The Catholic Church in the United States boasts 71 million members, 2.9 million of whom are black. Representatives from that vibrant community met in Orlando in July for the National Black Catholic Congress. The event concluded with the prophet Micah’s call to “act justly, love goodness and walk humbly with your God.”

At first encounter, Harmonia Rosales’s “The Creation of God” is striking. It is beautiful and familiar. Like Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam,” Rosales’s painting portrays the creation of humankind. However, the skin tones, gender and story being depicted by the artist are strikingly different.

St. Columba began celebrating Black Catholic History Month and Kwanzaa alongside the regular events in the liturgical calendar.

Content related to racism and discrimination can cause issues like anxiety and depression.

"Sadly, I personally know black Catholics whose personal experience has led them to believe that their black lives do not really matter to the church."

Not only is “Blackbird” a classic; in the voice of a gifted black artist, it can be prophetic