A PROVEN FOUNDATION FOR FRUITFUL MINISTRY
CONGRESS X PLAN OF ACTION
Most Reverend John H. Ricard, S.S.J.
President of the Board of Trustees
(Article: Page 5 of 19)
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 Everything that Christ does is an expression of God's enduring love for humanity, given totally and without reservation. This good news elicits a desire within us to offer ourselves wholly and unconditionally to Him. Sacramental celebrations are expressions of this covenant that we have with God. Here we outline just a few of the ways in which the sacraments are the foundation for our work on the Core Principles:
The Sacrament of Baptism develops a proper sense of
spirituality.
Fundamental to our identity is that we are beloved children of God. This has been an important truth to receive as Blacks endured the deleterious effects of racism in American history. Created in the divine image, we rejoice in the gifts of our culture and offer these gifts back to God in worship and praise.
The Sacrament of Confirmation reminds us that we have been anointed by the Holy Spirit to offer prophetic witness by advocating for
social justice. The witness of Black Catholics extends within the Church and to the wider society. It is local, national, and global. With a special feeling of solidarity, Black Catholics witness to the dignity and human rights of the millions of people in
Africa who are oppressed by civil war, poverty, foreign debt, and disease. The issue of whether faith influences our stance on public policies is not vexing for us, because prophetic witness has been integral to our strategy to survive. We witnessed to the Gospel by building religious, educational, medical, and social service institutions
The Sacrament of the Eucharist is at the center of
parish life. Our parishes are the main places where the People of God gather to remember and celebrate the saving actions of our God. We are not just remembering past events. We are celebrating how they are made present to us now, influencing our perspective on life. The gift of the Body and Blood of Christ is a tangible demonstration of God's unconditional love for us. Our participation in the one eternal sacrifice of Christ reminds us that sin and death do not have the last word in our lives and in our world. The love of God is the reason we: (1) have been created in the divine image; (2) can be healed of the wounds of sin; and (3) can make life-giving choices that can transform society, so that our fervent prayer can be answered in concrete ways: "Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven" (cf. Matthew 6:10). We are proactive in defending the dignity of each human being and we fight against anything that devalues any human life.
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