(OSV News) — A historically Black Catholic fraternal organization is growing — and its members are drawing strength from the Eucharist to live out the Gospel message, said its top leader. The Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary holds its annual senior national conclave and convention July 19-24 in Oklahoma City, a gathering that will unite members, young and old, to discern the coming year’s charitable and spiritual initiatives for the organization. Founded in 1909 by four priests of the St. Joseph’s Society of the Sacred Heart, the Knights and Ladies Auxiliary work to further the legacy of St. Peter Claver, who ministered to enslaved people from Africa in Cartagena, Colombia, during the 17th century. The Jesuit priest routinely met docking ships to provide food, medical aid and spiritual instruction to them, ultimately baptizing an estimated 300,000 over four decades. Through their charitable arm, the St. Peter Claver Foundation, the Knights and Ladies Auxiliary award thousands of dollars in donations to Catholic seminaries and outreaches, and in scholarships to students. Read More

Father Norman Fischer, a Catholic priest who ministered to hundreds of Lexingtonians from St. Peter Claver Church and as chaplain at Lexington Catholic High School, died on July 14 while traveling out of state. Parishioners and friends said they were in a state of shock partly because he was so young. He would have turned 51 on Aug. 20. Read More

60 MINUTES OVERTIME The inspiration for New Orleans' St. Mary's Academy 60-minutes-overtime By Will Croxton May 5, 2024 / 7:00 PM EDT / CBS News This week, 60 Minutes reported on St. Mary's Academy, a Catholic school for young Black women in New Orleans, Louisiana. Correspondent Bill Whitaker met two former students, Calcea Johnson and Ne'Kiya Jackson, who made math history when they both independently proved the 2,000-year-old Pythagorean Theorem using trigonometry, an achievement that was once thought to be impossible. Whitaker asked St. Mary's Academy principal Pamela Rogers if she was shocked when she learned what the girls had achieved. "We were not shocked…our students can do anything. And that's what we tell them. You know, 'The sky is the limit, and we want to be up there with you,'" she told 60 Minutes. Read More

NEW YORK – With more than two decades of youth ministry experience, Dr. Ansel Augustine considers his new role with the U.S. Bishops’ Conference Subcommittee on African American Affairs one of bridge-building – not just between clergy and laity, but between older and younger generations of Catholics. “What we see in our communities, Black and otherwise, is the generation gap, and sometimes I feel like the younger generation with all of this motivation and energy and they want to make change don’t realize the work that has been done up to this point, and that’s because sometimes the connection isn’t there for the wisdom to be passed down and shared,” Augustine said. Read More

JAMAICA ESTATES — Heritage and faith were celebrated in unison on Sunday, Feb. 25, as the Diocese of Brooklyn recognized its diversity during the Mass of Thanksgiving for Black History Month. Energized Catholics of all cultures filled the pews of Immaculate Conception Church for the service, organized by the Vicariate Office of Black Catholic Concerns. “I’m always here for a good Mass, for good music, for a good homily, and I like to sing, so it was awesome,” said Trinidadian native Gail Edwards. With the diversity of the diocese, Bishop Brennan recognizes it is “not all that easy” for all people to feel heard and recognized, but that listening to those of all races is crucial to the Church. As the people of Brooklyn and Queens reflect on the past during Black History Month, he reminds them that “we also are writing the history now.” Read More

Over its nearly 100-year history, Xavier University of Louisiana has long ranked as one of the top universities in the nation for graduating pharmacists, doctors, federal judges, lawyers, university professors, and even United States Congress members. One of the university’s most well-known leaders responsible for paving the way for those graduates and being a pioneer in higher education – Dr. Norman C. Francis – was honored this past Saturday with the unveiling of his statue, recognizing a half century of his leadership as XULA President from 1968-2015. The unveiling ceremony took place Feb. 24 in Xavier’s Convocation Center. Read More

The Knights of Peter Claver is the oldest Black Catholic lay-led organization still in existence. This Black History Month, Charlie Camosy spoke with Gregory Herr, who helped establish the first Knights of Peter Claver Council in Orange County, Calif., in 2022, domiciled at Christ Cathedral. Herr spoke about the history behind the group, why Catholics from all backgrounds should consider joining and the issues it addresses, including infrastructural racism Read More

ATLANTA—Leighton Batiste, when a student at Morehouse College, faced skepticism and disapproval from classmates when he mentioned he was Catholic. Being Black and Catholic was considered suspect by his classmates. Undeterred, Batiste is exploring his religious heritage as a leader with the Knights of St. Peter Claver, an African American fraternal organization that has been around for more than a century. His newfound knowledge that his grandfather was a knight in Louisiana increased its appeal. “So, what drew me was that I always wanted to figure out, where do we fit in this universal church?” asked Batiste, sipping a cup of espresso at a West End coffee shop. Instead of giving in to the prejudice faced in the classroom, Batiste leads the effort so others can see their place in it. “When I heard of the Knights, it kind of created an extra layer of commitment to the church and to my faith,” he said. The Lyke House is home to a new Knights of St. Peter Claver council. In the fall, it inaugurated its leaders from men and women attending the four historically Black colleges and universities in the Atlanta University Center, as well as Georgia State University. Read More