Pastores Dabo Vobis The Newsletter of the National Black Catholic Seminarians Association
To share the Love of God beginning with love of our true selves.
Dear Brothers, It is with God’s grace that I accept your call to serve you and the Church in this capacity as your president for the year. Needless to say, I was surprised and somewhat overwhelmed with the news while at the same time excited about the opportunity. It has been my pleasure working with the NBCSA for the last three years in a variety of roles. The organization has grown and continues to bring men together from around the world serving the Church in the United States and its territories. Such a responsibility is embedded in our way of accepting leadership that is deeply rooted in our traditions. Franciscan sister Thea Bowman said, “Black spirituality demands not only that you believe and that you hope and that you love. It also demands that you witness and testify. Testifying: It’s part of spirituality. It is also affirming. It’s encouraging. That spirituality is participatory. It is having people say to me what God is for them, and to believe and to share that faith in communion in the family, in a relationship, in love.” I believe as Black people, we offer this spirituality as future priests and brothers to the Church—to love ourselves in order to be authentically available to share that love for others through Christ. It is this love that each of us has been called to bring to God’s people in a prophetic way through Christ’s radical compassion and sacrifice. The prophetic consciousness for us is to become aware of things that are unsettling, looking at things that we prefer not to look at, and to feel things that we prefer not to feel as well. The Church needs us to encounter these frontiers in a world that is increasingly becoming disenchanted with the faith. Collectively, we can be the catalyst for re-evangelization and transformation. Our greatest strength is our collective responsibility to imagine the living God working through each of us interdependently as men of faith, compassion, and love.
Lorenzo Herman, SJ Oregon Province of the Society of Jesus
Jeremiah 3:15
Theologian John Neafsey suggests, “From a spiritual perspective, our true self is given or revealed to us by God.” We know God through our ministry. It is a spirit-centered conversation in which the past, present, and future dance to the same rhythm. The spirit, God’s selfcommunication that Christians call grace, is an expression that has long roots in African spirituality that celebrates our potentiality. I believe it is essential to always be mindful of who we are as a people and where we come from. We cannot truly know God when we do not know ourselves. I offer this as our collective vision for the NBCSA—to find God in our truest selves to set the world on fire. I am excited to share this journey with you. Ω
Vol. 4 No. 1
“I will give you shepherds…”
A Message from the President
Jan/Feb/ March 2013
-ΑPastores Dabo Vobis The Newsletter of the National Black Catholic Seminarians Association PRESIDENT Lorenzo Herman, S.J. Society of Jesus, Oregon Province
VICE PRESIDENT Mark Bristol Diocese of Brooklyn
SECRETARY Br. Peter Damian Harris, OP Order of Preachers
TREASURER Jean-Pierre Seon Archdiocese of New York
Pastores Dabo Vobis is published bimonthly and is available to subscribers, free of charge, by electronic mail. ISSN 2159-1806 EDITOR Evans Julce Diocese of Brooklyn To receive a subscription or to offer comments and story ideas, send an email to the National Black Catholic Seminarians Association.
National Black Catholic Seminarians Association
Notes: Next NBCSA Meeting in Seattle! The Seattle Gathering will take place April 5-7, 2013 at Seattle University. The Society of Jesus, Ladies of Peter Claver, Immaculate Conception Church, and St. Therese Church are involved in making this gathering an enriching informative experience for you. Seminarians will reside in the Jesuit community’s guest rooms located on Seattle University’s campus and at the Immaculate Conception Church rectory. Immaculate Conception is located only five blocks away from the university campus. Room and board will be covered by the sponsoring organizations. One must cover his own personal expenses. Seminarians should arrive at Seattle Tacoma International Airport (SeaTac) no later than 2:00 pm on Friday, April 5th. The gathering will officially end on Sunday, April 7th. Seminarians may arrive a day earlier and leave a day later. Transportation will be available to and from the airport. Please confirm by March 20th your plans to attend. The schedule of events will be provided in a few weeks. Please include your flight information when it is available. Limited scholarships are available for airfare. Ω - Lorenzo Herman, S.J. President
Upcoming Ordinations The NBCSA celebrates members who approach the altar: Friar Peter Damian Marie Harris, O. P. is scheduled to be ordained Deacon along with two classmates from the St. Albert the Great Province, on May 11, 2013. Ω
Save the Date!!! The National Black Catholic Congress and National Black Catholic Seminarians’ Joint Conference will take place July 28th– August 1st, 2013 in Chicago. Details in the next newsletter. We look forward to seeing you there!
The NBCSA is an affiliate of the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus
Contact the NBCSA Lorenzo Herman, S.J.
nbcseminarians@gmail.com
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Call for Contributions Seminarians, clergy, and diocesan administrators are encouraged to share news, reflections, commentary, or ideas in Pastores Dabo Vobis. Pieces which reflect upon issues and concerns within the life and ministry of Black Catholic Seminarians, clergy and/or in Black Catholic communities are especially welcome.Ω
The Father Augustus Tolton Cause
www.toltoncanonization.com
Black History Month in NYC during the Year of Faith Mark Bristol | Diocese of Brooklyn
In the month of February Catholics in New York City celebrated Black History Month with a Mass of Thanksgiving in two Cathedrals: St. Patrick Cathedral of the Archdiocese of New York on February 3, 2013 and St. James Cathedral Basilica of the Diocese of Brooklyn on February17, 2013. This year I had the privilege of attending both Masses as the newly elected vice-president of the NBSCA, along with a large contingent of black seminarians from St. Joseph’s Seminary in Yonkers, NY. Both liturgies were wonderful celebrations filled with the spiritual fervor, vibrancy and joy of the Black Catholic community of New York City. At St. Patrick Cathedral the celebration began with the rhythm of drums from the Ghanaian Catholic community along with dancing umbrellas that were held above the cardinal and bishop who glowed in the radiance of the exSeveral seminarians from New York and Brooklyn at St. James Cathedral. citement that filled the space as they processed into the Cathedral. The main celebrant of the Mass was His Eminence Edward Cardinal Egan, the Archbishop Emeritus of the Archdiocese of New York. The guest of honor was Bishop Joseph OseiBonsu of the Diocese of Konongo-Mampong, Ghana and the homilist was Father George W. Quickly, SJ of Oakland, California. Father Quickly gave a thought provoking homily about the idea of what the world be like if there were no black people. He highlighted the many contributions people of African descent have made in the Church and in the world and called us all to celebrate the gift of diversity in the Church and the world. At the closing, Cardinal Egan gave moving testimony about the influence of two black men in his life the late Bishop Harold Perry and the Venerable Pierre Toussaint. Each taught him as a young priest the meaning of courage and charity. For example Bishop Harold Perry taught him courage when he witnessed him walking into a parish filled with people who did not want him. He transformed their hearts by his priestly example. Secondly, the Venerable Pierre Toussaint taught him the meaning of charity by his relentless desire to share the fruits of his labors with others. Cardinal Egan testified that he would not be the man he is today if there were no black people in this world; moreover, the Church would not be as great as it is today without the contributions of African-Americans.
Continued on next page
Black History Month in NYC during the Year of Faith (continued) The celebration at Saint James Cathedral in the Diocese of Brooklyn was just as exciting as the one at Saint Patrick’s with the spirit filled singing of “We’ve Come This Far By Faith” by the Sacred Heart Gospel Choir from Cambria Heights, NY. At the diocese’s 33rd annual Black History Mass of Thanksgiving they celebrated the Year of Faith on the First Sunday of Lent, with the theme “Faith of our Fathers”. The main celebrant was the Most Reverend Guy Sansaricq, the first and only Haitian-American Bishop in the United States. The homilist was the past NBCSA president Deacon Dwayne Davis. Deacon Davis gave a moving homily calling us to nourish the seeds of faith that have been planted in us by our ancestors and pass it on to the next generation. He called us in the midst of trials and temptations to cling to pillars of Black Catholic spirituality: contemplation, joy, community and the engagement of body, mind and soul. We are all called to holiness; therefore we must bear witness to the Faith and transmit it to our young people who need faith-filled role models today. The choir and the congregation responded to words of Deacon Dwayne with a spirit-filled rendition of Hezekiah Walker’s “Souled Out”, because in this Lenten season we are called to be empty ourselves, so that we can be filled with God’s grace and Spirit on Easter Sunday so that we can be truly “souled out” to God alone. In this Year of Faith our Holy Father calls us in his Apostolic Letter Porta Fidei to nourish the faith that has been handed to us by ancestors and to give witness to it “by the living recognition of the Lord Jesus, present in our lives and in our history.” It is through the faith-filled witness of our lives that we as Black Catholics will continue to make a positive contribution to the Church and the world. Ω
Reflections on the Pilgrimage and March for Life 2013 Evans Julce | Diocese of Brooklyn This year as in years previous seminarians from around the country together with hundreds of thousands of lay faithful took part in the 40th Annual March For Life marking the tragic Supreme Court decision which legalized abortion in the United States. Over the years the prolife movement has developed from a small group of impassioned, older faith-filled Christians to a swelling tide of youthful, emboldened, and ever-more faith-filled people of all backgrounds. My pilgrimage from New York with St. Joseph’s seminary went directly to the National Shrine of the Basilica of the Immaculate Conception for the beautiful Mass beginning the Vigil for Life. To see our Lady everywhere throughout the church confirmed she is mother of Jesus, mother of the Church, and, indeed, mother of all the living. Since she knew what it was to be perfectly human, she must know what it is to be even African as well. At the heart of every culture, i.e. in its purity, is the Christian disciple: man in love with God and neighbor. The NBCSA took the opportunity of having so many Black Catholic seminarians in one location to organize a photo op at the shrine within the basilica of our Lady of Africa. After the photo, some of the brothers gathered at the Capuchin College just up the street from the Basilica. We Continued on next page shared outlooks for the future of the organization as well as ministry to black Catholics.
March for Life (continued) Then, out of the blue, a prince of the Church, Cardinal O’Malley came into the room to share a slice of pizza with us and give us his blessing before heading to his prayers. Prince of the Church is a phrase often used of cardinals. Yet ideally, this royalty is one which Jesus would have practiced: not simply abounding in this world’s goods (as essential as they are to operate the Church), but also humble shepherding and leadership, in union with and at the service of their brothers and sisters. Cardinal O’Malley’s presence moved me to consider how love of his brothers and of the order drew him to stay in a simple home rather than enjoy the posh dinners or accommodations a cardinal might be given. Thousands of people began the next morning with Mass at several huge locations around the city such as the Staples Center where 15,000 people met near the National Mall. One priest who was traveling there for the first time thanked me for giving a concrete witness to the faithful on the pilgrimage as well as the world watching from home to the vibrancy and genuine human interest of the Catholic Church. Then he asked, sheepishly, almost ashamed to broach the subject “did it seem to you that there weren’t very many black people?” He had a point. There are many socio-economic and religious factors which limit Black participation in this yearly event. Yet, I should note, only three days prior, millions of people gathered for the inauguration of the Nation’s first Black president. Sadly, he has also turned out to be its most staunch defender of pro-abortion policies and laws. And the vast majority of the millions gathered to hear him speak and to take his photo, were indeed themselves Black. As priests, I hope we will all catechize, urge, and even beg the people we serve, especially Black Catholics, to make their voices heard in this war against this evil. Our communities are the ones affected the most by abortion with 35% of Black children dying across the country in the name of “freedom.” In my own New York City that number is already 60%. It will be difficult to preach against abortion and promote a culture of life because so many of our people have imbibed the poisonous culture for so long, they have forgotten who they are naturally. All sin is self-alienation, is it not? Permit me to suggest we take a clue from the Blessed Mother and also Cardinal O’Malley. She is always more concerned to be a mother than a queen. And always connected to his brothers, the Cardinal enjoys a freedom of setting aside his privileged place and title “prince” or “his eminence” in order to be present to his brothers. For us as priests and priests-to-be, then, let us remember the need to preach and teach staunchly against evil as a father should and not merely cling to the title and power of pastor or administrator. As fathers also, we should always be prepared to forgive, to draw close to us those hurt by abortion and let it be known that our confessional, wells of divine mercy, are always open to them. From this position of relationship we can hope to be crowned with the sought-after titles in the future: such as “servant of God,” “venerable,” “blessed,” and even “saint.” Ω
“...after my own heart.”
Pilgrimage and March for Life 2013