|
Other programs conducted through the Lwanga Center
include: Youth Ministry, providing Confirmation preparation instruction,
Kujenga- an annual life changing conference for teens that develops
leadership, builds self-esteem, and creates a sense of community, T3- Talk
Totally for Teens (a weekly Catholic teen radio show),
Pre-Cana Marriage Preparation, offering workshops that fulfill the St. Louis
Archdiocesan requirement for a Christian marriage; and Grief and Loss
Ministry and Training, providing intensive training for individuals and
parishes wishing to begin a Grief and Loss Ministry, or for those who want
to enhance an already existing ministry. This Ministry also includes
bi-monthly parish support meetings. Other services include weekly Bible
study and parish leadership development.
The existence and vision of the St. Charles
Lwanga Center is rooted in the conviction that the fruits of the spiritual
foundation of African- American Catholics are dependent upon spiritual
empowerment and self-proclamation of culture and heritage, in order for
continual spiritual formation and renewal to take place. Lay and religious
collaborators, black and white, share the joy and suffering of this urban
apostolate. Racial and multicultural richness, a guiding principle,
characterizes the Lwanga Center as a visible model and a sign of mutual
effort to create self-appreciation and self-celebration in the
African-American context.
During a recent visit to our Center, Fr. George
Clements, renowned founder of One-Church, One Child, stated he "was deeply
impressed by the past achievements of Lwanga Center and its present
endeavors. Search around the nation, and you will find no institution
promoting Black Catholicism comparable to the Center".
I have been the Executive Director of the Center
for the past four years. I feel very blessed to have the opportunity to
serve our sponsoring parishes and affiliates in helping to build up the Body
of Christ. Information can be accessed on the Web via
www.archstl.org/offices/charles_lwanga.html. Our telephone number in St.
Louis is (314) 367-7929.
Return to start of article
|
|
