By Kathi Stearns

Howard Brown has been named department head of the Office of Black Catholic Ministry for the Archdiocese of Atlanta effective July 1, 1994.

Brown, who has worked for the office since March 1990, succeeds Father Bruce Wilkinson who resigned his position.

Brown’s goals for the office will focus on rebuilding community life, providing spiritual nourishment and continuing in some form the existing programs which serve the needs of the archdiocese’s African-American Catholics.

Brown, 28, is hoping to implement an AIDS ministry as well as an outreach program for the poor, homeless and elderly members of the African-American community.

“In all of these outreach ministries we will probably tap into an already existing program,” Brown said. But he believes the need among the indigent is so great that the existing ministries need the assistance of all responsible parties.

“We as Christians need to be doing projects like this all year round…The homeless are not just hungry on Christmas and Thanksgiving; they need help all the time,” he said. “When I see a homeless person out on the street or an individual who has AIDS, it is not just his problem; it is our problem as well. What (problem) belongs to one, belongs to all. We need to contribute our gifts and participate in God’s plan as Christians.”

Brown, a parishioner at St. John the Evangelist, Hapeville, believes it is important to develop family ministry programs that grow out of traditional cultural values of African-American life. In 1992 the National Black Catholic Congress established a nationwide educational forum on the African-American family which developed successful models for change at the national, diocesan and parish levels.

He is currently working with Father Charles Smith, SVD, Father Chester Smith, SVD, and Father Ken Hamilton, SVD, in his work designed to nurture African-American youth and preserve their culture.

“It’s up to us to share the wealth of information about those African-Americans who have been a part of the Church’s history because it is where we’ve come from. The children are our future,” he said.

In addition, Brown recognizes the value of the historical and cultural knowledge of the elders of the African-American community. “They know and understand the history that African-American children do not know and are not being taught. They have been a part of the history and can share it with our youth.”

Brown’s debut, a picnic celebrating African-American unity, was held Aug. 16 at St. John the Evangelist Church. The event entitled “It’s A Family Affair” was attended by approximately 150 people. Activities included musical chairs, tug-of-war, relays, storytelling, poetry readings and an operatic performer. He intends to make the picnic an annual event.

“It was a good kick-off celebration for what this office represents. There was something for everyone,” Brown said.

Brown believes that if his office is to be successful he must develop creative programs in which the African American cultural heritage connects with one’s personal faith and the church community.

Future plans include a Mass honoring Dr. Martin Luther King which will be held Jan 14 at the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Atlanta. A Kwanzaa Celebration will be held Saturday, Dec. 10 at St. Paul of the Cross, Atlanta.

Four hour of power sessions, which are evenings of Catholic evangelization and spiritual renewal, will be held at 7 p.m. on Nov. 12, March 16, April 20 and May 18, 1995 at Our Lady of Lourdes Church in Atlanta.

Brown also hopes to implement a Bible study course so that members of the African-American community will continue to learn the word of God so they can apply it to their family and community life.