By Priscilla Greear, Staff Writer

ATLANTA - At the Jan. 19 Mass, Charles Prejean Sr., director of the Office for Black Catholic Ministry, recognized Father Bruce Wilkinson, pastor of Blessed Sacrament Church, Atlanta, as the inaugural recipient of the Father Bruce Wilkinson Founders Award. The award was established on the office's 20th anniversary to honor yearly a person's outstanding contribution in the ministry of evangelization. Prejean called the priest's contributions "unquestionably outstanding" as he was a principal architect in the structuring of the archdiocesan evangelization ministry for black Catholic parish communities and has remained involved in this leadership. "Many have contributed to the establishment and nurturing of the Office for Black Catholic Ministry. Father Bruce's leadership represents a synthesis of the quality and beneficial nature of these many contributions. In affirming him in this way, we affirm the contributions of all." In accepting the award, Father Wilkinson expressed his humble gratitude for the opportunity to serve the Atlanta Archdiocese over the past 20 years and asked God to continue to bless it as Catholics strive to meet the challenges ahead. In the Mass program Father Wilkinson wrote of how the Office for Black Catholic Ministry grew from a group of lay people and clergy, including Father Wilkinson, who in 1981 began meeting to discuss the future of the Catholic Church in the black communities of Atlanta with hopes of establishing an official outreach to black Catholics. In March 1982 Archbishop Thomas A. Donnellan established the Commission for Black Catholic Concerns. On Sept. 1, 1985 the Office for Black Catholic Ministry was established, given approval by Archbishop Donnellan. "Many faith-filled black and white Catholic men and women from the various parishes of our archdiocese answered the call to be 'brothers and sisters to us.' They pursued the vision of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. to beat a drum for justice and bring God's love to all. We rejoice today in this story of hope and faith, that these few were willing to help make our Church a better place which reflects what the body of Christ is supposed to become-a place where God's love dwells. May we all join in helping make that day come when all of God's children may sing, 'Thank God Almighty! We are free at last!'" Father Wilkinson wrote. Among its activities, the Office for Black Catholic Ministry has named a local implementation committee for the National Black Catholic Congress IX to be held Aug. 30-Sept. 1 in Chicago. "It's now our watch. The work (of MLK) is not completed and it's up to us to continue that work," Prejean said. INITIAL RECIPIENT-Charles Prejean Sr., right, director of the Archdiocese of Atlanta's Office for Black Catholic Ministry, makes the inaugural presentation of the Father Bruce Wikinson Founders Award to Father Wikinson. Established on the 20th anniversary of the archdiocesan office, the award is intended to honor those making an outstanding contribution to the ministry of evangelization.