By Marlene Quaroni - Florida Catholic
Rita Eberhart sings during the Mass Archbishop Thomas Wenski celebrated Nov. 3, 2019, at St. Philip Neri Church, Miami Gardens, for Black Catholic History Month.
Choir member, Theresa Davis, sings with other choir members on the church balcony in front of a stained glass window depicting St. Philip Neri.
Archbishop Thomas Wenski preaches the homily during the Mass he celebrated Nov. 3, 2019, for Black Catholic History Month at St. Philip Neri Church, Miami Gardens.
Sebastian Warner, 7, brings the offertory to Archbishop Thomas Wenski during the Mass he celebrated for Black Catholic History Month, Nov. 3, 2019, at St. Philip Neri Church, Miami Gardens.
Parishioners pray during the Mass Archbishop Thomas Wenski celebrated for Black Catholic History Month, Nov. 3, 2019, at St. Philip Neri Church, Miami Gardens.
St. Philip Church liturgical dancers perform at the Mass for Black Catholic History Month celebrated by Archbishop Thomas Wenski, Nov. 3, 2019, at St. Philip Neri Church in Miami Gardens.
Katrenia Reeves Jackman, director of the archdiocesan Office of Black Catholic Ministry, addresses the congregation at the conclusion of the Mass Archbishop Thomas Wenski celebrated for Black Catholic History Month, Nov. 3, 2019, at St. Philip Neri Church, Miami Gardens.
Spiritan Father Fidelis Nwankwo, St. Philip Neri's administrator, blesses Dr. Constance and Charles Thornton after they volunteered to be in charge of the Vocations Prayer Box Ministry, at the conclusion of the Mass Archbishop Thomas Wenski celebrated for Black Catholic History Month, Nov. 3, 2019, at St. Philip Neri Church, Miami Gardens.
Lona Bethel Matthews poses with Archbishop Thomas Wenski after the Mass he celebrated for Black Catholic History Month, Nov. 3, 2019, at St. Philip Neri Church, Miami Gardens.
Photography: MARLENE QUARONI | FC
MIAMI GARDENS | November is National Black Catholic History Month. To mark the start of the annual observance, Archbishop Thomas Wenski celebrated Mass with black Catholics at St. Philip Neri Church in Miami Gardens.
On Saturday, Nov. 16, local Catholics of African-American descent will gather at the Stadium Hotel, 21485 N.W. 27th Ave., Miami Gardens, for a luncheon in honor of Black Catholic History Month. For tickets and information, email: [email protected].
In 1990, the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus of the United States convened at Fordham University in New York. They voted to establish November as Black Catholic History Month because many dates important to Catholics of African descent fell within that month. The dates include:
- Nov. 1, All Saints Day: an opportunity to acknowledge hundreds of saints of African descent in the first 300 years of the Church.
- Nov. 2, All Souls Day: a time to remember African souls lost to cruel treatment in the Middle Passage crossing the Atlantic Ocean.
- Nov. 3, St. Martin de Porres’ feast day: the only saint of African descent from the Western Hemisphere.
- Nov. 13, birth of St. Augustine: the first Doctor of the Church from North Africa.
