What's Happening

March 22, 2022, Baltimore, Maryland – As the United States and the world come to grips with the evil of racism, Black Catholics in the United States have been involved in a letter-writing campaign to correct a blatant form of racial discrimination in the Catholic Church. No Black Catholics from the United States have been canonized as saints.
 
A CNN video describes the activism of Ralph E. Moore Jr., a lay man who grew up in an African-American Catholic parish in Baltimore in which all of the priests were white, and no Black images were included in the church. Moore organized the letter-writing campaign to canonize six African Americans. Some 1,500 letters were sent to Pope Francis in December 2021.
 
The six U.S. Black Catholics recommended for canonization are: Servant of God Mother Mary Lange (1794-1882), founder of the Oblate Sisters of Providence, Baltimore, Maryland; Venerable Pierre Toussaint (1766-1863), a philanthropist who, in spite of raising funds for St. Patrick Cathedral in New York, was not allowed to attend the dedication because of his race; Venerable Sister Henriette DeLille (1812-1862), founder of the Sisters of the Holy Family, New Orleans; Servant of God Julia Greeley (c. 1833-1918), of Denver, a philanthropist with special concern for the poor; Venerable Father Augustus Tolton (1854-1897), of Chicago, the first recognized African American priest in the United States; and Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman (1937-1990), of Jackson, Mississippi, an educator, evangelist, and social justice activist who spoke out against racism in the Catholic Church.  
 
In the Catholic process of canonization, a Servant of God is one whose cause for canonization has begun. Once a person is recognized by the pope as having lived a life of “heroic virtue,” he or she is named Venerable. The next step, Beatification, requires an arduous investigation into the candidate’s life and writings and one authenticated miracle resulting from prayer to the candidate. Full canonization requires two miracles. 
 
More information on the six candidates for sainthood – as well as on other prominent Black Catholics – can be found on the Black Catholic Project Equity and Inclusion page of the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ website. The page is organized by the Toward Communion: Undoing Racism, Embracing Diversity Committee formed in response to the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ 2016 Enactment on Racism and Diversity.
 

Feature photo: Depicted on a bookmark are African American candidates for sainthood, from left, Father Augustus Tolton, Sister Henriette DeLille, Julia Greeley, Pierre Toussaint, Mother Mary Lange, and Sister Thea Bowman.

March 18, 2022, Adrian, Michigan – Do you long for time to reflect on the events of Holy Week, leading up to the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus? “The Path Not Taken: Holy Week Retreat” offers you that time as Father Jude Siciliano, OP, and Sister Patricia Bruno, OP, walk participants through listening, reflection, and sacred sharing.
 
The Holy Week Retreat is offered from 6:30 p.m. Sunday, April 10, 2022, through 11:30 a.m. Thursday, April 14, 2022, at Weber Retreat and Conference Center.

Father Jude Siciliano, OP, and Sister Patricia Bruno, OP

Father Jude, a member of the Southern Province of Dominican Friars, preaches parish retreats and offers preaching workshops to both lay and ordained preachers. Sister Patricia, a Dominican Sister of San Rafael, California, is the Promoter of Preaching for Dominicans in the Western Region of the United States. 
 
The cost – including meals and snacks – is $130 for commuters, $325 per person double occupancy, and $425 single occupancy. Scholarships are available. All guests will be screened for COVID-19 and required to wear masks when not eating. Overnight guests must provide proof of vaccination.
 
Registration is required and is available at www.webercenter.org; click on “programs.” Registrations may also be made by calling 517-266-4000 or emailing webercenter@adriandominicans.org. 
 
Weber Center is located on the campus of the Adrian Dominican Sisters’ Motherhouse, Adrian. For information, call the Weber Center at 517-266-4000.