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written by Kurt Jensen | OSV News

WASHINGTON (OSV News) — One of the unique aspects of Native American families, said Father Maurice Henry Sands, is that not only are extended families quite large, it’s also possible to know everyone’s name.

The soft-spoken Detroit archdiocesan priest has been executive director of the Washington-based Black and Indian Mission Office since 2015. He is a member of the Ojibway, Ottawa and Potawatomi tribes, which are together known as Anishnaabe. He grew up on Walpole Island on the border between Ontario and Michigan.

Vilnius, Lithuania, Dec 13, 2025 / 08:00 am

Caritas Lithuania has launched a new support initiative for individuals struggling with pornography addiction, responding to what staff describe as a marked surge in people seeking help as explicit content becomes increasingly unavoidable online.

The program, offered in Lithuanian, English, and German — both in person and remotely — provides counseling not only for those battling compulsive sexual behaviors but also for spouses and family members affected by them.

By Nate Tinner-Williams | Black Catholic Messenger

The late Fr Clarence Rivers, widely regarded as the father of Black Catholic liturgy, will soon receive a historical marker in his native Cincinnati, according to the local archdiocese’s Black Catholic ministry.

Dcn Royce Winters, head of the Office of African American Pastoral Ministries, announced the news on Dec. 1, roughly a year after first sharing that an application for the marker was accepted by a state historical commission.

By Jay Sorgi | CatholicPhilly.com

Dr. Toni Reaves of the Catholic Church of Philadelphia’s Office for Black Catholics is partnering with the Catholic lay group New Encounters: Catholics Confronting Racism to explore how Advent themes of hope, perseverance and faith parallel the journey of the Black community and all people.

They are hosting “From the Manger to the Movement: Advent and Christmas in the Black Catholic Soul,” a weekly Zoom series every Monday from 7 to 8 p.m. from now through Dec. 22. For more information and the weekly link to participate, click here.

In the face of the shameful prejudice of the Church in America, young Augustus dreams of becoming a Catholic priest. His dream seems hopeless, yet against all odds he perseveres. Finally ordained in Rome, he returns home to serve people of all races as America’s first Black priest.