Boom of black Catholics: increasingly influential in the dioceses of the United States. In the era of Obama, black Catholics «scale» the Catholic Church and, starting from the common battles on civil rights, promote ecumenical dialogue with the "Black Protestant Churches".
Those who have studied in Catholic schools and married are more active in the life of the Church. Not only are the number of parish positions held by blacks in the United States on the rise, but there is also a steady climb in the number of participants in Sunday mass.
Moreover, black people clearly appreciate church structures more than white people. 78% of African-American Catholics state that the way pastors fulfill their spiritual needs is «good or very good»: a significantly higher figure than the 67% of white co-religionists.
Despite the sexual abuse scandal, the tensions arising from conflicts over abortion and general policies, the shortage of priests, claims regarding the role of women, the current economic recession, U.S. Catholics stand at 24% of the total population.
A comparison between current data and that of 1987 shows a significant change in the U.S. Catholic population which is becoming increasingly older. The increase in African-American Catholics is mainly in the "Millennials" category, i.e. in the range of young people between the age of 18 and 30.
The survey carried out by the University of Notre Dame describes the growing influence of black believers among the country’s lay, in every area of church life. The Catholic component is an important part of the African-American Christian world.
From Chicago to Philadelphia, from New Orleans to Atlanta and all the way to the Pacific, it is a bridge towards one of the most dynamic religious realities in the world: the "Black Protestant Churches", while at the White House there is the first black President in history.
«Without Black Churches there would not have been any civil rights movement, and without the civil rights movement, there would be no Barack Obama. It was largely in black churches that Obama found his mission», wrote Adelle Banks on «Religion News Service». It is no coincidence that while counting the votes, CNN was connected directly with the Ebezener Baptist Church of Atlanta, the historic church of Martin Luther King: when Obama was declared President, the 2,000 present exploded in tears and liberator songs. The dream had become reality.
«Black churches, the spiritual face of the black community, have every right to feel proud of this new America. Barack Obama has become a symbol for all of us» explains Rev. Noel Erskine, associate professor of Theology at Emory University to the monthly magazine «Jesus», edited by the Paulines.
The history of African-American Christianity is inextricably linked to the experience of slavery: it is in captivity that the blacks of America became aware of the Gospel and learned to adopt it. «Black Churches have always been the backbone of black spirituality and have historically played a key role in the liberation of the black community - highlights a dossier of the monthly “Jesus” -. During the battles for civil rights they organized buses to bring entire communities to vote; they were meeting places for people who sought their freedom. And still today predominantly black religious organizations seek to disseminate democracy and participation among their followers, through sermons and newsletters, during catechism classes in the parish and religious schools».
One of the most interesting books for those who want to analyze the African-American religious phenomenon, «The Black Church in the African-American Experience» by Eric Lincoln and Lawrence Mamiya, contains an exegesis of the subtle but profound link between the socio-religious fervor and civic commitment that led to the liberation of the black community.
«Culture is the summary of options available for creative survival», says the text of Lincoln and Mamiya. The religious vision of black people, in short, is linked both to African cultural heritage and the conversion to Christianity during slavery. Many decades ago, in describing the key points of the religion of black churches, W.E.B . Du Bois, American activist involved in the civil rights struggles of blacks, was particularly impressed by the «preacher, the music and the rush of joy» that would arise from the Mass.
«The surge of joy» referred to the enthusiasm and free display of excitement by the participants during worship. «Some of them identified herself to the point of projecting into a paroxysm seasoned with screams and groans. Others fell to the ground and rolled over trembling, as if in a trance, possessed by the Holy Spirit, or would rise from the benches waving their hands above their heads, while others still clapped their hands in time with the music».
Even today during the sermon, the faithful continue their contact with the preacher with shouts of approval and appreciation, singing, or responding to his solicitation during so-called call-and-response, the form of spontaneous interaction between the speaker and listener that distinguishes African-American rituals.
«While keeping alive these traditional components, the black churches of today, which represent 6.9% of Faithful in the USA, they are projecting themselves into the future and there are different fields of action-specifies “Jesus” -.
Almost every church has its own website and a list of activities that range from social to educational, from housing for older people to raise funds for unwed mothers.