Cultural Diversity office to implement Black Catholic Congress Pastoral Plan

Back in 1889, Daniel Rudd organized the first national gathering of lay Catholics, specifically Black Catholics. He gathered 200 delegates to meet with President Grover Cleveland and hear Father Augustus Tolton preach.

Rudd called for the first Black Catholic Congress because he wanted to look at areas of need in the African-American community and discuss the sacred rights of justice and humanity within the Catholic Church. Those meetings still continue and still follow Rudd’s directive.

This past July, close to 3,000 Black Catholics from across the U.S. gathered in Washington, D.C., for Congress XIII. Keynote addresses and workshops centered on the theme of “Write the Vision: A Prophetic Call to Thrive.”

“Underneath that, it was to challenge to live our faith not hidden, but vibrantly and passionately, faithful to the teachings of the Catholic Church, and committed to each other,” explained Sister Roberta Fulton, SSMN, director of the diocesan Office of Cultural Diversity, who brought 10 delegates from the Diocese of Buffalo with her.

Cardinal Wilton Gregory, archbishop of Washington, celebrated Mass at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception.

“He talked about the prophetic call to thrive,” recalled Sister Roberta. “He said, ‘Grow towards your greatness.’ He spoke to us really about what it means to be Black Catholics and to be proud of our gifts that we bring to the Catholic Church. He was very passionate, compassionate about that, that we can’t live in a sense of despair, but we have to live with hope that the Lord has walked with us and continues to walk with us, and that we have to be people who encourage families and encourage the young people. This was further stipulated by Bishop Roy Campbell, president of the National Black Catholic Congress. He put a lot of emphasis on the youth.”

While no young people from Buffalo came, there was a Youth Track for those who did attend from around the country.

Sister Roberta was impressed with the workshops led by well-known speakers, who brought their gifts and talents to the group.

“I just can’t express the joy of what it was to be gathered with that many Black Catholics from around the country. Even though you hear about the Church dying, you had a sense that the Church was thriving. In the plan, that’s what they’re inviting us to do,” she said, adding that the lower numbers of people attending Mass led to a call for evangelization.

Participants were asked to look at areas in their own dioceses that need attention and how to stir people out of complacency to want the parishes in the African-American community to be alive and spirit filled.

The National Black Catholic Congress issued a pastoral plan for each diocese to implement. The plan outlines areas that need attention based on a survey of congress attendees.

“They have what they call ‘rebuild strategies.’ Rather than you go back to your diocese and you create a pastoral plan, you go back to your diocese and you bring together those people who attended congress and you talk about rebuild strategies. What in the Diocese of Buffalo, especially in the African-American community, do we need to rebuild?”

The survey showed that most African Americans have not had an update to their faith since baptism. Due to the Covid pandemic, the Eucharist no longer plays an essential part of people’s lives. “So, we’re going to strengthen that idea of the Eucharist,” Sister Roberta said.

The plan also encouraged taking part in Synod listening groups. “We want to listen again to the African-American community. We want to hear what people are saying are some challenges for them.”

There was also focus on missionary activity and social justice. Many people don’t have the sense that Jesus chose them.

“They think we keep this going because of little groups that do all the work,” Sister Roberta said. “We’re trying to help them to see you are invited to be part of that little group. As followers of Jesus through your baptismal commitment, you’re being called to do that.”

The Cultural Diversity Office will continue offering the annual Revivals to bring back some of the fallen away Catholics. Sister Roberta feels the resurrection of the Knights and Ladies of Peter Claver is a sign of commitment from the black Catholic community.

Future plans include networking with Rochester and other nearby dioceses, as well as with the National Association of Black Catholic Administrators, and offering intergenerational opportunities for youth and adults.