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Applications for the Daniel Rudd Fund Grant Program are now being accepted
Deadline is September 8, 2026 5:00 PM EDT
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320 Cathedral St., Baltimore, MD 21201
Ph: 410.547.8496
Email: nbcc@nbccongress.org
Web: www.nbccongress.org
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Bishop Garcia Underscores the Significance of the Voting Rights Act and Encourages Recommitment to the Work Which Remains
From the USCCB Website
The Voting Rights Act was signed into law on August 6, 1965. The landmark legislation helped advance equal access to the ballot and strengthened participation in our democracy. In recognition of the six decades since it was enacted, and its continued significance today, Bishop Daniel E. Garcia, chairman of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ Subcommittee for the Promotion of Racial Justice and Reconciliation issued a statement.
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'Maintenance to mission': National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus envisions future at 2026 convocation
By Nate Tinner-Williams | Black Catholic Messenger
HOUSTON — “What is God asking us to do next?”
This question from Fr Kareem Smith could be said to have been the guiding question for the 2026 convocation of the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus. Held July 21-24, the event gathered 45 priests, permanent deacons and their wives, seminarians, and a religious brother this week for several days of fellowship and organizing in a time of great challenge for the Black community.
| Photo by Carole Norris Greene/Special to the Catholic Review | |
Black Catholic religious sisters grace Baltimore at national event as they seek new members
By Carole Norris Greene | Special to the Catholic Review
Members of the National Black Sisters’ Conference (NBSC) held their annual assembly July 26-30 at the Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel. Under the banner of “Reflect, Renew, Respond,” the sisters and their associate members reflected upon the legacies that shaped their journey, renewed their commitment to justice and service, and relied upon courage to continue responding to God’s call.
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What is the Bakhita House, which the Pope will visit in Paris?
By the Editors | Aleteia
During his visit to France, Leo XIV will visit the Maison Bakhita in Paris on September 26th. This place is dedicated to welcoming exiled people and is under the patronage of Saint Josephine Bakhita, a former Sudanese slave who became a nun and a symbol of forgiveness.
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For children who have difficulty or cannot read:
- Has the child been assessed for any learning challenges?
- Has the child had a vision assessment?
Years ago a school claimed that "Carl" couldn't read and they didn't know how to meet his needs. His parents learned how poor his vision was, and hired a teacher to tutor him. He now reads and comprehends beyond the college level at age 14. The program his tutor uses is called Phono-Graphix and it helps people with reading challenges, especially those with dyslexia, a life-long learning disability where the brain processes written language and speech sounds differently.
The book is called, "Reading Reflex" and it is available on the Phono-Graphix website as a package with supplementary materials, or you can purchase the book only through Amazon or other online book sellers (link to ThriftBooks). This book outlines the necessary skills that you need to teach children to help them read.
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The Phono-Graphix® Reading Instruction and Intervention Program has been proven 98% effective at addressing reading problems at any age or ability level.
The Phono-Graphix Reading Method is a phonetic-linguistic approach to teaching reading, based upon extensive clinical experience with children and rigorous research in the fields of reading, cognitive psychology, learning theory, child development, motivation theory and linguistics.
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Educators: Train Online
The online course animated sample students provide you with composite personalities, constructed from the years of experience of the program developers. Real students come to life, with real personalities, real auditory processing deficits, poor code knowledge, and a mixed bag of bad strategies.
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Make known to me your ways, Lord;
teach me your paths.
Guide me by your fidelity and teach me,
for you are God my savior,
for you I wait all the day long.
Psalm 25: 4-5
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FRIDAY, AUGUST 14, 2026
Memorial of St. Maximilian Kolbe
Saint Maximilian Kolbe (1894–1941) was a Polish Franciscan priest and martyr who volunteered to die by starvation in place of a stranger at the Auschwitz concentration camp during World War II, after spending his life as a prolific missionary and publisher.
| | | Upcoming Marian Celebrations: | | |
SATURDAY, AUGUST 15, 2026
The Solemnity of the Assumption of Mary
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SATURDAY, AUGUST 22, 2026
Queenship of the Blessed Virgin Mary
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Trials: God's Refining Process
From Hope for the Heart
One of my favorite childhood memories is roasting marshmallows around a campfire in my Uncle Jimmy’s backyard in Idabel, Oklahoma. With a coat hanger in hand, I’d char the outside of two marshmallows just enough to melt the gooey inside. Back then, fire meant fun, food, and family.
Years later, I learned fire also has a powerful biblical application – not the kind associated with fond memories, but with the refining work of God. The Bible speaks often about fiery trials, describing how God refines His children like gold and silver.
“I have refined you, though not as silver; I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.” (Isaiah 48:10)
| | Know Someone Who is Thinking About Becoming Catholic? | | |
How Do I Convert to Catholicism?
From Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church
How do I convert to Catholicism? What are the steps involved? Fr. Pat outlines the RCIA (Right of Christian Initiation of Adults) process for converting to Catholicism, now known as OCIA.
| | Click the play button above to watch the video. | |
OCIA Order of Christian Initiation of Adults (formerly known as RCIA) begins in late August and early September
Sign up for OCIA at your nearest parish, but do it soon as classes traditionally follow the school year and begin in late August or early September.
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Becoming Catholic: Everything you need to know about OCIA
By Kate Quiñones | EWTN News
The recent election of Pope Leo XIV has sparked new interest in Catholicism, with Google data showing a spike in searches on “how to become Catholic” shortly after the death of Pope Francis in April. Meanwhile, across many dioceses — and especially among young people — anecdotal reports indicate an upswing in people joining the Catholic Church in recent years.
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BOOK RECOMMENDATION
Learn More About the Catholic Faith
COMPENDIUM: Catechism of the Catholic Church
Pope Benedict XVI gives the Church the "food" that it seeks in the 598 questions and answers in the Compendium, Catechism of the the Catholic Church. This volume offers a quick synopsis of the essential contents of the Faith as promulgated in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. Like the 1992 Catechism, the Compendium has a four-part structure, and includes a section on common prayers and Catholic doctrinal formulas.
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James 3:13
From Bible.com
Who is wise and understanding among you? What is wisdom? Check out this short video that explains what wisdom really is.
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Litany of Prayers for Priests and Seminarians
Although his memorial day was August 4, praying the novena to St. John Vianney and the litany for priests and seminarians is important because it seeks spiritual protection, holiness, and strength for Catholic clergy. As the patron saint of parish priests, St. John Vianney models deep pastoral devotion, and these prayers support men answering the vocational call to shepherd the Church.
| | | Catholic Social Teaching Online Course from the Josephite Pastoral Center | | |
SEPTEMBER 9, 2026
Join Us for the National Day of Prayer for Peace in Our Communities
Why September 9? September 9 is the Memorial of St. Peter Claver, a Jesuit priest from Catalonia who served and ministered to enslaved Africans in Cartagena, Colombia for 38 years. St. Peter Claver baptized more than 300,000 people and called himself the "slave of the slaves forever". He died in 1654 and was canonized by Pope Leo XIII in 1888. He is the patron saint of African Americans and of enslaved peoples. The Memorial of St. Peter Claver is an occasion for heightened prayer and action to strive for peace in our communities.
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DEADLINE IS SEPTEMBER 23, 2026
Apply Now for the 2027 DOI Scholarship to Attend the 2027 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering
The theme of the 2027 Gathering, taking place January 31-February 2, 2027, in Washington DC, is "Builders of Communion, Committed to Justice." Inspired by Pope Leo's vision in Magnifica Humanitas to build a civilization of love and mercy, this theme calls participants to deepen their commitment to promoting human dignity and the common good.
The Diversity Outreach Initiative (DOI) provides scholarships for leaders from diverse Catholic communities to participate in CSMG. DOI scholarship recipients join the community at CSMG to pray, learn, and act for human life and dignity. DOI participants will have the opportunity to expand their network of established Catholic social ministry leaders, learn about domestic and international challenges to human dignity and the Church's response, and share their own experiences in ministry and commitment to justice.
| | In 1874, an African-American inventor designed an improved bathroom system for trains as Lewis Howard Latimer co-patented a safer railroad car water closet with Charles W. Brown. AI generated image | |
In 1874, an African-American inventor designed an improved bathroom system for trains: How Lewis Howard Latimer along with Charles W. Brown changed railroad travel with a safer water closet patent
By Gandharv Walia | The Economic Times
In 1874, an African-American inventor designed an improved bathroom system for trains, creating a solution that made railroad travel safer and cleaner. Lewis Howard Latimer worked with Charles W. Brown to patent the Water Closet for Railroad Cars. Their design prevented dust, wind, and debris from entering train coaches through the toilet opening. The invention became one of Latimer's important early achievements before he gained recognition for his work in electric lighting.
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Five Ways Family Caregivers Can Get Paid
By Julie B. Kennedy | National Council on Aging
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Key Takeaways
- Government programs like Medicaid and the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) pay some family caregivers, but eligibility criteria limit families who can benefit.
- Some long-term care insurance policies pay “informal caregivers” which can include family members.
- Eleven states plus Washington, D.C. have paid family leave laws that may allow you to continue to earn income while taking time off work to care for an aging family member.
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About Water and Healthier Drinks
From the Center for Disease Control (CDC)
Benefits of drinking water
Getting enough water every day is important for health. Drinking water can prevent dehydration, which may cause unclear thinking, mood change, overheating, constipation, and kidney stones. Water has no calories, so replacing sugary drinks with plain water can help reduce caloric intake.
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Julia Greeley, Servant of God
From The Julia Greeley Guild
Julia Greeley, Denver’s Angel of Charity, was born into slavery, near Hannibal, Missouri, sometime between 1833 and 1848. While she was still a young child, a cruel slave master, in the course of beating her mother, caught Julia’s right eye with his whip and destroyed it.
Freed by Missouri’s Emancipation Act in 1865, Julia subsequently earned her keep by serving white families in Missouri, Colorado, Wyoming and New Mexico—mostly in the Denver area.
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About the Burial Place of Julia Greeley
A passage from a famous tribute to Julia Greeley, written by Monsignor Matthew Smith, and published in the Denver Catholic Register in June 1918, reads:
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"The highest honor that has ever been paid to a Colorado Catholic layman immediately following death has been given within the last week to a negress, Julia Greeley, an aged woman who died in poverty in the Sacred Heart parish, but who is declared by the Jesuit Fathers of that church to have been the most zealous apostle of the Sacred Heart they have ever known.
And she died on the feast of the Sacred Heart. Her end came unexpectedly. But she received the full rites of the Church. The time of her death, considering the work she did in life, makes it look as if the very finger of God was present."
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As part of the Cause for Canonization, the remains of Servant of God Julia Greeley were transferred on June 7, 2017 from Mt. Olivet Cemetery to Denver’s Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception, where visitors are encouraged to pray for her intercession. Her tomb rests near the side altar of the Sacred Heart of Jesus at the front left of the Cathedral.
Pictured below left is the tomb of Servant of God Julia Greeley, enshrined near the altar of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, shown below right.
| | Pictured above left is sign describing the saintly life and charitable works of Julia Greeley; above right is an illustration based on the only known photograph of Julia Greeley (see photo at the beginning of this article). All pictures of the tomb and altar were taken by NBCC Staff. | | |
Volunteer Opportunities: Serve Mothers, Babies, and Families
Often, women facing unexpected pregnancies are met with scorn and judgment from those around them. With the doubts of others in their minds, they may not fully realize all they can be as mothers and daughters of Christ. Gabriel Network’s Church-Based Ministry offers encouragement, practical help, and spiritual guidance to these women.
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When a woman contacts Gabriel Network through our helpline, we identify her most significant needs and how our volunteers can help. Our Church-Based Ministry Volunteer Teams, also known as Angel Friend Teams, consist of trained volunteers from local churches who help women throughout their pregnancies and beyond.
Your church can join our network of Church-Based Ministry Volunteer Teams, playing a vital role by providing love and community to pregnant and parenting mothers. Together, we can show moms and babies the love of Christ.
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Pierre Toussaint Scholars Program
The Pierre Toussaint Scholars Program, a leadership and scholarship initiative in partnership with Catholic Charities of New York, supports a growing community of more than 90 scholars during the 2025–26 academic year, attending over 70 different colleges and universities across the country, including CUNY/SUNY schools, Fordham, Columbia, Cornell, Georgetown, Howard, Xavier U. of LA, and Yale. Through financial assistance, mentorship, spiritual formation, and leadership development, scholars are prepared for lives of impact in fields ranging from education and healthcare to ministry and public service.
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How to Use ChatGPT or Other AI content creators for beginners
By NBCC Staff using ChatGPT
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ChatGPT: Your Everyday Writing and Creativity Assistant
Have you ever wished someone could help you write a letter, organize your thoughts, or create a beautiful image for a church event or family celebration? ChatGPT can do all of those things—and you don't need to be a computer expert to use it. Think of ChatGPT as a helpful assistant. The more clearly you explain what you want, the better the results will be.
| | Adobe Stock Image licensed to the NBCC | | ChatGPT Tutorial Video (for the Visual Learners) | | Adobe Stock Image licensed to the NBCC | | |
AI Is Quietly Eroding Your Attention. Here's the Fix.
A four-move method that makes the machine demand more of your mind, not less
By Dr. Sean Tobin | The Inner Exodus
The real risk of these tools was never that they would take our jobs. It is quieter than that, and closer in. They can take our thinking, a little at a time, in a way that never feels like losing anything. You have a hard question, and instead of staying with it you hand it over, and the answer comes back clean and quick, and you take it and move on. Nothing seems lost, because the thing you gave away does not announce that it is going. It simply stops being there one day when you reach for it, and by then you already have a story ready about being busy.
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TRUTHLY: Catholic AI
Truth. Not Affirmation.
Every other AI is built to agree with you.
Truthly tells you the truth.
Instant answers. 2,000 years of wisdom.
Zero spin.
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New to Zoom? Here's a Complete Tutorial
From Tech Life Unity
New to Zoom and not sure how to use it? Watch our beginners guide to zoom, where you'll learn all the basics of using the Zoom desktop app, including how to start a Zoom meeting, how to use Zoom chat, and more.
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The Sacrament of Confirmation
Strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
Sent to Live the Faith.
Confirmation is far more than a milestone—it is a powerful encounter with the Holy Spirit that strengthens us to live as faithful disciples of Jesus Christ. The National Black Catholic Congress' The Sacrament of Confirmation: Send Forth Your Spirit brochure offers a clear, practical guide for parents, sponsors, catechists, parish leaders, and young people preparing to receive this sacred sacrament. Rooted in the teachings of the Catholic Church, it highlights the importance of family, prayer, service, and lifelong discipleship while providing practical guidance for Confirmation preparation. Discover how this valuable resource can help form a new generation of Black Catholic leaders, grounded in faith and empowered by the Holy Spirit.
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Gone from My Sight: The Dying Experience
By Barbara Karnes, RN
This book is a gift to all those seeking to understand death and the dying process. It is a valuable resource for families experiencing the dying process of a loved one.
| Watch the video interviews with the author: | | The Eucharistic Adoration Pamphlet
(Sold as a 10 Pack)
This brochure from Our Sunday Visitor is an excellent resource for guiding parishioners in devotion to the Blessed Sacrament. Featuring full-color illustrations and clear explanations, it provides concrete suggestions and spiritual meanings for prayerful engagement. Ideal for church entrances or youth groups, it's an attractive, easy-to-read guide that enriches understanding and participation in Eucharistic Adoration. | | |
Why Be Catholic?
From Our Sunday Visitor
When the world seems to be full of reasons not to practice any type of religion, and the media portrays Christianity, particularly Catholicism, in a bad light, many people may wonder why be Catholic?.
In just a few short but compelling answers, this pamphlet gives Catholics and non-Catholics alike the simple reasons why the Church is still vibrant and growing 2,000+ years after being founded by Jesus Christ himself.
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BLACK CATHOLIC FLOURISHING INITIATIVE
The Black Catholic Flourishing Initiative is a bold, Spirit-led movement to reimagine, renew, and restore the fullness of Black Catholic life across the United States. It seeks to transform both the conditions of Black Catholic communities and the consciousness of the Church so that Black Catholics not only survive but thrive spiritually, culturally, and communally. By cultivating a shared North Star, strengthening collaboration and infrastructure among institutions, and serving as a connective hub for resources and leadership, the Initiative works to unleash the sacred gift of Black Catholic life for the renewal of the Church and the transformation of society.
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The USCCB Daily Bible Readings
Check out the USCCB Daily Readings to get free, daily access to scripture texts, audio podcasts, and video reflections. It helps you prepare for Mass, read the Word of God on the go, and explore official translations approved for U.S. Catholics.
| | Adobe Stock Image licensed to the NBCC | | Great Gear for Back-to-School | | We've loaded our online store with great new designs and products. Check these out: | | |
CONNECT TO GOD: The Password is Prayer
This versatile backpack goes from school days to sports practice to sleepovers.
- Made of polyester
- Backpack measures 5.75"Dx11.75"Wx17.5"H
- Features padded back and adjustable straps for comfort, two convenient side pockets, front zippered pocket and lunchbox attachment on front
- Spot Clean
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MORE STYLES & COLORS AVAILABLE
CONNECT TO GOD: The Password is Prayer
Our Men’s Value T-Shirt is an everyday essential! This short-sleeve midweight fabric T-shirt is comfortable, economical and made to last.
- All clothing purchases backed by our PerfectShirt™ guarantee: If you’re not pleased with your product for any reason, you can return or exchange it free within 30 days
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MORE COLORS AVAILABLE
The Saintly Seven Baseball Cap
Black Catholic Holy Men and Women on the Path to Sainthood
Our casually comfortable baseball caps have all your bases covered. Bad hair day? Early morning coffee run? No problem. You’ll hit a fashion home run with our winning designs.
- Comfortable and stylish baseball hats made of 100% cotton
- Features metal slide adjuster on back
- Low-sitting brim and inside sweatband
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MORE COLORS AVAILABLE
Venerable Augustus Tolton Ball Cap
Promote the Tolton Cause for Canonization by telling his story on your apparel!
Our casually comfortable baseball caps have all your bases covered. Bad hair day? Early morning coffee run? No problem. You’ll hit a fashion home run with our winning designs.
- Comfortable and stylish baseball hats made of 100% cotton
- Features metal slide adjuster on back
- Low-sitting brim and inside sweatband
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The Saintly Seven Aluminum License Plate
Black Catholic Holy Men and Women on the Path to Sainthood
Have wheels? Spread the word about the Saintly Seven everywhere you drive!
- Custom license plate made of durable, weather-resistant aluminum
- Measures approximately 12” x 6”
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OTHER PRODUCTS AVAILABLE WITH THIS DESIGN
Madonna And Child Large Keepsake Box
Beautiful rendition of the Black Madonna and Child.
Artfully crafted, this custom keepsake box is ideal for collecting trinkets and more. Keep their priceless treasures secure in a stylish gift for years to come.
| | Find these designs and more on the NBCC Online Gift Shop! | | |
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