Annual convocation combined with saint’s feast day
By Holly Jean Dunbar
Correspondent
Seeking input from black Catholics to better meet their needs, the members of the diocesan Commission for Black Catholic Ministry held their annual convocation Nov. 6, St. Martin de Porres’ feast day, in St. Matthias Parish, Somerset.
“This is the first time that we’ve held the convocation in conjunction with the celebration for St. Martin de Porres,” said commission member Georgia Eubanks, Sacred Heart Parish, New Brunswick.
Born in Lima, Peru, in 1579, Martin was the illegitimate son of a freed Panama woman of black and possibly Native American descent, and a Spanish gentleman who later abandoned the family. Raised in poverty, Martin became a brother at the Dominican Friary in Lima and was known for his work with the poor, sick and impoverished. Canonized in 1962, he became the first person of color in the New World to be named a saint.
Holy Ghost Father Freddy Washington, staff chaplain, Harlem Hospital Center, N.Y., was guest homilist, addressing a crowd that the filled the church almost to capacity.
Father Washington related the example of Martin de Porres. “When people speak about the life of St. Martin de Porres, they always start out by saying he was the ‘illegitimate son.’ God says all of you are mine. All of you. White, black, yellow, any other color. You are all mine.
“Martin de Porres comes to us as a saint, one who knows how to reconcile and be reconciled. When everyone else wished him away, he knew that he was a child of God. Do you recognize that you are children of God?” Father Washington said.
The Mass also included a performance by the Umoja Imani Songsters, the Gospel choir of St. Matthias Parish.
“It was Liturgy at its best,” said Father Douglas J. Haefner, St. Matthias pastor and celebrant at the Mass. “We’re all one in the Body of Christ. Liturgy should be like this every Sunday. It shouldn’t have to be a special day. We should celebrate the gifts of everyone every week.”
At the Mass’s conclusion, approximately 60 people attended a buffet luncheon followed by the annual convocation themed The Church of Tomorrow – Today. Attendance was open to all, and included members of the commission and others from around the diocese
The commission, founded in the 1980s by Bishop Emeritus Edward T. Hughes, consists primarily of black Catholics from the diocese.
“The initial purpose of our group was to offer some resources to the black Catholic population,” Powell said. “Over the years, it has evolved. Today, we offer pilgrimages, retreats and we’ve hosted trips to the National Black Catholic Conference.”
“We look at issues as they affect black Catholics,” said Joseph L. Powell, commission chairman and a member of Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Piscataway. “The black Catholic population of the diocese is relatively small, probably 900 to 1,000 families. In some parishes, it’s just one family.”
The convocation focused on a discussion and feedback session rather than a guest speaker. Powell facilitated the discussion and solicited feedback from the attendees.
“This is an opportunity to conduct a sound check,” Powell explained. “The parish should be the center of our spiritual lives. And we need to ask, ‘Is the Church doing enough to support you in addressing your needs?’”
Participants were eager to share their experiences and express their views on a variety of subjects. Powell began by inviting feedback on ways to involve younger members of the community and on ministry to women.
Other topics included ecumenism, gender issues, the role of the pastor, history and tradition, changes in the diocese and changes in the Church around the world.
Many participants said they felt that the Church today is more inclusive in all respects.
But the main message from the discussion was that it is essential for parishes to create an environment that involves members and invites them to serve.
Acknowledging the views and sentiments of the participants, Powell added, “God has our best interests at heart. The Church of tomorrow may look very different. This is the Holy Spirit at work.”
For more information on the Commission on Black Catholic Ministry, contact the diocesan department of pastoral life, (732) 562-1990.
*The attached/referenced article was originally published in The Catholic Spirit, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Metuchen, and is protected under U.S. and international copyright law