Black Catholics in Ohio find new experience of Catholic faith

Published: 2003-12-02

COLUMBUS, Ohio (CNS) -- Willie Moore, president of the Columbus diocesan Black Catholic Ministries office, found his Catholic faith rejuvenated when he attended a two-and-a-half-hour gospel Mass at St. Dominic's Church in Columbus. At the same parish, "everything clicked" for Lillian Jackson, a Detroit native. Fran Frazier, who was raised Catholic but then left the church for several years, found an "incredible community" at St. Thomas the Apostle in Columbus. Now she is learning more about black Catholic history and fitting that into what it means to be a black Catholic today. Felicia Luckett, a parishioner at the Community of Holy Rosary-St. John the Evangelist in Columbus, said that she, too, is very involved in the parish as a black Catholic, because the environment is inviting and welcoming. But that was not always her experience, she said. Luckett, who grew up in Harrisburg, Pa., and attended Catholic school there, said only about 1 percent of the parish at that time was African-American.

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