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(Visit the Congress X section for registration, housing, adult, youth track information and more) The theme of Congress X is, "Christ is with us: Celebrating the Gifts of the Sacraments." Reports from the diocesan days of reflections are conveying a sense of excitement among the People of God about making connections between the sacramental life and our NBCC Core Principles; Africa, Catholic Education, HIV & AIDS, Parish Life, Racism, Social Justice, Spirituality, Youth and Young Adults. The vision for Congress X is to help Black Catholics to articulate how the sacraments and the sacramental life - something that is central to our Faith because they are gifts from Christ - are connected to our contribution to the Church and the world through our Core Principles. The Core Principles which were promulgated at Congress IX, is an expression of our proclamation of the Gospel. The celebration of the sacraments, and our understanding of the Church as a sacrament, is a constitutive part of the proclamation of the Gospel. If we cannot relate these gifts from Christ to our Core Principles, then we are missing a fundamental element of our Catholic Faith, which undergirds our planning and programming. If we do not continue to appreciate the gifts that we have received from Christ, then we are in danger of taking them for granted. With the work before us, articulated by our Core Principles, we cannot afford to do it. The document for the Diocesan Days of Reflection, "Black Catholics: Giving Glory to God in the Highest" points to many ways in which these fruitful connections can be made. The sacraments are instituted by Christ and entrusted to His Church. Christ has "'all power in heaven and on earth'" (cf. Matthew 28:18). Christ is the one who proclaims a healing, liberating, and saving word (cf. Luke 4:16-21). Christ is acting in these sacramental celebrations. Without Christ we can do nothing (cf. John 15:4-5)! By the power of Christ working through the Church, given to us tangibly in the sacramental life, we can do more than we can imagine (cf. Ephesians 4:20-21)! No wonder there is excitement across the country for this theme. We hope that participants will leave the Congress with a renewed appreciation of the sacramental life, and foster this goal among their brothers and sisters. This will enable our parishes, diocesan groups, or organizations to make connections appropriate to their local implementation of the Core Principles. Our ability to make these connections will help us to (1) build up our parishes and institutions by continuing to promote coherent understanding of liturgy and life; (2) retain and reclaim parishioners; and (3) strengthen our evangelization efforts of which social justice is an integral part. John 15:4-5 Remain in me, as I remain in you. Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own unless it remains on the vine, so neither can you unless you remain in me. I am the vine and you are the branches. Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit, because without me you can do nothing. The National Black Catholic Congress X Planning Committee
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