Inside the Core: Celebrating Black Catholic History Month

We are excited to celebrate two very important events this coming week, events both linked to larger celebrations, campus-wide.  As part of Black Catholic History Month, we are hosting a panel on “Transformational Journeys: the Legacy of African Saints Series.”  On Wednesday, November 12 at 5 p.m., our panel of experts will explore the topic of African Saints, a large number of individuals including saints like Simon of Cyrene, Perpetua and Felicity and Martin de Porres.  In Core II, Perpetua’s prison journal, her Passio, is a required text.

Our panel includes Sister Mary John Bosco Ebere, Core faculty member; Rev. Forrest Pritchett (Director of the MLK Leadership Program, Professor of Africana Studies and Core faculty member; Nkosi Anderson, Professor of Africana Studies and Core faculty member and special guest Rahsaan Garlin, Associate Director of African American, African and Caribbean Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Newark.  

Regarding Black Catholic History month, Rev. Pritchett shared the following: 

During my early years at Seton Hall, I was highly influenced by Bishop Francis and Sister Rose Thering’s presence and their words to the Seton Hall community. At the end of my first year here, 1979, a unique statement was rendered on behalf of the US Catholic church on racism in America.   

At the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, in 1979, the bishops wrote Brothers and Sisters to Us, a pastoral letter addressing how racism was still affecting so many, highlighting the institutional forms of racial injustice evident in the economic imbalances found in our society.

At a symposium in 1991, celebrating the centennial anniversary of modern Catholic social teaching, Bishop Joseph Francis, declared that the lack of attention given Brothers and Sisters to Us made it “the best-kept secret in the church in this country.” He concluded by voicing sentiments very much like those expressed by Rev. Dr. James Cone:

Social justice vis-à-vis the eradication of racism in our church is simply not a priority of social concern commissions, social concern directors and agencies. While I applaud the concern of such individuals and groups for the people of Eastern Europe, China, and Latin America, that same concern is not expressed, is not incarnated for the victims of racism in this country . . . The question is, Is the quality of our mercy strained when black people are concerned?

Rev. Dr. James Hal Cone, is the renowned founder of Black Liberation Theology, an award-winning author and the Bill & Judith Moyers Distinguished Professor of Systematic Theology at Union Theological Seminary in the City of New York. Cone is best known as the father of black liberation theology in his ground-breaking works, Black Theology & Black Power (1969); A Black Theology of Liberation (1970); and God of the Oppressed (1975).

There is much work to be done in the 21st century as established by the agenda of the National Black Catholic Congress and as mandated through scripture: Jeremiah 29:11: 

 For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Our panel is one of other upcoming events linked to Black Catholic History.  The event is co-sponsored by Africana Studies, the MLK Leadership Program, the Gospel Choir, the University Core, and Campus Ministry. The panel will be held in Schwartz Hall, Room 113, with light refreshments.  There is also a TEAMS link for those who cannot attend in person: Join the meeting now.

Also we are pleased to mention an initiative led by Josephine DeVito, Associate Professor of Nursing and Core faculty member and Thomas Seat, Core Fellow, who are in the Mission Partners Program, with their project being a challenge for the Seton Hall Community to live out the message of Pope Francis’ Laudato Si.  Their kick-off event, “Laudato Si: Sustainability Challenge,” occurs on Monday, Nov. 10, 2:30 - 3:30 p.m. in the Event Lounge of the University Center.  

Here in the Core and at Seton Hall overall, our Catholic mission and our values tell us that history matters and that science examined with a lens of faith and truth should never be dismissed. Have a great week!