There are more and more African American clerics occupying important roles in the American Church, but there are still strong objections and prejudice against them.
Catholicism is a minority religion in the black community of the USA, but the influence of Afro American priests is growing even though the presence of‘black power’ at the very top of the Church hierarchy is still feeble.
“Historically, the Church in America has suffered from a lack of outreach to blacks and the consequences can still be seen today” said the Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago Joseph Perry - one of barely 16 African American bishops in the USA - to the National Catholic Register.
Monsignor Perry is organizing the cause for canonization of Fr. Augustine (also known as Augustus) Tolton.
Born in slavery, Fr. Tolton lived a difficult life as a cleric, being a victim of racism. Today, he could become the first African American priest to be canonized. His cause for beatification and sainthood was presented to the Chicago archdiocese last year. Even though there are no any living witnesses anymore, Mgr. Perry believes he has found enough evidence to hope for a positive outcome from Rome.
“Fr. Tolton was brave in his work and always remained a faithful and obedient Catholic and priest,” the Auxiliary Bishop of Chicago stated “He did not renounce the Lord. He remained loyal. His silent testimony is a challenge to our prejudice and the narrow-mindedness that keeps us isolated from the diversity in the kingdom of the Lord.”
One American in four is Catholic, but this percentage is much lower in the African American community.
Nowadays in the United States there are three million Catholics of African American origin (3% of the total population). The number of African Americans in the clergy and the episcopate is indisputably low.
Only 250 of the 40.000 priests and 16 of the 434 bishops in the US are black. However the influence of African American clerics in the ecclesiastical hierarchy is growing, especially because they are responsible for helping the ecumenical dialogue between Catholicism and the very popular Protestant “African American Churches”, starting with the shared struggle for civil rights.
The race to include ‘African American Catholics’ at the top of the Church hierarchy has illustrious fathers and strong roots. In 1999 the bishop of Belleville in Illinois, Mgr. Wilton D. Gregory (already close collaborator of Cardinal Joseph Bernardin, Archbishop of Chicago) opened the doors of the Church to ‘black power’ by becoming the first African American in the history of American Catholicism to take on the roles first of vice president and then president of the US Conference of Catholic Bishops.
This improvement is coupled also with the activism of the so called ‘Black theological thought’, a movement which is aimed at analyzing the condition of African Americans in the light of God’s revelation of himself in Jesus Christ by studying in more depth the relationship that exists between faith, religious practice, the Bible and ecumenism.
This movement has become particularly relevant after the events of 1985 in Africa, when Pope John Paul II asked for forgiveness for the slave trade which destroyed the lives of thousands.
It was a memorable ‘ Mea Culpa’ for the abominable acts committed by Christian countries and supported by Christian people. The ’black power’ has struggled to bore its way in the American Church amidst sour oppositions and racist prejudice, as has been deplored by one of the most illustrious figures of the American Catholicism.
In his pastoral entitled “Healing racism through faith and truth,” Cardinal Anthony Bevilacqua, who at the time was Archbishop of Philadelphia, pointed the finger at what he defined as a ‘contagious moral disease and one of the greatest obstacles’ not only to a peaceful social life , but also to people’s personal and social relationship with God. Racism is indeed a contagious disease, the cleric said “No one is born racist but the disease spreads and carriers infect others in countless ways through words and attitudes, deeds and omissions” He also added “one thing is for sure, this disease can be and must be eradicated. Racism must be declared a sin, it is an evil that cannot be justified’.
The Cardinal clearly had in mind the historical and social situation in the United States. Even though the country was founded on the principle of equality, American history has from the very beginning recorded a racial split and some American citizens haven’t yet been able to consider themselves equal.
“This split has lasted for many years, it is a sin deeply rooted in American life”, these words refer clearly to the ‘black coloured’ people for whom violent racial strife has been a sore reality for a long time. He said, “Racism is an intolerable injustice” and “It undermines the foundations of a fair democratic society”.
Very harsh words against racisms were also pronounced in December 1993 by John Paul II in occasion of the ‘ad limina’ visit of a group of American bishops. Since bishops of ‘multiethnic’ dioceses such as Hawaii and California were present, Karol Wojtyla seized the opportunity to discuss racism and intolerance.
“Racism” said John Paul II “is an intolerable injustice not only because it causes social conflict, but also and especially because it strips people of dignity which is an inalienable right of all human beings, regardless of race or ethnic origin.”
Karol Wojtyla encouraged the Catholic Church to try and unify the various ethnic groups within it. He encouraged all American Catholics to become involved in the American political, social and cultural institutions in the spirit of authentic solidarity.
“The Christian conscience” the Polish Pope warned “needs to rediscover a true sense of caring for the poor, the persecuted and the weak”.
John Paul II , in his speech, spoke of how the Catholic Church in the United States was supporting a national pastoral scheme for African American Catholics and how the Church offered respect and assistance to all those who wished to be “proud African Americans and authentic Catholics.”
“I also know how much of a challenge it is to build solidarity towards the Native American community” emphasized Karol Wojtyla “especially in terms of social justice and health and their right to a house, work and education.”
Almost twenty years after this statement, now that Obama is president, a study of the Notre Dame university has drawn a clear picture of the growth of the African American community in the U.S. Catholic Church.
Black Catholics are more and more influential in the U.S dioceses. There has been an increase in the number of parish jobs done by African Americans and also a constant increase in their attendance to Sunday mass. More over it ecclesiastical structures appear to be more popular with black Catholics than with white ones. 78% of African American Catholics, compared to just 67% of white American Catholics, has declared that parish priests fulfil ‘ well or very well’ the spiritual needs of the community.
At the same time a comparison between data in 1987 and today showed a clear change in the Catholic population in the US, which is growing older and older. There is an increase in the number of African American Catholics in the ‘millenials’ category, which correspond to the 18-30 age bracket. There has also been an increase in the influence that black believers have in the American laity.
Catholicism is now a relevant part of the African American Christian landscape. From Chicago to Philadelphia, from New Orleans to Atlanta to the Pacific ocean the Catholic Church represents a bridge towards one of the most dynamic religious realities in the world, that of the Protestant "Black Churches".
Meanwhile the White House is occupied by the first black president in history.