By Gretchen Keiser

The focus of the office of the archdiocese concerned with black Catholic ministry is toward every parish, not just toward those that are majority African-American, according to the director.

Father Bruce Wilkinson said his emphasis, which emerged from discussions last fall with Archbishop James P. Lyke, OFM, is to “promote the growth of the Catholic Church in the black community, and to enable and promote the growth of black Catholic leadership, which is primarily to be a body to foster evangelization.”

Evangelization needs to take place in every parish that has within its geographic boundaries unchurched African-Americans, Father Wilkinson said. A priority is to assist “parishes to become more comfortable in developing programs for the black community, hopefully particularly in parishes where there is not a strong black Catholic presence, but a strong presence of blacks who are unchurched within the geography of the parish.”

Father Wilkinson, who was interviewed in early February, assumed responsibility for the Secretariat for Black Catholic Ministry in September 1992, succeeding Rhonwyn Rogers. He is pastor of Blessed Sacrament parish in Atlanta and works part-time as director of the office, assisted by Howard Brown, a full-time staff member.

“I don’t see the office as only serving six parishes,” Father Wilkinson said. “It should be available to anyone to help promote the Good News going in to the black community.”

In order to be successful evangelists in the African-American community it is necessary to be seen as “doers of the word,” not only hearers of the word, he said, when asked to amplify upon this priority.

“The word of God is seen on both the spiritual and social level. One has to be involved in the community,” he said. “The word plays a very important part, whether you are talking about housing or about prayer.” A great concern right now is the debate over the state flag with its tie to defiance of desegregation, he said. Churches that are active in the community evangelize by their works, while a church that is not socially involved is perceived as lacking a commitment to the Gospel. Catholic parishes don’t always venture into the community, he observed.

Churches, in addition, may not be aggressive enough in welcoming new people and seeking them out, he said. “It’s not enough to say, ‘Here we are.’ You have to be aggressive about going out and getting people.”

On the other hand, Father Wilkinson said he does not emphasize one particular liturgical style. Worship that is alive, meaningful and expressive of the parish community is attractive to others, he said.

A second prong of the office’s mission is to assist in the development of black Catholic leaders who will advance the Gospel. On April 17 the office will host the North Georgia Black Catholic Congress as an archdiocesan follow-up to a National Black Catholic Congress held last summer. The national agenda, that was developed in 1992 and at an earlier Congress in 1987, must be examined by North Georgia Catholics to determine “what can we do here in Atlanta, what will we do here,” from the national agenda, the director said.

Celebrations hosted by the Secretariat include the annual prayer service in memory of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and an annual revival. Other projects underway are a proposed history of black Catholics in Atlanta, which was initiated by Mrs. Rogers and which received some foundation funding, and a proposed celebration focusing upon the feast of a significant black Catholic saint to “foster unity among the Catholics, but celebrate the contribution of black Catholics to the whole Church,” Father Wilkinson said.