Black Catholics gather for Mass on first day of Millions More events

Published: 2005-10-18

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- On the evening before African-Americans from around the United States converged on the nation's capital for the Millions More Movement, black Catholics gathered for a special Mass at Holy Comforter-St. Cyprian Parish in Washington. The main celebrant at the Oct. 14 Mass, Washington Auxiliary Bishop Martin D. Holley, condemned racism -- which he said is often embedded and masked in American society -- and said people must not be lulled into complacency "as long as one poor person, black or whatever race, is denied basic rights." "We have come too far; it has taken us too long, for us to put this (effort) down," he said. Attending the Mass were about 220 people, including 65 young people and 25 adults from the Archdiocese of Detroit who made a special pilgrimage to Washington to attend the Millions More Movement gathering that weekend. The multiracial and multicultural group from Detroit included Precious Blood Father Clarence Williams, director of black Catholic ministry in the archdiocese, and Alejandro Torres-Antonio, coordinator of urban youth ministry, along with representatives of eight parishes in the Detroit area.

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