The life of a diocesan priest is demanding. But for Father Robert Boxie III, the past year has been especially taxing. With many Catholics compelled to learn more about the Church’s teaching on racism and its application in the aftermath of George Floyd’s May 2020 killing, Father Boxie has become a sought-after speaker on the topic. The African American priest has presented not only to groups and parishes in the Archdiocese of Washington, where he serves as chaplain at Howard University, but across the country. “I’m happy to do it, but it gets exhausting,” said Father Boxie. Read More

“In hiring a director of Black student initiatives, we are addressing a need that came directly from engagement with our student body, which makes the possible impact this role can play on campus so exciting,” Welburn said in a statement. “I’m thrilled to welcome Samira back to Marquette and to see what she will be able to accomplish in our office. As an alumna, she is familiar with the Black student experience at Marquette and will be able to connect deeply with our students in fostering an inclusive environment in line with the university’s Catholic, Jesuit mission.” Read More

"I was kicked out of seminary for being too Black. But God wouldn’t let me go... I stopped going to daily Mass, where I was normally a regular. I wondered if I could even be Catholic anymore, much less continue pursuing the priesthood somewhere else. I felt hurt and alone. After I worked through some of my anger and sadness in reflection and prayer, though, I realized something important: I was not going to allow other people’s hatred to control my life." Read More

many Black Catholics have urged leaders of their church to be more forceful in combating racism. Some have asked the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops to consider reparations and promote the teaching of Black Catholic history in Catholic schools. “We still don’t have the church taking a necessary stand against systemic racism,” Tia Noelle Pratt, a sociologist who has studied racism in the U.S. Catholic church and an adviser on Pew’s survey, told The Associated Press via email. “This means acknowledging the white supremacy that exists in the church and ways white church leaders and white members of the faithful benefit from it.” The Rev. Mario Powell, a Black priest who heads a Jesuit middle school in Brooklyn, said Catholic clergy need to preach more often against racism and speak out against some of their colleagues “who brazenly post white nationalist ideology online.” Read More

Gloria Purvis has been interviewed on a lot of podcasts, but she has never hosted a podcast herself. Until now. Purvis, whose weekday radio show “Morning Glory” was abruptly canceled without notice by EWTN last December, is launching a new podcast in May via America Media, the Jesuit communications ministry that includes America magazine. New installments of “The Gloria Purvis Podcast” will be posted weekly, although neither Purvis nor America Media had a launch date set at the time of the May 11 announcement. The podcast will be available via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Amazon Music and other podcast apps. Read More

The American Catholic bishops are frequently criticized by the left and the right for what they say in the political arena. Conservatives want them to speak out more on abortion and gender issues and less about immigration and the poor. Progressives, on the other hand, want them to do exactly the opposite. But it’s what the bishops haven’t said, particularly on racial justice, that has kept them from being a more prophetic voice in American life. Few if any bishops, for example, have participated in the Black Lives Matter movement or said anything about voter suppression laws. African Methodist Episcopal clergy, on the other hand, have rallied and threatened boycotts over voter suppression bills in state legislatures across the country. The U.S. Conference of Catholics Bishops has said nothing. Read More

The ongoing national discussion about systemic racism holds both challenges and opportunities for people of faith of all racial backgrounds, according to a Washington archdiocesan priest and a Georgetown University law professor, who are both African Americans, and both working to help people understand the issues. Father Patrick Smith, pastor of St. Augustine Parish in Washington, and Anthony Cook, professor of law at the Georgetown University Law Center, each pointed to the need to understand unvarnished history as the starting point for people of faith to begin to help root out and move beyond systemic racism. Read More

As Fr. Andrew McNair was introduced as the Diocese of Phoenix’s new chaplain to the African American community, a sense of excitement rippled through St. Pius X Church. Later, one of the speakers addressed the crowd gathered on April 18. “Hallelujah, hallelujah, hallelujah,” exclaimed Andrea Weeks Hardin, a member of the diocese’s Black Catholic Ministry since 1994 and part of its Racial Healing and Reconciliation Commission established last year by Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted. Turning to Fr. McNair, she expressed hope that this is only the beginning. “I want you to know you have many witnesses here who saw you sign those papers,” she said to scattered laughter. “We have a lot of work for you to do. You have a whole congregation of people behind you. We know we will move forward finally in the right direction. Read More