Bishop Ricard remembered at Mass of Transferal for making everyone feel they belonged June 2, 2026By Patricia Zapor Special to the Catholic Review Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, Feature, Local News, National Black Congress, News, Obituaries Bishop John Huston Ricard, S.S.J., was memorialized June 1 for his ability to make everyone feel they belong, in various communities and particularly in the Catholic Church.
Bishop John H. Ricard, first Black bishop of Baltimore and Pensacola-Tallahassee, dies at 86 May 21, 2026By Barb Fraze Catholic Review Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, Feature, Local News, News, Obituaries Retired Bishop John H. Ricard, the first Black bishop of both the Archdiocese of Baltimore and the Diocese of Pensacola-Tallahassee, Fla., and a nationally respected advocate for racial justice, May 20. He was 86.
Father Norvel, first Black superior general for U.S. men’s religious community, dies at 90 March 12, 2026By George P. Matysek Jr. Catholic Review Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, Feature, Local News, News, Obituaries Josephite Father William Norvel, a forceful voice for Black Catholic identity who spent more than six decades challenging the institutional church to live up to its claim of being universal, died March 8. He was 90.
Unmarked graves found on land once owned by Catholic slaveholders trigger search for descendants February 28, 2026By Kimberly Heatherington OSV News Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, News, Racial Justice, World News A team of student and professional history detectives — led by Laura Masur, assistant professor of anthropology at The Catholic University of America — have discovered what appear to be additional gravesites in a family cemetery on land once belonging to the Brents, one of early and colonial America’s prominent Catholic families.
Slavery display removal by feds ‘robs us’ of history, racial healing, say Black Catholic leaders February 23, 2026By Gina Christian OSV News Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, News, Racial Justice, World News The Trump administration’s effort to remove a slavery exhibit at a national historic site in Philadelphia distorts history, while eroding racial justice and healing, several Black Catholic leaders told OSV News.
Who was Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman? February 15, 2026By Michael R. Heinlein OSV News Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, Commentary, Saints Servant of God Thea Bowman (1937–1990) was a trailblazer in almost every role: first African-American religious sister from Canton, Mississippi, first to head an office of intercultural awareness, and the first African American woman to address the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
In God’s Image podcast: Taylor Branch February 13, 2026By Catholic Review Staff Catholic Review Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, CR Radio, Feature, Local News, News, Racial Justice, Radio Interview The Office of Black Catholic Ministry sits down with historian Taylor Branch at the 13th annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration at St. Bernardine parish.
‘Mass for Solidarity’ celebrates bonds of faith between African and US Catholics February 10, 2026By Mark Zimmermann Catholic Standard Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, News, World News The Church in the United States and the Church in Africa “are two lungs of the same Body, breathing the same Spirit,” a Nigerian bishop told Massgoers in Washington, emphasizing how the Church in both countries are united in Christ.
‘Inexcusable’: Trump account posts, deletes ‘blatantly racist’ depiction of Obamas February 9, 2026By Kate Scanlon OSV News Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, News, Racial Justice, World News A video posted on President Donald Trump’s Truth Social account that depicted former first couple President Barack and Michelle Obama as apes was deleted after widespread outrage denounced the content as racist.
Sister Thea Bowman’s sainthood moving forward to Vatican review February 7, 2026By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, News, Saints, Vatican, World News Servant of God Thea Bowman’s canonization cause is moving ahead, with a Mass and ceremony marking the closure of the cause’s diocesan phase to be held Feb. 9 at the Cathedral of St. Peter the Apostle in Jackson, Miss.
U.S. bishops commemorate Black History Month: ‘Let us be faithful stewards of memory’ February 4, 2026By OSV News OSV News Filed Under: Bishops, Black Catholic Ministry, Feature, News, World News Two U.S. bishops Feb. 3 urged Catholics to be “faithful stewards of memory” and “courageous witnesses to truth” during Black History Month, observed in February.
Rev. King led ‘revolution of conscience’ on racism, discrimination, cardinal says January 19, 2026By Richard Szczepanowski Catholic Standard Filed Under: Black Catholic Ministry, News, Racial Justice, World News The Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. led a “revolution of conscience” and sought “the conversion of hearts,” Washington Cardinal Robert W. McElroy said during a Jan. 18 Mass remembering the late Civil Rights leader.
