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10 Things to Know About the
BCI
July, 2017
The Lord Be With You
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Just like the Faith, the Drum works for us if you pass it on.
TO SUBSCRIBE TO THIS NEWSLETTER CONTACT
BCI
TO SUPPORT THIS WORK PRAY AND GO TO
GIVE
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Prayers are requested for
THE NATIONAL BLACK CATHOLIC CONGRESS
THE JOINT CONFERENCE of
The National Black Catholic Seminarians Association
The National Black Sisters Conference
The National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus
The National Association of Black Catholic Administrators
All convening in the Diocese of Orlando, Florida
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Please submit all prayer requests to
312-577-0475
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Understanding the Initiative
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The goal is to come together and work together in order to give and serve as Church. Building on what has worked to effectively serve African American Catholics in the past, together we will prepare the church for the next generation of Black Catholics.
With the change in our leadership, there has been a significant change in philosophy. Joseph Cardinal Bernardin established the Office of Black Catholic Ministry
and charged pastoral center agencies to be inclusive.
The Black Catholic Initiative will charge African American Catholics to be fully present and accountable. African American Catholics will be challenged to give our unique gift of blackness as called for by God, in the beginning, urged by Pope Paul VI in Uganda in 1969, reiterated by the Black Bishops of the United States in 1984, and no doubt repeated by numerous active baptized Catholics for many years.
Those who define themselves as a part of this ethnic ministry will actively take the initiative to make our work a gift to the local church of Chicago. This initiative of faith will not be a gift from the church to the people; it will be the gift of the people to the church. We will practice Kujichagulia, Ujamaa, and Umoja (self-determination, collective work and responsibility and unity) in order to first give honor to God and to offer our catholicity to the whole church.
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Understanding the Subsidiarity
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Subsidiarity, n.
The quality of being subsidiary; spec. the principle that a central authority should have a subsidiary function, performing only those tasks which cannot be performed effectively at a more immediate or local level.
Oxford English Dictionary
Subsidiarity is a Catholic organizing principle that recognizes the responsibility of all the baptized to assist with the governance of the church.
By the authority of the Archbishop, the most competent and assigned persons closest to the mission are empowered to take prudent action. Central authority is exercised only when tasks cannot be performed effectively at the local level.
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Why did Archbishop Cupich move the Office of Black Catholic Ministries to a Black Catholic Initiative?
Subsidiarity governs the Archbishop so that he does not pretend to govern alone. It guides him to call forth the gifts given by God to each individual and every community so that the church can be effectively governed.
The Archbishop believes that services are more effectively delivered at the local level. In this move, he recognizes and appreciates the formation, education, and dedication of baptized women and men called to serve.
With clarity of the role of the Archbishop, he reminds us that he too is following the Lord, not pretending to replace him. He is leading by example.
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The Archbishop of Chicago will appoint an Advisory Board to assist him with his ministry.
- Emigrants and immigrants from the Mother Land are a part of the BCI.
- A coordinator will be hired to serve as secretary to the Board and coordinate programs. A job description is under development.
We will start anew with FOUR areas of FOCUS:
- Catholic Identity
- Catholic Vocation
- Catholic Social Justice
- Catholic Education
Existing programs are to remain in place.
- The Drum will be published on the First Sunday of the month.
- God’s Praises Tell is not, and never was, ours as Black Catholics, it belongs to the Communication Department of the Archdiocese.
- The BCI will create programs that belong to the BCI.
Planning has begun for a Black Catholic Retreat.
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Some Ideas for Exploration
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A Pilgrimage to Vatican City
A Pilgrimage to Black Catholic Cuba
Celebrating Marriage Day
A Celebration of Priesthood in the African American community
A Catholic Heritage Celebration
The re-establishment of the St. Augustine Society
Tolton Principal / Teacher Award Fund
High School Vocation Scholarship
Black Catholic Women’s Day / Men’s Day
Black Catholic Family Homecoming
Black Catholic Business Directory – Year Book
A daily evening prayer for Black Catholics
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Blacks make up 33% of the population of Chicago, 887,608 people;
Blacks make up 3% of the Catholic Church in Chicago, 66,000 people;
Black Catholics make up 13% of the city’s black population;
800 people subscribe to The Drum. Please encourage others to subscribe;
The Office for Black Catholics lists 150 Black Catholics as key leaders.
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July 29th
REQUEST FOR INVITATION
The Annual BCI Report
RSVP REQUIRED
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Committees are now being formed for the
BCI THIRD YEAR!
Please consider lending your time, talent and treasure to your sisters and brothers in Christ Jesus
- All Souls Climate Justice Conference Nov 2017
- Commemoration of the Civil Rights Movement Jan 2018
- 2018 Invest in Your Spirit Retreat June 2018
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RADIO BCI
Tuesdays 9-9:30 a.m.
Relevant Radio 950-AM
Deacon John Cook
hosts this weekly half-hour program that explores a wide range of topics relevant to Chicago's Black and Catholic communities. Deacon Cook serves at St. Felicitas Parish in Chatham, and is very involved in overseeing youth programs in the Bronzeville neighborhood.
Tune in and Call in
312.255.8408
Let’s talk about:
July 4th - Chicago Superintendent Eddie Johnson
July 11th - Andrew Holmes - Community Activists
July 18th - Deacon Davis Fair - BCI 2017 Retreat
July 25th - Kurt Davis - First Time BCI Retreat Attendance
Make Them Hear You!
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Founded in 1940 by a group of African American lay women and men seeking a welcoming home for their families to worship "in spirit and in truth", Holy Name of Mary Parish has been a leading church in Chicago's Morgan Park community. From the beginning it had the strong support of other community Churches and businesses.
Under the capable leadership of dedicated priests, the Oblate Sisters of Providence/Baltimore, and Lay Ministers, the parish has pursued worthy goals to assist the greater community in spiritual and physical betterment. This was provided through a strong ministry of education at Holy Name of Mary School, solid spiritual leadership in worship services, and a strong spirit of ecumenism. The result has been parishioners who have a strong sense of identity and unity; we can truly pray that each member of the congregation enjoys all the blessings we deisre for ourselves!
Congratulations to Fr. Tom Jackson, O.P. on his 25th year of Ordination!
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All are welcome to bring ideas and gifts to this collective work of baptizing, matrimony and anointing, this effort of Kujichagulia, Umoja and Imani. This is a meeting of the seven sacraments of the church and the seven principles of Kwanzaa. This is a meeting of the church. That is what makes it and us truly Catholic. Stay tuned, stay close, get involved, walk together and don’t you get weary! There’s a great camp meeting in the Promised Land. Believe that you are in the camp.
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About the Black Catholic Initiative
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The Black Catholic Initiative (BCI) has as its focus the 66K African American Catholics served by 351 parishes, 38 of which are predominately African American. The BCI was created to prepare the church for the next generation of African American Catholics, charging them to be fully present and accountable. The goal of the BCI is to come together and work together in order to give and serve the Church. The BCI is an ethnic ministry that actively participates and offers its work as a gift to the local church of Chicago. Those involved in the BCI will practice Umoja, Kujichagulia and Ujima, (unity, self-determination, collective work and responsibility) in order to first give honor to God and to offer Catholicity with the whole church. The BCI will be one church, not many parishes. In this tried and true tradition, the BCI will plainly and clearly be Catholic.
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