Revival energizes black Catholics attending national convocation

Published: 2004-04-28

INDIANAPOLIS (CNS) -- An hour of praise and worship and a nearly-two-hour revival energized participants at the National Black Catholic Convocation April 20 at St. Rita Parish in Indianapolis. During the revival, Father Patrick Smith, pastor of St. Teresa of Avila Parish in Washington, challenged black Catholics to grow in faith and to reach out to young people who desperately need to hear about the good news of Jesus Christ. His talk was based on Ezekiel's vision of dry bones that are brought to life by God, as described in chapter 37, verses 1-14. "What God wants to do is change the lyrics of your life. We need to take the time to listen to the word," Father Smith said. "We need to talk about teen pregnancy and abortion, stuff we don't talk a whole lot about sometimes," he said. "But, realistically, why talk about the teen pregnancy rate or the abortion rate or the divorce rate or the illiteracy rate or the teacher turnover rate in inner-city schools or the crime rate or the homicide rate or the unemployment rate? Why talk about all that if there is no solution?" The priest added, "Unless we bring this stuff into the light, we'll never be healed of it. Things change when they get brought into the light. But I think we're just basically afraid."

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .