Fr. Bryan Massingale is one of the world’s leading Catholic social ethicists and scholars of African-American theological ethics, racial justice, and liberation theology. He joined the Fordham theology faculty in the fall of 2016. Previously, Fr. Massingale was on the faculty at Marquette University, where in 2009 he received that institution’s highest award for excellence […]
Black Catholics
Posted inFaith, Faith in Focus
We need images of the Black Madonna now more than ever
In my lifetime, I do not recall having so many reasons to cry and send up my sighs to Mary for help and hope.
Posted inArts & Culture, Ideas
The Ghosts of Toni Morrison: A Catholic writer confronts the legacy of slavery
This year, Toni Morrison’s “Beloved” and “Song of Solomon” turn 30 and 40, respectively. What role did the author’s conversion to Catholicism play in her writing?
Posted inFaith, Last Take
Catholics of color are keeping the U.S. Catholic Church alive
The Catholic Church in the United States is being transformed by its black and brown parishioners, whose numbers and voices are rising.
Posted inDispatches, Faith
‘Act justly, love goodness’: Black Catholics in America
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.”
Posted inArt, Arts & Culture
Afro-Latina artist reimagines Michelangelo’s “The Creation of Adam”
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.
Posted inPolitics & Society
Black Catholics bear witness to a gentrified Oakland
St. Columba began celebrating Black Catholic History Month and Kwanzaa alongside the regular events in the liturgical calendar.
Posted inIn All Things, Politics & Society
Black Catholics speak about the trauma of police shootings.
Content related to racism and discrimination can cause issues like anxiety and depression.
Posted inFaith, Ideas
Black Lives Soar: The prophetic call of a Beatles classic
Not only is “Blackbird” a classic; in the voice of a gifted black artist, it can be prophetic
Posted inFaith, Features
What can the Catholic Church learn from #BlackLivesMatter?
“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.”