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The Office of African Ancestry is able to spread the Gospel, celebrate
the Sacraments and form a faith community. The ministry is concerned with nurturing those in the Faith and
reconciling those fallen away from the faith and offering a church home to the unchurched through the conversion
to the Catholic Faith.
The Office of African American Ministry was established in 1979 with a
commission in which we serve the community of Eastern North Carolina the Diocese of Raleigh which include
the areas of Burlington NC to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The shepherd for the Diocese of Raleigh
is Most Rev. Michael F. Burbidge and the Vicar for African Ancestry Ministry & Evangelization Msgr.
Thomas P. Hadden.
The office name was changed in November 2002 to African Ancestry Ministry &
Evangelization due to the increase of African and Caribbean Catholics, and to make the office more inclusive
of the people in which it was established to serve. African Ancestry Ministry & Evangelization has a
full-time director and a commission team of leaders in which programs for Catholics of African descents are
held and supported. In the Diocese of Raleigh we offer to our brothers and sisters from Africa monthly masses
for attendance, in which the music and readings are spoken in the various native languages.
In the Diocese of Raleigh we have African Ancestry Ministry Chapters in the
parishes of eastern North Carolina. We currently have a strong young adult leadership team in which they are
currently working with parish councils and serving in various ministries in the Diocese of Raleigh. The young
adult leaders are also responsible for our youth outreach program called Ambassador of the Word in which they
minister to youth from the ages of 8-18.
The Office of African Ancestry has a program for every age group in our ministry.
We have an elder group which every year they are given the opportunity to visit catholic sites and have retreats.
This group is generally from 55 years of age and older. We have established a middle age group and we have a
young adult group which we minister to the ages of 19-35 in which we have a yearly retreat and gatherings. We
have our youth program which is Ambassador of the word. The Office of African Ancestry for the past 3 years
have offered a North Carolina Black Catholic Conference for everyone of African descent focusing on the 8
Principles of the National Black Catholic Congress.
The Office of African Ancestry Ministry & Evangelization is making sure that good
leadership is developed. We work closely with the Office of Catechesis and the Office of Lay Ministry by being
collaborative. The Office of African Ancestry is able to spread the Gospel, celebrate the Sacraments and form a
faith community. The ministry is concerned with nurturing those in the Faith and reconciling those fallen away
from the faith and offering a church home to the unchurched through the conversion to the Catholic Faith.
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