Radio Interview: Black and Native American heritage and mission

George Matysek talks with Father Maurice Henry Sands, executive director of the U.S. Bishops’ Black and Indian Mission Office in Washington, D.C. A priest of the Archdiocese of Detroit and a member of the Ojibwe, Odawa and Potawatomi tribes, Father Sands brings a deeply personal perspective to the Church’s long history with Native and African American communities.

Father Sands reflects on his upbringing in a First Nations community, his family’s enduring Catholic roots dating back generations and the often-untold stories of Indigenous Catholics who embraced the faith with heroic courage. He also discusses the Catholic Church’s ongoing efforts toward healing and reconciliation with Native peoples, including recent gestures from Popes Francis and Leo XIV.

The conversation explores the mission office’s 150-year history, its advocacy for Native and African American Catholics and its support of Catholic education across the country. Father Sands also introduces a new documentary produced by the office, highlighting the lives of African American candidates for sainthood and the vibrant faith of Black Catholic communities, including those in Baltimore.

Click play below to listen to the full interview:

Read More Radio Interviews

Radio Interview: Discovering Our Lady’s Center

Radio Interview: Advent and St. Nicholas

Radio Interview: A Catholic heart in legal defense

Radio Interview: Incredible Catholic America

Radio Interview: A journey to the Carmelite hermitage

Radio Interview: Supporting the grieving, honoring the departed

 Print