as a gift to the church.“

– Servant of God Sr. Thea Bowman