History of African American Catholics
The origin of black Catholics began with the arrival of Africans traveling with the Spanish settlers in Florida in 1556, some as slaves, others free. Claiming Catholic belief became a card to play for slaves in Florida; Spanish rulers were found to free any slaves who practiced Catholicism around the 1700s. Along with the Spanish, slaves coming from a Creole society (a mix of African and French culture) brought Catholicism to America as well.
When we think of religious African Americans living in 1964, we don't always think of them being Catholic. The majority of religious African Americans are Baptist and Protestant (and have been for many years) while a small sect of Catholics who are black.
Slavery within the Church
In the time leading up to the Civil War, many Catholics were slave-owners including bishops, priests, and other religious authorities. At the time, only one bishop, John Baptist Purcell, in Cincinnati, made a stand to end slavery. From the 1770s up until the early 20th century, black Catholics have greatly been discriminated against. Seminaries denied black applicants. Any black groups wishing to be recognized in the Catholic church were discouraged from doing so.
Time and time again, black Catholics fought against their own faith to achieve equality. Some Catholics, however, did break through the barriers though:
Civil Rights Movement/ Division in the Church
During the 1960s, new organizations formed in the church for its black members: the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus and the National Black Sister Conference. Both founded in 1968, these associations have a mission to support the spiritual growth and nourishment of its members. This includes working toward unity within the church between its black and white members.
The characters in Doubt have not seen the emergence of these groups yet in 1964. But the balls are rolling for these kinds of ideas and separate organizations within the church. For Sister Aloysius in our production, as part of the black Catholic community, how would she feel about these associations? A stickler to tradition, would she condone modern ideas like these or praise her fellow African Americans for coming together to help and support each other?
The following links contain further information about the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus and the National Black Sister Conference:
http://www.nbccc.us/NBCCC.us/Welcome.html
http://www.nbsc68.com/
A Call for Unity
In 1979, a group of bishops issued a letter titled, “Brothers and Sisters to Us,” that finally acknowledged racism to be a sin. The letter recognized the wrongs of the past and expressed hope for a better future. The letter in entirety is attached below.
When we think of religious African Americans living in 1964, we don't always think of them being Catholic. The majority of religious African Americans are Baptist and Protestant (and have been for many years) while a small sect of Catholics who are black.
Slavery within the Church
In the time leading up to the Civil War, many Catholics were slave-owners including bishops, priests, and other religious authorities. At the time, only one bishop, John Baptist Purcell, in Cincinnati, made a stand to end slavery. From the 1770s up until the early 20th century, black Catholics have greatly been discriminated against. Seminaries denied black applicants. Any black groups wishing to be recognized in the Catholic church were discouraged from doing so.
Time and time again, black Catholics fought against their own faith to achieve equality. Some Catholics, however, did break through the barriers though:
- Mary Elizabeth Lange: founded a sect of Sisters in Baltimore with the permission of her archbishop in 1828, but still with wide dislike from the white Catholic community of Maryland.
- Father Augustus Tolton: named to be the first African American priest. After being denied access to any seminary in the United States, Tolton traveled to Rome to be ordained at the Vatican, where his race was overlooked. He returned in 1886 and began to serve the church in America.
Civil Rights Movement/ Division in the Church
During the 1960s, new organizations formed in the church for its black members: the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus and the National Black Sister Conference. Both founded in 1968, these associations have a mission to support the spiritual growth and nourishment of its members. This includes working toward unity within the church between its black and white members.
The characters in Doubt have not seen the emergence of these groups yet in 1964. But the balls are rolling for these kinds of ideas and separate organizations within the church. For Sister Aloysius in our production, as part of the black Catholic community, how would she feel about these associations? A stickler to tradition, would she condone modern ideas like these or praise her fellow African Americans for coming together to help and support each other?
The following links contain further information about the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus and the National Black Sister Conference:
http://www.nbccc.us/NBCCC.us/Welcome.html
http://www.nbsc68.com/
A Call for Unity
In 1979, a group of bishops issued a letter titled, “Brothers and Sisters to Us,” that finally acknowledged racism to be a sin. The letter recognized the wrongs of the past and expressed hope for a better future. The letter in entirety is attached below.
"Brothers and Sisters to Us" | |
File Size: | 31 kb |
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Black Nuns and Sisters
Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary
This congregation of Black sisters was formed in 1916 as a direct result of discrimination against black Catholics. A year before in 1915, a bishop in Georgia shut down a school where white nuns were teaching black children. The priest who established the school, Fr. Lissner asked permission of the bishop for black nuns to teach the children. The bishop agreed stating, “Yes, colored sisters for colored people.”
http://franciscanhandmaidsofmary.org/history.htm
The sisters moved to Harlem in 1924 after a call for black nuns was being made to care for black children.
In 1964, does this idea of "colored sisters for colored people" still stand? How would the parents of the children of St. Nicholas feel about having their child in a school with a black sister as the principal?
Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary
This congregation of Black sisters was formed in 1916 as a direct result of discrimination against black Catholics. A year before in 1915, a bishop in Georgia shut down a school where white nuns were teaching black children. The priest who established the school, Fr. Lissner asked permission of the bishop for black nuns to teach the children. The bishop agreed stating, “Yes, colored sisters for colored people.”
http://franciscanhandmaidsofmary.org/history.htm
The sisters moved to Harlem in 1924 after a call for black nuns was being made to care for black children.
In 1964, does this idea of "colored sisters for colored people" still stand? How would the parents of the children of St. Nicholas feel about having their child in a school with a black sister as the principal?
African American Catholic Culture
In a world today that has made huge strides towards equality between races, the Catholic Church is still lagging behind. Even years after the Civil Rights Movement, there is still large segregation between the races in the Catholic faith. Because the races were separated for so long, the methods of worship between African American Catholics and predominantly white Catholics from Europe greatly differed and still differ today. Although all Catholics worldwide share the same beliefs, celebrate the same mass and practice religion according to the authority of the Vatican, divisions still exist, especially here in the United States.
Within the U.S. Conference of Bishops, there is a sect called the Subcommittee of African American Affairs.
"The Subcommittee on African American Affairs is the official voice of the African American Catholic community.
The subcommittee attends the needs and aspirations of African American Catholics in regard to issues of ministry,
evangelization, social justice, worship and other areas of concern. The subcommittee also seeks to be a resource for the all the
Bishops and the entire Catholic Church in the United States. It aims to articulate the socio-cultural dimension of the African
American Catholic community and identify or create resources that would allow for an authentic integration of the richness of the African American Catholic culture and the Catholic Church in the United States."
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/cultural-diversity/african-american/
Statistics
These statistics show how that the circumstances of our play are rare. If today only 1% of religious sisters are African American, then to have a black sister be the head of a Catholic school in 1964 would have been extremely rare. Sister Aloysius has the opportunity in this play to represent herself as not only a woman in the church serving as an authority figure, and as an African American sister serving the church.
Personal testimony and reflection by an African American bishop:
http://www.americancatholicpress.org/Bishop_%20Perry_Black_Catholic_Worship.html
Within the U.S. Conference of Bishops, there is a sect called the Subcommittee of African American Affairs.
"The Subcommittee on African American Affairs is the official voice of the African American Catholic community.
The subcommittee attends the needs and aspirations of African American Catholics in regard to issues of ministry,
evangelization, social justice, worship and other areas of concern. The subcommittee also seeks to be a resource for the all the
Bishops and the entire Catholic Church in the United States. It aims to articulate the socio-cultural dimension of the African
American Catholic community and identify or create resources that would allow for an authentic integration of the richness of the African American Catholic culture and the Catholic Church in the United States."
http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/cultural-diversity/african-american/
Statistics
- Of the roughly 70 million Catholics in the U.S., only 3 million of them are African American.
- 4% of the parishes in the U.S. claim themselves to be dominantly African American parishes, most falling in the South or along the East Coast.
- Less than 1% of the religious sisters in the church today are African American
These statistics show how that the circumstances of our play are rare. If today only 1% of religious sisters are African American, then to have a black sister be the head of a Catholic school in 1964 would have been extremely rare. Sister Aloysius has the opportunity in this play to represent herself as not only a woman in the church serving as an authority figure, and as an African American sister serving the church.
Personal testimony and reflection by an African American bishop:
http://www.americancatholicpress.org/Bishop_%20Perry_Black_Catholic_Worship.html
Further Reading
black_catholics_life_in_a_chilly_church.pdf | |
File Size: | 1049 kb |
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african_americans_in_urban_catholic_schools.pdf | |
File Size: | 260 kb |
File Type: |