Black Catholic Messenger
@blackcatholicmessenger.org
Nonprofit media in the tradition of Daniel Rudd's 'American Catholic Tribune' (1885-1897). Amplifying Black Catholic voices. Editor: Nate Tinner-Williams
#ThatsTheMessage
blackcatholicmessenger.org
#ThatsTheMessage
blackcatholicmessenger.org
The new Archbishop of New York, Ronald Hicks, will soon be installed in one of the nation's largest Catholic jurisdictions—and he has his work cut out for him.
Félix Cepeda says he can start by learning the culture and avoiding becoming a culture warrior. www.blackcatholicmes...
Félix Cepeda says he can start by learning the culture and avoiding becoming a culture warrior. www.blackcatholicmes...
February 4, 2026 at 8:00 PM
The new Archbishop of New York, Ronald Hicks, will soon be installed in one of the nation's largest Catholic jurisdictions—and he has his work cut out for him.
Félix Cepeda says he can start by learning the culture and avoiding becoming a culture warrior. www.blackcatholicmes...
Félix Cepeda says he can start by learning the culture and avoiding becoming a culture warrior. www.blackcatholicmes...
A South African cardinal has newly denied claims of "White genocide"—which Trump has used to justify refugee resettlement for hundreds of Afrikaners.
The U.S. program continues even as the White House blocks immigration from various distressed countries. www.blackcatholicmes...
The U.S. program continues even as the White House blocks immigration from various distressed countries. www.blackcatholicmes...
February 3, 2026 at 5:37 PM
A South African cardinal has newly denied claims of "White genocide"—which Trump has used to justify refugee resettlement for hundreds of Afrikaners.
The U.S. program continues even as the White House blocks immigration from various distressed countries. www.blackcatholicmes...
The U.S. program continues even as the White House blocks immigration from various distressed countries. www.blackcatholicmes...
Reposted by Black Catholic Messenger
"The album 'A Tribute to the King of Zydeco,' honoring the late Black Catholic singer-songwriter and accordionist Clifton Chenier, won for Best Regional Roots Music Album—a category frequently dominated by Louisiana artists, including several featured on the Chenier tribute LP."
The 2026 Grammy Awards featured star-studded tributes and a near sweep of the major categories by Black and Latino artists.
A number of Catholic-raised Black artists—including Jon Batiste and Cynthia Erivo—were also winners on music's biggest night. www.blackcatholicmes...
A number of Catholic-raised Black artists—including Jon Batiste and Cynthia Erivo—were also winners on music's biggest night. www.blackcatholicmes...
February 2, 2026 at 7:23 PM
"The album 'A Tribute to the King of Zydeco,' honoring the late Black Catholic singer-songwriter and accordionist Clifton Chenier, won for Best Regional Roots Music Album—a category frequently dominated by Louisiana artists, including several featured on the Chenier tribute LP."
The 2026 Grammy Awards featured star-studded tributes and a near sweep of the major categories by Black and Latino artists.
A number of Catholic-raised Black artists—including Jon Batiste and Cynthia Erivo—were also winners on music's biggest night. www.blackcatholicmes...
A number of Catholic-raised Black artists—including Jon Batiste and Cynthia Erivo—were also winners on music's biggest night. www.blackcatholicmes...
February 2, 2026 at 7:10 PM
The 2026 Grammy Awards featured star-studded tributes and a near sweep of the major categories by Black and Latino artists.
A number of Catholic-raised Black artists—including Jon Batiste and Cynthia Erivo—were also winners on music's biggest night. www.blackcatholicmes...
A number of Catholic-raised Black artists—including Jon Batiste and Cynthia Erivo—were also winners on music's biggest night. www.blackcatholicmes...
Reposted by Black Catholic Messenger
Government and civil infrastructure in Haiti remain crippled amid a yearslong armed insurgency and the fallout of a devastating 2010 earthquake, while Trump admin officials—latching onto the president's racist claims about the country—remain unmoved despite legal challenges.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for U.S. Haitian refugees is set to expire Feb. 3, with the Trump White House claiming conditions have improved on the island.
Advocates and experts say otherwise, seeking an injunction to stop a likely deportation effort. www.blackcatholicmes...
Advocates and experts say otherwise, seeking an injunction to stop a likely deportation effort. www.blackcatholicmes...
February 1, 2026 at 4:21 PM
Government and civil infrastructure in Haiti remain crippled amid a yearslong armed insurgency and the fallout of a devastating 2010 earthquake, while Trump admin officials—latching onto the president's racist claims about the country—remain unmoved despite legal challenges.
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for U.S. Haitian refugees is set to expire Feb. 3, with the Trump White House claiming conditions have improved on the island.
Advocates and experts say otherwise, seeking an injunction to stop a likely deportation effort. www.blackcatholicmes...
Advocates and experts say otherwise, seeking an injunction to stop a likely deportation effort. www.blackcatholicmes...
February 1, 2026 at 4:05 PM
Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for U.S. Haitian refugees is set to expire Feb. 3, with the Trump White House claiming conditions have improved on the island.
Advocates and experts say otherwise, seeking an injunction to stop a likely deportation effort. www.blackcatholicmes...
Advocates and experts say otherwise, seeking an injunction to stop a likely deportation effort. www.blackcatholicmes...
Black History Month is almost upon us, and Catholic organizations and experts are leading events around the country to celebrate an international diasporic heritage and legacy.
We've got you covered with our handy national listing. www.blackcatholicmes...
We've got you covered with our handy national listing. www.blackcatholicmes...
January 31, 2026 at 12:20 PM
Black History Month is almost upon us, and Catholic organizations and experts are leading events around the country to celebrate an international diasporic heritage and legacy.
We've got you covered with our handy national listing. www.blackcatholicmes...
We've got you covered with our handy national listing. www.blackcatholicmes...
Reposted by Black Catholic Messenger
"When our clergy refuse to directly confront and name those in authority or systems they protect, they forfeit their prophetic responsibility to call out the oppression of historically neglected and marginalized groups. This type of ecclesial omission has to change..."
With every new statement from Catholic leaders on the current U.S. crisis, the question emerges: Is neutrality enough?
Efran Menny writes that the answer, according to the Biblical and African-American prophetic witness, is a resounding negative.
Efran Menny writes that the answer, according to the Biblical and African-American prophetic witness, is a resounding negative.
Avoidance amid the madness: When Catholic leaders refuse the prophetic call
Efran Menny on the incomplete witness of American Catholic prelates amid the moral crisis of unchecked government repression under President Trump.
www.blackcatholicmessenger.org
January 30, 2026 at 3:56 PM
"When our clergy refuse to directly confront and name those in authority or systems they protect, they forfeit their prophetic responsibility to call out the oppression of historically neglected and marginalized groups. This type of ecclesial omission has to change..."
With every new statement from Catholic leaders on the current U.S. crisis, the question emerges: Is neutrality enough?
Efran Menny writes that the answer, according to the Biblical and African-American prophetic witness, is a resounding negative.
Efran Menny writes that the answer, according to the Biblical and African-American prophetic witness, is a resounding negative.
Avoidance amid the madness: When Catholic leaders refuse the prophetic call
Efran Menny on the incomplete witness of American Catholic prelates amid the moral crisis of unchecked government repression under President Trump.
www.blackcatholicmessenger.org
January 30, 2026 at 3:56 PM
With every new statement from Catholic leaders on the current U.S. crisis, the question emerges: Is neutrality enough?
Efran Menny writes that the answer, according to the Biblical and African-American prophetic witness, is a resounding negative.
Efran Menny writes that the answer, according to the Biblical and African-American prophetic witness, is a resounding negative.
The Diocese of Jackson will host a closing ceremony for the diocesan phase of the sainthood cause for Servant of God Thea Bowman, the pioneering African-American religious sister who helped lead the Black Catholic Movement. www.blackcatholicmes...
January 29, 2026 at 6:11 PM
The Diocese of Jackson will host a closing ceremony for the diocesan phase of the sainthood cause for Servant of God Thea Bowman, the pioneering African-American religious sister who helped lead the Black Catholic Movement. www.blackcatholicmes...
Reposted by Black Catholic Messenger
"We continue to be confronted with a callous disregard for human life and dignity, driven by racism and xenophobia that targets Black and Brown people."
The Josephites, a Catholic religious community serving African Americans, on the killing of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
The Josephites, a Catholic religious community serving African Americans, on the killing of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
January 27, 2026 at 8:53 PM
"We continue to be confronted with a callous disregard for human life and dignity, driven by racism and xenophobia that targets Black and Brown people."
The Josephites, a Catholic religious community serving African Americans, on the killing of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
The Josephites, a Catholic religious community serving African Americans, on the killing of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.
The Fort Mose Jazz and Blues Series will return to St. Augustine, Florida—the nation's oldest city—in February, benefiting the preservation of the fort where Afro-Spanish Catholics founded the first free Black settlement in the future United States. www.blackcatholicmes...
January 27, 2026 at 8:38 PM
The Fort Mose Jazz and Blues Series will return to St. Augustine, Florida—the nation's oldest city—in February, benefiting the preservation of the fort where Afro-Spanish Catholics founded the first free Black settlement in the future United States. www.blackcatholicmes...
Reposted by Black Catholic Messenger
U.S. Rep Troy Carter of Louisiana, a close friend of Laroche's, described him as an "extraordinary faith leader who spread love, compassion, and hope", while a statement from XULA said his ministry "profoundly shaped the spiritual life" of the nation's Catholic HBCU.
Fr Victor Laroche, a Dominican priest who served as chaplain at Xavier University of Louisiana, died suddenly this month in New Orleans. He was 66 years old.
No cause of death was released for the Haitian-born cleric, who had recently gone on sabbatical. www.blackcatholicmes...
No cause of death was released for the Haitian-born cleric, who had recently gone on sabbatical. www.blackcatholicmes...
January 26, 2026 at 6:21 PM
U.S. Rep Troy Carter of Louisiana, a close friend of Laroche's, described him as an "extraordinary faith leader who spread love, compassion, and hope", while a statement from XULA said his ministry "profoundly shaped the spiritual life" of the nation's Catholic HBCU.
Fr Victor Laroche, a Dominican priest who served as chaplain at Xavier University of Louisiana, died suddenly this month in New Orleans. He was 66 years old.
No cause of death was released for the Haitian-born cleric, who had recently gone on sabbatical. www.blackcatholicmes...
No cause of death was released for the Haitian-born cleric, who had recently gone on sabbatical. www.blackcatholicmes...
January 26, 2026 at 6:02 PM
Fr Victor Laroche, a Dominican priest who served as chaplain at Xavier University of Louisiana, died suddenly this month in New Orleans. He was 66 years old.
No cause of death was released for the Haitian-born cleric, who had recently gone on sabbatical. www.blackcatholicmes...
No cause of death was released for the Haitian-born cleric, who had recently gone on sabbatical. www.blackcatholicmes...
Reposted by Black Catholic Messenger
DHS secretary Kristi Noem says her dept will investigate Pretti’s killing. As of Sunday, Noem, Border Patrol head Greg Bovino, and FBI director Kash Patel have already publicly blamed Pretti for his own death—as have Trump, Vance, Stephen Miller, Pete Hegseth, and Pam Bondi.
Amanda Gorman's "For Alex Jeffrey Pretti" laments the Saturday killing of a 37-year-old Minnesota ICU nurse by Border Patrol.
The Catholic-raised poet is among many calling for national introspection as the Trump White House doubles down on violence. www.blackcatholicmes...
The Catholic-raised poet is among many calling for national introspection as the Trump White House doubles down on violence. www.blackcatholicmes...
January 25, 2026 at 10:16 PM
DHS secretary Kristi Noem says her dept will investigate Pretti’s killing. As of Sunday, Noem, Border Patrol head Greg Bovino, and FBI director Kash Patel have already publicly blamed Pretti for his own death—as have Trump, Vance, Stephen Miller, Pete Hegseth, and Pam Bondi.
Reposted by Black Catholic Messenger
"A message: Love your people & you
will die. Yet our greatest threat isn't the outsiders
among us, but those among us who never look
within. Fear not the those without papers, but those
without conscience."
(From "For Alex Jeffrey Pretti" by Amanda Gorman)
will die. Yet our greatest threat isn't the outsiders
among us, but those among us who never look
within. Fear not the those without papers, but those
without conscience."
(From "For Alex Jeffrey Pretti" by Amanda Gorman)
Amanda Gorman's "For Alex Jeffrey Pretti" laments the Saturday killing of a 37-year-old Minnesota ICU nurse by Border Patrol.
The Catholic-raised poet is among many calling for national introspection as the Trump White House doubles down on violence. www.blackcatholicmes...
The Catholic-raised poet is among many calling for national introspection as the Trump White House doubles down on violence. www.blackcatholicmes...
January 25, 2026 at 9:14 PM
"A message: Love your people & you
will die. Yet our greatest threat isn't the outsiders
among us, but those among us who never look
within. Fear not the those without papers, but those
without conscience."
(From "For Alex Jeffrey Pretti" by Amanda Gorman)
will die. Yet our greatest threat isn't the outsiders
among us, but those among us who never look
within. Fear not the those without papers, but those
without conscience."
(From "For Alex Jeffrey Pretti" by Amanda Gorman)
Amanda Gorman's "For Alex Jeffrey Pretti" laments the Saturday killing of a 37-year-old Minnesota ICU nurse by Border Patrol.
The Catholic-raised poet is among many calling for national introspection as the Trump White House doubles down on violence. www.blackcatholicmes...
The Catholic-raised poet is among many calling for national introspection as the Trump White House doubles down on violence. www.blackcatholicmes...
January 25, 2026 at 9:01 PM
Amanda Gorman's "For Alex Jeffrey Pretti" laments the Saturday killing of a 37-year-old Minnesota ICU nurse by Border Patrol.
The Catholic-raised poet is among many calling for national introspection as the Trump White House doubles down on violence. www.blackcatholicmes...
The Catholic-raised poet is among many calling for national introspection as the Trump White House doubles down on violence. www.blackcatholicmes...
Reposted by Black Catholic Messenger
"Sinners", from Catholic-educated director Ryan Coogler, tied the Academy Awards record for the most individual Black nominees from a single film, and produced 10 of the 14 Black nominees overall in the 2026 field.
Autumn Durald Arkapaw, an Afro-Filipina descended from Black Creoles in Louisiana, has become the first non-White woman nominated for Best Cinematography at the Oscars.
Hers is one of the record 16 nominations for the 2025 blockbuster hit "Sinners". www.blackcatholicmes...
Hers is one of the record 16 nominations for the 2025 blockbuster hit "Sinners". www.blackcatholicmes...
January 25, 2026 at 12:34 AM
"Sinners", from Catholic-educated director Ryan Coogler, tied the Academy Awards record for the most individual Black nominees from a single film, and produced 10 of the 14 Black nominees overall in the 2026 field.
Autumn Durald Arkapaw, an Afro-Filipina descended from Black Creoles in Louisiana, has become the first non-White woman nominated for Best Cinematography at the Oscars.
Hers is one of the record 16 nominations for the 2025 blockbuster hit "Sinners". www.blackcatholicmes...
Hers is one of the record 16 nominations for the 2025 blockbuster hit "Sinners". www.blackcatholicmes...
January 24, 2026 at 9:25 PM
Autumn Durald Arkapaw, an Afro-Filipina descended from Black Creoles in Louisiana, has become the first non-White woman nominated for Best Cinematography at the Oscars.
Hers is one of the record 16 nominations for the 2025 blockbuster hit "Sinners". www.blackcatholicmes...
Hers is one of the record 16 nominations for the 2025 blockbuster hit "Sinners". www.blackcatholicmes...
Reposted by Black Catholic Messenger
‘[I]mmoral and inhumane gloating is a feature of the … movement, … a reflection of … growing Christian nationalism …. This is not business as usual …. We have people, children of Almighty God, … fearing for their lives at the hands of those Bishop Barron and others would like us to normalize.’
Unhinged immigration enforcement has led to dozens of deaths under President Trump, as armed ICE agents act with impunity like slave catchers of an era thought long gone.
Tulio Huggins writes that the tepid response from Catholic leaders is scandalous. www.blackcatholicmes...
Tulio Huggins writes that the tepid response from Catholic leaders is scandalous. www.blackcatholicmes...
January 21, 2026 at 8:34 PM
‘[I]mmoral and inhumane gloating is a feature of the … movement, … a reflection of … growing Christian nationalism …. This is not business as usual …. We have people, children of Almighty God, … fearing for their lives at the hands of those Bishop Barron and others would like us to normalize.’
Reposted by Black Catholic Messenger
"As we celebrate his life and musical legacy, we give thanks to God for his incredible gift to the world and for giving the Black community another way to musically express both its pain and triumph. May 'Total Praise' continue to move us through the challenging times that await us."
Richard Smallwood's impact on the Black Church cannot be overstated, and his passing has elicited an international wave of condolences acknowledging his legacy.
Samantha Smith writes that he belongs in the upper echelon of American Christian memory. www.blackcatholicmes...
Samantha Smith writes that he belongs in the upper echelon of American Christian memory. www.blackcatholicmes...
January 23, 2026 at 3:14 PM
"As we celebrate his life and musical legacy, we give thanks to God for his incredible gift to the world and for giving the Black community another way to musically express both its pain and triumph. May 'Total Praise' continue to move us through the challenging times that await us."
Richard Smallwood's impact on the Black Church cannot be overstated, and his passing has elicited an international wave of condolences acknowledging his legacy.
Samantha Smith writes that he belongs in the upper echelon of American Christian memory. www.blackcatholicmes...
Samantha Smith writes that he belongs in the upper echelon of American Christian memory. www.blackcatholicmes...
January 23, 2026 at 3:01 PM
Richard Smallwood's impact on the Black Church cannot be overstated, and his passing has elicited an international wave of condolences acknowledging his legacy.
Samantha Smith writes that he belongs in the upper echelon of American Christian memory. www.blackcatholicmes...
Samantha Smith writes that he belongs in the upper echelon of American Christian memory. www.blackcatholicmes...
Carmen de Lavallade, a pioneering African-American dancer and choreographer who broke racial and artistic barriers, died at 94 in December after a short illness.
The Catholic-raised Creole was among the first Black ballerinas at the Metropolitan Opera. www.blackcatholicmes...
The Catholic-raised Creole was among the first Black ballerinas at the Metropolitan Opera. www.blackcatholicmes...
January 22, 2026 at 6:07 PM
Carmen de Lavallade, a pioneering African-American dancer and choreographer who broke racial and artistic barriers, died at 94 in December after a short illness.
The Catholic-raised Creole was among the first Black ballerinas at the Metropolitan Opera. www.blackcatholicmes...
The Catholic-raised Creole was among the first Black ballerinas at the Metropolitan Opera. www.blackcatholicmes...
Reposted by Black Catholic Messenger
"ICE agents are the enforcers of the rampant dehumanization of migrants, which Trump and his MAGA movement strive for... You would expect prominent Catholic influencers to show preferential treatment to the poor and oppressed [and] do their job of leading the Church toward the values she espouses."
Unhinged immigration enforcement has led to dozens of deaths under President Trump, as armed ICE agents act with impunity like slave catchers of an era thought long gone.
Tulio Huggins writes that the tepid response from Catholic leaders is scandalous. www.blackcatholicmes...
Tulio Huggins writes that the tepid response from Catholic leaders is scandalous. www.blackcatholicmes...
January 21, 2026 at 8:19 PM
"ICE agents are the enforcers of the rampant dehumanization of migrants, which Trump and his MAGA movement strive for... You would expect prominent Catholic influencers to show preferential treatment to the poor and oppressed [and] do their job of leading the Church toward the values she espouses."