Fr. Jim's Jots ~ Solemnity of All Saints, November 1, 2020 ~ Black Catholic History Month

 

SOLEMNITY OF ALL SAINTS

Fr. Jim's Jots

Throughout the Month of November, we celebrate and remember "Black Catholic History Month".  At Saint Elizabeth, we are going to have a brief homily after the Gospel and a reflection from some of our parish members.  The schedule is as follows:

November 1st - Tinika and Igor McIntosh

November 8th - Adrien DeLoach

November 15th - Larry Williford

November 22nd - Mary Walker

Each presenter is asked to share their personal reflection about being Black and Catholic and perhaps answer a few questions.  We are blessed as a parish to have a wealth of knowledge and experience from so many of our members; we need to hear your stories.  May we honor "Black Catholic History Month" and together learn from our members' journeys.

Blacks in Catholic Christianity have a long and vibrant history.  Much of that history is unknown to Black Catholics as well as, to the rest of the faithful.  On July 24, 1990, the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus designated November as Black Catholic History Month.  The reason behind the selection of November was the number of important dates to Catholics of African descent.

Nov. 1 - All Saints Day - An opportunity to review the lives of hundreds of Saints of Affrican descent in the first 300 years of the church.

Nov. 2 - All Souls Day - A time to remember all those African Souls lost to cruel treatment in the Middle Passage crossing of the Atlantic.

Nov. 3 - The feast of Saint Martin dePorres, the only saint of African descent from this Hemisphere.

Nov. 13 - The Birth of St. Augustine in 354 A.D., the first Doctor of the Church from North Africa.

Nov. 20 - The death of Zumbi of Palmares in Brazil, the South American founder of the Free State of Blacks.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

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