Black History Month at St. Elizabeth Church - Sr. Tiberh's Presentation, February 20, 2022 ~ Photos by Connie Hom

 Sr. Tiberh's Excellent Presentation

Black History Month

February 20, 2022

~ Photos by Connie Hom

Fr. Jim's Jots - Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time - February 6, 2022 - Black History Month

 Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

February 6, 2022

Black History Month 2022

Fr. Jim's Jots

Greetings All!

February is BLACK HISTORY MONTH!! We have an opportunity to learn, reflect and challenge ourselves during this special month.  In our community this month we will welcome four women from our parish to share their history.  They are Sister Cora Marie Billings, Cathy Woodson, Sister Tiberh and Vivian Sullivan.  Everyone has a life story, but at St. Elizabeth I am always humbled and amazed at your life stories and proud to be the priest of this remarkable parish.  Please pray for the 4 Catholic women who are sharing their story and thank them for their courage to witness before their home parish.

In the back of church, we are pleased to hand out booklets:  "An Hour with" Julia Greeley, Mother Mary Lange, Thea Bowman, Mother Henrietta Delille, Augustus Tolton and Pierre Toussaint.  May these booklets help us learn and pray for those who are on the road to Sainthood.  May we learn, reflect and pray for their Sanctification.

+ Blessings for the New Year +

Fr. Jim

~ Image Source

Webinar: Black Spirituality of Resistance and Resilience - Monday, February 7, 2022 ~ Information provided by Sr. Cora and Cecilia Hull

 Webinar

Black Spirituality of Resistance and Resilience

Monday, January 7, 2022

Sister Cora shared this webinar happening during Black History Month.  Sponsored by the Archdiocese of Santa Fe, this webinar shares themes from the U.S. Bishop's Pastoral Letter, Open Wide Our Hearts, including exploring how healing racism in our Church and Community can take place.  

The webinar is on Monday, February 7, 2022 from 8-10 p.m. EST.  The presenter is Dr. C. Vanessa White, D. Min., Associate Professor of Spirituality and Ministry and the Director of the Certificate in Black Theology and Ministry, Catholic Theological Union at Chicago.  

The event is free.  Pre-registration is required.  You can register online by CLICKING HERE.

The Black Church - This is Our Story. This is Our Song. PBS , Tuesday, February 16th at 0:00 p.m.

 

The Black Church

This is Our Story. This is Our Song

Fr. Jim's Jots ~ Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, February 7, 2021

 FIFTH SUNDAY IN ORDINARY TIME

Fr. Jim's Jots

Dear All,

Special thanks for your prayers, Mass cards and gifts for a memorial fund on behalf of my mother, Patricia Arsenault. My family wishes the funds to be used to help the Social Ministry Outreach, to help those in most need.  I am also sure my mom would also be pleased to help those in need.  Blessings for your kindness and generosity.  As of this date, the funds are about $1000.00.

This weekend, we welcome Black History Month.  We have much to learn from our Black fellow Americans and our parishioners.  I am delighted we will continue to reach out and work to end racism and continue a dialogue to end the sin of racism.  We pray for healing to address the persistent sin of racism which rejects the full humanity of all God's children.  We pray for a new sense of community that embraces and celebrates the rich diversity of ALL.  I give thanks for our parish and in a special way our members of our Social Justice Committee who are so helpful in this effort.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

~ Image Source

Fr. Jim's Jots ~ Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time ~ 2.9.2020

Fr. Jim's Jots

Throughout the month of February, we are called to embrace and celebrate Black History Month.  I thought it would be a good time to print and have each of us reflect on our parish MISSION STATEMENT!

"We, the members of Saint Elizabeth Catholic Church, in Highland Park, in the city of Richmond, Virginia, embrace our ethnic and cultural diversity and are called to grow in our relationship with God and one another through formation at all levels.

With a Christian goal of social justice, we will continue to work toward unity and diversity in support of all our ministries, to evangelize and to be good stewards of our resources."

As a parish, we have adopted a mission statement that challenges us to celebrate our diversity and work for social justice.  The times we live in are challenging for us, to respect people of different opinions, backgrounds, education, cultures and languages.  But this is our faith; we are mandated to follow the example of Jesus "to love one another as I have loved you."

Black History Month gives us this opportunity to pray and reflect on an end to injustice, prejudice or indifference and racial divisions.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

~ Image Source: Homily Hub

Final Program of Black History Month Speaker Series: The Repentance Project ~ Photos by EJCooley

Our Lenten Project

Lent 2019:  Our Journey as a Parish: A Preview

Presenter: Allan-Charles Chipman

~ Photos by EJCooley

Youth Sunday and Celebration of Saints of Color, Black History Month - Part 1 ~ Photos and Description by EJCooley

On Sunday, February 17, 2019, Fr. Jim, assisted by Deacon Chris, celebrated Mass with the youth of St. Elizabeth, the Liturgy participants.

Many of our youth graciously served as greeters, ushers, Lectors and Cantor/choir member.

Our Altar Servers were Heather and Miranda.  Our Umoja families presented the gifts.

Our youth introduced us to many of our Saints of Color, such as:

St. Tekakwitha - Kayden

St. Pierre Toussaint - Miles

St. Benedict the Moor - Isaiah

St. Moses the Black - Deshawn

Mother Mary Lang - Jerimah

St. Josephine - Lyric

Fr. Augustus Tolton - Fabrice

Special thanks to Liz, Eva, Kim, Fr. Jim and the parents of the children and teens who participated.

We are especially proud of the youth of St. Elizabeth, who prepared themselves for this spirit-filled day. Thank you to Jerimah, Isaiah, Fen, Brennan, Khady, Antionette, Thad, Lyric, Fabrice, Colin, Eva, Kayden, Sam, Deshawn, Carter, MeMe, Heather, Miles, Benjamin and Joshua!

~ Photos by EJCooley

A Celebration of Our Youth uring Black History Month! ~ 2.17.19 ~ Part 2

~ Photos by EJCooley

Youth Sunday and Saints of Color - Part 3 ~ Photos by EJCooley

Our Youth singing "We Shall Overcome"

~ Photos by EJCooley

Youth Liturgy and Celebration of Saints of Color ~ Black History Month, 2.17.2019 ~ Photos by Liz Wiznerowicz

Youth singing "We shall overcome"

~ Photos by Liz Wiznerowicz

Fr. Jim's Jots - Seventh Sunday in Ordinary Time - 2.17.2019

The Beatitudes

Greetings!

As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, how wonderful it was to have, last Sunday, Msgr. Leonard Scott (Diocese of Camden, NJ) celebrate Mass and give such a wonderful Homily.

On Friday, we hosted lunch and Bingo following our 12 noon Mass.  What a delightful time.  We look forward to having more people to participate.  We will be hosting lunch ($5.00) and Bingo the 3rd Friday of every month after the 12 noon Mass.  All are welcome!

Thanks to all of our young people for celebrating and participating in today's Sunday Youth Mass.  We hope that this will become a tradition at St. Elizabeth.

You are invited to attend our next Black History Month Speaker Series.  The speakers will be Jo White from our Highland Park Neighborhood Interfaith TEAM, and Marty Wegbreit of Central Virginia Legal Aid Society and Pastor Ralph Hodge of Second Baptist Church, Southside.  Please join us Thursday, February 21st from 7 p.m. to 8 p.m.

Blessings,

Fr. Jim

~ Picture Source - Catholic for Life

Sunday 2.10.2019 - Guest Homilist, Msgr. Leonard Scot, Diocese of Camden, NJ ~ Photos by EJCooley

~ Photos by EJCooley