Black Catholic Featured Article ~ { Print Version }
The National Black Catholic Congress
www.nbccongress.org

Tenth National Black Catholic Congress
By Rev. Raymond Lee Harris, Jr.
Welcoming Ceremony Address
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Buffalo Convention Center, Buffalo, New York

God has given us the privilege to gather as the Tenth National Black Catholic Congress. Formed by the convictions of the Gospel, filled with the Holy Spirit, and inspired by the witness of our ancestors, we are deeply grateful for the gift of our Catholic Christian and African heritage. Our contributions to our Church and society enriches the lives of people of every ethnicity.

Within the Church, we strive to be faithful to the teaching of Christ which has been handed down to us through the Apostles. In the Sacrament of Holy Baptism, God the Father has made us His beloved children, followers of our Lord Jesus Christ within the fellowship of the Church.

While the Church that Christ founded is holy, the members of the Church continually need conversion (Catechism of the Catholic Church 825). Catholics of African descent in this nation have offered a prophetic witness. Bearing the mark of catholicity means that the Church must be vigilant in confronting racism and correcting its consequences. Some Black Catholics of my grandparents' generation remember sitting in a segregated area in church (either the back or the balcony) and receiving Holy Communion last. They knew that these practices were not a reflection of the true teachings of the Church. It was the grace of the sacraments that enabled Black Catholics to speak out that change must happen. Thank God that there were others who stood with us, including members of the hierarchy and other pastoral leaders.

The issue of whether it is appropriate for our Faith to influence our approach to public policy has not been a vexing one for us. Our people has experienced the Gospel of Jesus Christ as a liberating path through: preaching and teaching; spirituals and hymns; prayer and fasting; the celebration of the sacraments and our commitment to serve in our communities. Events in our nation since the last Congress - such as the slow governmental response to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina and a popular talk show host using a nationwide platform to attempt to demean the achievements of African American women at Rutgers University - dispel any notion that racism is dead in the United States of America.

Since the first Congress in 1889, the Movement has cooperated with sacramental graces to have a positive impact in our Church, across our nation, and around the world. Now, we are gathering in Buffalo twenty years after the resumption of these Congresses. The sixth Congress met in Washington, D.C. in 1987. Over 1500 people responded to the call of the Lord by saying, "Here I am, send me!" (cf. Isaiah 6:8; This was the theme of Congress VI) They developed a pastoral plan to build on the momentum started by the Black Bishops in their pastoral letter of 1984, What We Have Seen and Heard.

In 1992, the seventh Congress met in New Orleans to approve pastoral and public policy strategies to strengthen the African American family. The eighth Congress met in Baltimore in 1997 to heighten awareness to be witnesses of Christ and His Church always and everywhere. We are ambassadors for Christ, speaking "on behalf of the Lord to heal, to mend, to comfort, to build [and] to restore" (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:20; Congress 8). "What we have seen and heard, we proclaim and celebrate" (Ibid.; This was the theme of Congress VII). There was a great celebration of worship at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington, D.C. when we dedicated Our Mother of Africa Chapel (Ibid.)

Five years ago, the ninth Congress met in Chicago. The first Congress of the twenty-first century reached a consensus to act on eight critical areas of concern. Christ has made His Church to be a sign and an instrument of the coming of the Reign of God (e.g., Catechism of the Catholic Church 765, 774-776, 1118), working in "solidarity in action" to promote what is just and right. Action Plans addressed the issues of: promoting vibrant expressions of spirituality and experiences of parish life; affirming the presence and contributions of youth and young adults in our Church; sustaining Catholic education in our communities; advocating for social justice and eradicating racism; strengthening bonds with Africa; and providing a compassionate response to those who suffer from H.I.V. and/or A.I.D.S.

Building on this work, we continue to provide positive strategies for building the Catholic Church in the Black community. Our founder, Daniel Rudd, was convinced that the Catholic Church had a powerful message to proclaim in our community. Catholicism is compatible with our culture. Africans have been a part of the Catholic Church since its beginnings, shaping her message and advancing her mission (cf. Acts of the Apostles 2:10; Acts of the Apostles 8:26-40; Acts of the Apostles 13:1-3). Nations such as Ethiopia have been among the first Christian nations. Africans can be counted among the early Church fathers and mothers. Catholics of African descent have been canonized as saints, serving as exemplary models of Christian discipleship.

We continue our work on these critical areas of concern by considering the theme, "Christ is With Us: Celebrating the Gifts of the Sacraments." Our God is resolved to set us free from sin and death. We are resolved to learn and live according to His way of freedom. God has come to share in our humanity so that we can have a share in divine life! I submit to you that this is the consensus at the root of our celebration over the next three days.

Reports from Diocesan Days of Reflection note a hunger to deepen our understanding of the sacramental life. We do not want to take these encounters with the living God for granted. Otherwise, we will assess whether we "got something out" of them as if the grace of God is a commodity to analyze. Sacramental celebrations are expressions of the covenant that we have with God. He gives of Himself wholly and unconditionally in love for us. This should elicit a desire within us to offer ourselves wholly and unconditionally to Him. Let us listen once again to the Word of the Lord: [Jesus said,] "'I am the vine and you are the branches'" (John 15:5a). Just as the vine nourishes the branches and provides fruitful growth, so the grace of the sacraments nourish us with divine life, enabling us to enjoy a fruitful life of Christian discipleship.

This Congress invites us to continue to rejoice in the tangible presence of God. The sacraments were established by Christ for our benefit according to His instructions. They are entrusted to the Church (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1131). We are not ashamed to teach everything that Christ has commanded us to do (cf. Matthew 28:20a). Everything the Christ does is an expression of God's enduring love for us.

In the eternal now of God, God is. "[Jesus said,] 'I am the vine. . .'" Because God is, we learn whom God has made us to be and what God has given us the power to do. "[Jesus said,] '. . . and you are the branches.'" So I cannot be ashamed of the gift of my Catholic Christian and African heritage. Congress gives voice to our desire to be "authentically black and truly Catholic" (Black Bishops of the United States of America, What We Have Seen and Heard, 1984). You may not see a lot of Black Catholics in your region, but now the Lord has blessed you to see Black Catholics coming from the north, south, east, and west. There is also a connection with hundreds of millions of Catholics of African descent around the globe - and Catholics of every ethnicity.

This Congress also invites us to respond to the power of God in the sacraments. The sacraments are able to accomplish what they signify because they were established by Christ (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1131). Whether it will bear fruit in our lives depends upon our willingness to cooperate with God (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1134). Jesus said, "'Whoever remains in me and I in him [or her] will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing'" (John 15:5b).

The enemy of our souls wants to distract us from deepening our understanding of the sacramental life. If we can believe that we can grow as disciples without it, then we will be busy about a flurry of activity, but in the end, almost nothing that lasts will be accomplished.

The Official United States Catholic Directory of 2006 noted the disturbing trend of a rise in Catholic population but a decline in the reception of the sacraments, notably Baptism, First Communion, and Marriage ("U.S. Catholic population up, most other church data down," http://www.catholicnews.com/data/briefs/cns/20060630.htm). For such a time as this, let the National Black Catholic Congress be a source of grace in which God will start a nationwide revival of sacramental catechesis and reception among all Catholics in the United States.

This Congress also invites us to respond to the gift of Christ in the sacraments by offering praise to God. Baptism has something to say about developing a proper sense of spirituality. Confirmation reminds us that we have been anointed by the Holy Spirit to offer prophetic witness to advocate for social justice and to sustain Catholic education in our communities and to advocate for social justice. The Eucharist is at the center of parish life. Reconciliation has something to contribute to the process of eradicating racism. Anointing of the Sick teaches us how to provide a compassionate response to people suffering from H.I.V. and/or A.I.D.S., in addition to their families, friends, and caregivers. The Sacraments of Vocation (i.e., Holy Matrimony and Holy Orders) speaks to our youth and young adults. Congress rejoices in the fruitful expressions of the work of the ministry because God is gloried in them.

The work continues. God knows all about us. He knows our strengths and our weaknesses. He knows about those times in which we have been faithful and other times in which we have failed. Yet Christ trusts us to communicate His message. He invites us to trust that He will give us the capacity to do what He commands. God gives us the gift of Himself in lasting friendship. Jesus said, "'By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.'"

Our God is resolved to redeem us from the power of sin and death. As His beloved children, nourished by divine grace in the sacramental life, we are resolved to be redeemed. May all of those who agree with this consensus say with me, "Amen!" and "Thank God!"

Rev. Raymond Lee Harris, Jr., St. Paul College , 3015 Fourth Avenue, N.E., Washington, D.C. 20017. All rights reserved, 2007.