Calendar of Events
The loss of formality in society causes us to lose our understanding of the importance of formality in human experience.
Read more...
Update on Black Catholic Saints-to-be
FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY OF STEUBENVILLE
RECRUITMENT ANNOUNCEMENT | JOB OPENING
Signs and Symbols in the Mass
FR. AUGUSTINE TRAN
Servant of God, Fr. Augustus Tolton
Augustus was born to two slaves, Peter Paul Tolton and his wife Martha Jane, on April 1, 1854. With the outbreak of the War between the States, Peter Paul hoped to gain freedom for his family and escaped to the North where he served in the Union Army, and was one of the 180,000 blacks who were killed in the war. His widow decided that she would see her husband’s quest for freedom realized in his children. After managing a crossing of the Mississippi River she made her way to Illinois and settled in the small town of Quincy. Read more...
Black Catholic News
Servant of God Julia Greeley
Denver's Angel of Charity was born into slavery, at Hannibal, Missouri, between 1833 and 1848. As a young child, Julia's right eye was destroyed by a cruel slavemaster's whip.
Freed by the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, Julia subsequently earned her keep by serving white families in Missouri, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico—though mostly in the Denver area. Whatever she could spare, Julia spent assisting poor families in her neighborhood. When her resources were inadequate, she begged for food, fuel and clothing for the needy. Read more...
Many of the resources listed here are for the Baltimore area. For resources in your area, contact the Respect Life office in your diocese.
Prayer and education on life before birth:
Spiritual Adoption
Partner Ministries
Help for homeless pregnant women:
Gabriel Network
1-800-ANGEL-OK
office@gabrielnetwork.org
Help for pregnancy help:
OptionLine
1-800-712-4357
Text HELPLINE to 313131
The National Black Catholic Congress | 320 Cathedral St. Baltimore, MD 21201 | 410-547-8496
© 2018 The National Black Catholic Congress, All Rights Reserved
Month of the Holy Rosary
The month of October is dedicated to the Holy Rosary. According to an account by fifteenth-century Dominican, Alan de la Roch, Mary appeared to St. Dominic in 1206 after he had been praying and doing severe penances because of his lack of success in combating the Albigensian heresy. Mary praised him for his valiant fight against the heretics and then gave him the Rosary as a mighty weapon, explained its uses and efficacy, and told him to preach it to others.
"Since the prayers of the Rosary come from such excellent sources — from Our Lord Himself, from inspired Scripture, and from the Church — it is not surprising that the Rosary is so dear to our Blessed Mother and so powerful with heaven." Read more...
Use of NBCC Copyrighted Material
When using NBCC photos, videos, or staff-written articles, you acknowledge and agree that the NBCC is not responsible for any action taken or activity that occurs as a result of the information provided on this website. All proprietary items of the NBCC are subject to copyright, and may be used solely in a not-for-profit manner, and attribution must be made to the NBCC by including the following disclaimer: Used with permission of the NBCC ©NBCC 2018.
Content Available through the website is provided as-is: You acknowledge that the NBCC does not make any representations or warranties about the material, data, and information, such as data files, text, computer software, code, music, audio files or other sounds, photographs, videos, or other images (collectively, the “Content”) which you may have access to. Under no circumstances is the NBCC liable in any way for any Content, including, but not limited to: any infringing Content, any errors or omissions in Content, or for any loss or damage of any kind incurred as a result of the use of any Content posted, transmitted, linked from, or otherwise accessible through or made available via the website. You agree that you are solely responsible for your reuse of Content made available through the website, including providing proper attribution.
The ideal Executive Director must be committed to and have an understand-
ing of the mission of Catholic Higher Education, hold an MA in education,
value the importance of the liberal arts, appreciate the centrality of faith in the formation of young people, and have a commitment to social justice and the growth and development of the students the Foundation is dedicated to serving. Ideally, the Executive Director will be a practicing Catholic.
The Executive Director has day-to-day responsibility for leading and overseeing the four core components that are equally fundamental to the work of the Foundation
Help for families experiencing adverse prenatal diagnosis:
Isaiah’s Promise
info@isaiahspromise.net
Natural Family Planning:
Office of Marriage and Family Life
410-547-5420
Infertility:
Office of Marriage and Family Life
410-547-5420
Intimate Partner Violence:
OCTOBER IS NATIONAL BREAST CANCER AWARENESS MONTH
"About 1 in 8 U.S. women (about 12.4%) will develop invasive breast cancer over the course of her lifetime." This comes from BreastCancer. org, an organization that publishes breast cancer statistics relating to the United States. They further state: "In women under 45, breast cancer is more common in African-American women than white women. Overall, African-American women are more likely to die of breast cancer..."
The National Breast Cancer Foundation has a free resource available. Titled, "Know the Symptoms", this guide details the symptoms of breast cancer in an effort to increase early detection in all women. To learn more about breast cancer, the symptoms and treatments, go to: https://www.nationalbreastcancer.org/breast-cancer-awareness-month.
Holy Angels Catholic Church in Bronzeville, 1973
(Wikimedia Commons)
Date: August 23, 2018
Position Available: Coordinator, Testing and Tutoring Services
Position Reports to: Director, Student Academic Support Services
Department: Student Academic Support Services
FLSA Status: Exempt
Schedule: Full-time; Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Please apply online: Franciscan University Staff Positions
POSITION SUMMARY
This position assists the Director of Student Academic Support Services (SASS) in all phases of department programming both on-ground and online, including testing services, tutoring, academic skills, peer mentoring, and disability services. Read more...
Date: August 3, 2018
Position Available: Head Baseball Coach/Athletic Fields Manager
Position Reports to: Athletic Director
Department: Athletics
FLSA Status: Exempt
Schedule: Full-time, Variable Hours: Primarily evening and weekend hours during the academic year
Please apply online: Franciscan University Staff Positions
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Head Baseball Coach/Athletic Fields Manager will oversee the intercollegiate baseball program Read more...
RACIAL TARGETING REPORT
In the summer of 2009, Life Dynamics released the documentary film, Maafa 21. Its basic contention is that terms like “population control” and “family planning” are code words for a genocidal effort aimed at minorities – primarily African-Americans.
Among the many revelations documented in this film is that, as far back as the mid 1900s, some wellknown eugenicists were arguing that the most effective way they could advance their agenda would be to concentrate population control facilities within the targeted communities. Perhaps the most noted proponent of this concept was Gunnar Myrdal who discussed it in his 1944 book, An American Dilemma: The Negro Problem and Modern Democracy. Visit webpage.
Overview: The Thea Bowman Foundation (“Foundation”) is seeking an experienced and proven leader as its Executive Director. The Executive Director is responsible for leading and managing the organization’s operational, fiscal, administrative, programmatic and strategic functions in compliance with the foundation’s mission, goals, and objectives.
The Executive Director reports to the Board of Directors.
Position Summary – Executive Director
The board of the Foundation is seeking a dynamic leader to work collaboratively with the board, existing staff, students, partner institutions of higher education, donors, and other constituents in building the next phase of the organization’s history.
Respect Life Pastoral Care
Thu Oct 18th 9:00am - Sun 21st 9:00am
15th National Black Catholic Men's Conference
The Westin Richmond, 6631 W Broad St, Richmond, VA 23230
Know Yourself to Share Yourself - The 15th Annual National Black Catholic Men’s Conference provides a forum for African American males and youth to discern the critical issues and challenges facing them in the community. It also provides an environment of mentorship and support for those seeking a vocation in priesthood, brotherhood and the diaconate.
Cost: $150.00, College Students: $75, Youth ages 10-17 $65 (waiver form must be completed by parent or guardian)
Make your reservations at The Westin Richmond, 6631 W. Broad St., 888-627-7786 (ask for National Black Catholic Men’s Conference Rate) $139 (single/double). Cut-off date, 9/27/18Contact: Fr. Chester Smith, S.V.D., 317-688-7111
Washington Supreme
Court Strikes Down
Death Penalty, Citing
Racial Bias
EJI.org News | October 11, 2018
The Washington Supreme Court
today unanimously declared the state's
death penalty unconstitutional
"because it is imposed in an arbitrary
and racially biased manner."
In State v. Gregory, the court evaluated newly available evidence of racial discrimination in the imposition of capital punishment in Washington, including an exhaustive expert statistical study that showed that black defendants were four and a half times more likely to be sentenced to death than similarly situated white defendants.
In addition to the study, the court relied on our history of racial discrimination, its own observations of implicit and overt racial bias against black defendants, and examples in the case law of prosecutors using peremptory challenges to exclude all black people from jury service, using inflammatory, racially charged images to highlight the defendant's blackness, and heckling a black defense attorney in a capital trial.
These factors "provide ample support" for the conclusion that race has a meaningful impact on the imposition of the death penalty, it wrote.
The court reasoned that arbitrary and race based imposition of the death penalty cannot withstand the "'evolving standards of decency that mark the progress of a maturing society.'" Indeed, "[w]hen the death penalty is imposed in an arbitrary and racially biased manner, society's standards of decency are even more offended." Read more...
Bishop Curtis J. Guillory
For The Good
Servant of God, Mother Mary Lange
UPDATE: A new external coordinator was appointed for the Cause of Servant of God Mary Lange. He is Dr. Emanuele Spedicato, tasked with writing the Positio to be presented to the Congregation for the Cause for Saints in order for her to progress to the next step of being named a Venerable Servant of God.
Bio: Elizabeth Lange was born in around 1794 in Santiago de Cuba, where she lived in a primarily French speaking community. Read more...
society is becoming more informal, as some people like to call it (I prefer the term sloppy, myself, but that is just my opinion).
Minorities within Minorities
‘One in Christ: Chicago Catholics
and the Quest for Interracial Justice’
By Margaret O'Brien Steinfels
October 3, 2018
Bishops emphasize abuse crisis, but point to wider range of issues
Crux Staff | Oct 9, 2018
Read article...
Pope Francis sits among bishops and cardinals during a meeting with youths attending the Synod in the Paul VI hall, at the Vatican, Saturday, Oct. 6, 2018. (Credit: AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia.)
Ascension is hiring!
We are a company built around the call to help people enrich their lives through the fullness of the Catholic Faith. We’re passionate, mission-driven professionals and we’re looking for talented people to join our team.
Our four current openings:
General Manager / Marketing Manager / Product Manager / Accounts Payable Clerk
Dedicated to improving the lives of Black Catholics across the United States
When I Hear Pro-Life…
By: Natasha P. Wilson, Ph.D.
Coordinator of Education and Outreach
Office of Respect Life Ministry
Archdiocese of Baltimore
When I hear pro-life, I think: What does it mean to be pro-life?
I’ve never heard of it.
When I hear pro-life, I think: Pro-birth.
When I hear pro-life, I think: Anti-woman.
When I hear pro-life, I think: That’s not me because
I had an abortion.
When I hear pro-life, I think: Pro-Republican.
When I hear pro-life, I think: ‘You only care about the baby
before they are born, not after they are born’.
When I hear pro-life, I think: I am involved in pro-life ministry:
I feed the poor, I work for an end to violence in the city, I take care of my family, I take care of the elderly, I mentor children, etc.
When I hear pro-life, I think: No one has ever invited me to get involved in pro-life ministry.
When you hear the term pro-life, what do you think? In this article, I hope to address, as succinctly as possible, these thoughts about what it means to be pro-life. Read article...
OUR OPINION: We must recognize contributions of African-Americans
September 29, 2018
A host of black religious organizations are championing the sainthood of five candidates of color. Read more...
Whenever you begin to pray, say "I unite my prayers to all the prayers being prayed around the world in this present moment."
O Good Shepherd, You never cease to seek out the lost, to call home the stray, comfort the frightened, and to bind the wounded. I ask you to bring all our fallen away brothers and sisters back to the practice of the Faith, and to remove all obstacles that prevent them from receiving your abundant mercy, which flows sacramentally through the heart of the Church. Make Your Power known to them today in every situation.
Through the intercession of Mary, Mother of God, their Guardian Angels, their Patron Saints and the every-prayerful St. Monica, may you pardon their sins and unshackle them from whatever hinders their freedom to come Home. For You O Good Shepherd, have loved us to the end, offered yourself to the Father for the salvation of all. Amen.
Prayers for the return of a non-practicing Catholic also should be accompanied by safrificial and private acts of fasting, and almsgiving in their name.
Prayer for the Return of Non-practicing Catholics
Black Catholic students express admiration for saintly forbears
By Lou Baldwin • Posted October 9, 2018
The Archdiocesan Office for Black Catholics has announced three winners for its 2019 World Youth Day Essay competition, which was open to active Catholic students who are members of archdiocesan parishes and attending high schools, colleges or universities. Read more...
Venerable Henriette Delille
Born in 1812 in New Orleans, Louisiana, Delille was a free woman of color. At 24 years of age, she experienced a religious conversion, and proclaimed: "I believe in God. I hope in God. I love. I want to live and die for God."
In 1836, Henriette drew up the rules and regulations for devout Christian women, which eventually became the Society of the Holy Family, responding to the need for treatment of the enslaved, elderly and sick, and care and education for the poor. Read more...
OCTOBER 10, 2018
Diocese of
Beaumont
Pray today for less division and more dialogue
Join our mailing list:
January 2019
Sat Jan 26th, 2019
Anniversary of the Death of Mother Mary Lange
Save the date! The Mother Lange Guild invites you to attend the 137th anniversary of the birth into eternal life of Servant of God Mother Mary Lange.
Oblate Sisters of Providence, 701 Gun Road, Baltimore, MD 21227
Trending Catholic News
NBCC WEBINAR REGISTRATION OPEN: The Human Life Issues and the Challenges to the Dignity of the Human Person
Executive Director, Sister Thea Bowman Black Catholic Educational Foundation
Congress 12 Pastoral Plan of Action
is Available for Download
Click image below:
Date: July 23, 2018
Position Available: Custodial Coordinator
Position Reports to: Manager of Custodial & Safety Services
Department: Physical Plant Services
FLSA Status: Non-exempt
Schedule: Monday-Thursday 1:30 PM – 10:00 PM;
Friday 9:30 AM – 6:00 PM, 40 hours/week
Please apply online: Franciscan University Staff Positions
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Custodial Coordinator is responsible for custodial services in educational and office buildings on campus. Read more...
Date: July 23, 2018
Position Available: Grounds Arborist
Position Reports to: Manager of Grounds
Department: Grounds/Physical Plant Services
FLSA Status: Non-exempt
Schedule: Monday-Friday, 40 hours/week
Please apply online: Franciscan University Staff Positions
POSITION SUMMARY:
The Grounds Arborist maintains the health and safety of the trees on campus. Read more...
"Just Mercy" Movie Films in Montgomery
August 30, 2018
Actor Michael B. Jordan (right) with EJI Director Bryan Stevenson
The film based on EJI Director Bryan Stevenson's best-selling book, Just Mercy, filmed in Montgomery early this week.
Just Mercy presents the story of EJI, the people we represent, and the importance of confronting injustice. It tells the story of Walter McMillian, a black man who was convicted and sentenced to death for the murder of a young white woman who worked as a clerk in a dry clearing store in Monroeville, Alabama, after a trial that lasted only a day and a half. Three witnesses testified against Mr. McMillian and the jury ignored multiple alibi witnesses, who were black, who testified that he was at a church fish fry at the time of the crime. The trial judge overrode the jury’s sentencing verdict for life and sentenced Mr. McMillian to death. Read more...
Come join us as we celebrate the 40th Anniversary of Ignatius Press!
DATE AND TIME: Fri, Nov 2, 2018, 6:00 PM –
Sat, Nov 3, 2018, 5:00 PM PDT
LOCATION: Cathedral Of Saint Mary
Of The Assumption, 1111 Gough St.,
San Francisco, CA 94109
Along with Ignatius Press founder Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J., and the women and men of Ignatius Press, you’ll be joining Cardinal Francis Arinze, Peter Kreeft, Fr. Robert Spitzer, S.J., Steve Ray, Michael D. O'Brien, and Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone.
We will begin with a dinner and talks on Friday, November 2nd, followed by Mass and a day of speakers on Saturday, November 3rd. We hope you can join us for both!
Venerable Pierre Toussaint
Pierre was born in Haiti and brought to New York City as a slave, where he died a free man.
Bérard, the plantation owner and Pierre's master, allowed Pierre's grandmother to teach her grandson how to read and write. In his early 20s, Pierre, his younger sister, his aunt, and two other house slaves accompanied their master’s son to New York City because of political unrest at home. Apprenticed to a local hairdresser, Pierre learned the trade quickly and eventually worked in the homes of rich women in New York City. Read more...
OCTOBER IS RESPECT LIFE MONTH
HEALTH ALERT:
It’s National Domestic Violence Awareness Month!
Don’t stay silent. It’s time to speak up all month long.
October is National Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which first began in 1981 by the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence as a Day of Unity to connect battered women’s advocates across the country. Read more...
To learn more about these openings, click here.
Feel free to pass this email on to anyone who might be interested!
Pastoral Plan of Action
Help is Here!
A new Pastoral Plan User's Guide is now available, with step-by-step instructions on forming a committee, identifying the needs in your community, and constructing and implementing a strategic plan.
We welcome you to submit your upcoming events!
We would love to include your parish activities, upcoming organizational conferences, or arch/diocesan events. Please email your information to: nbcc@nbccongress.org and feel free to attach a pdf of your flier, advertisement, or logo for us to include.
Dementia and Alzheimer's: What Are the Differences?
Dementia vs. Alzheimer’s
Dementia and Alzheimer’s disease aren’t the same. Dementia is an overall term used
to describe symptoms that impact memory, performance of daily activities, and
communication abilities. Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia.
Alzheimer’s disease gets worse with time and affects memory, language, and thought.
While younger people can develop dementia or Alzheimer’s disease, your risk
increases as you age. Still, neither is considered a normal part of aging.
Although symptoms of the two conditions may overlap, distinguishing them is
important for management and treatment. Read more...
Remembering the dress your wife wore on your first date or your husband’s favorite meal are small things that truly touch the heart when they are remembered.
It is in the little things (things that may seem unimportant) that we show our unity and find the richest symbolism. It is in the little things of the Mass that we see our unity as Catholics and the richest symbols of the liturgy.
When non-Catholic Christians choose to join the Catholic Church, one factor that they often say attracted them to Catholicism is the beauty of our liturgies, the ritual beauty of our Mass. Yet, many of these converts also wonder why our liturgies are so structured. I find that many Catholics often wonder this, also, and I think that we are unfamiliar or uncomfortable with it because, as a society, we are moving away from formalities. Our
Employment Opportunities
Direct Services through Respect Life Office
Post-Abortion Healing:
410-625-8491
projectrachel@archbalt.org
Ministry to Families Who Have Lost Children Through Miscarriage:
Holy Innocents
410-547-3142
holyinnocents@archbalt.org
Pastoral Care Education through Respect Life Office
Catholic vision for compassionate care at
end of life:
In Joyful Hope
16th World Day Against the Death Penalty a Call to Action for Catholics
On Wednesday, October 10th, Catholic Mobilizing Network (CMN), the national Catholic organization working to end the death penalty and promote restorative justice, joins the international community in its 16th annual observance of World Day Against the Death Penalty.
“This year’s World Day Against the Death Penalty (WDADP) is a call to action for Catholics and
all people of goodwill, especially as it falls in October, the Church’s Respect Life Month,” said
Krisanne Vaillancourt Murphy, Executive Director of CMN. “As a global Church, we must proclaim what much of the world already knows to be true: that the death penalty is ineffective, inhumane, and an attack on the culture of life which we are called to protect.”
Standing in harsh juxtaposition to this year’s WDADP is the scheduled execution of Edmund
Zagorski on Thursday, October 11th in Tennessee. The state intends to execute Mr. Zagorski despite receiving a signed declaration from his former jurors and prison staff supporting his clemency, as well as a wave of criticism following its problematic execution of Billy Ray Irick in August.
“Catholics oppose the death penalty at a higher rate than the general public and are well-represented in public and judicial offices,” said Vaillancourt Murphy. “With a planned execution in Tennessee this week and eight more scheduled before the year’s end, we have an extraordinary responsibility — both as believers and as citizens — to be unconditionally pro-life and to work from these positions of influence for an end to capital punishment.”
More information about Catholic Mobilizing Network can be found at catholicsmobilizing.org.
To oppose Tennessee’s execution of Edmund Zagorski, click here.