Good liturgy, sense of social mission part of black parish's success

Published: 2006-02-20

WASHINGTON (CNS) -- What makes a successful African-American parish tick? In the case of St. Augustine Parish in Washington, key elements are good liturgy, which includes good preaching and good music, plus a sense of social mission and a "family" feeling that encourages parishioners to return to the church, which describes itself as "mother church of black Catholics in the nation's capital." They even drive great distances to come back. On any given Sunday, the pews are usually filled to their 600-person capacity. The neighborhood surrounding St. Augustine faces two distinctly different pressures. To the south, booming real estate prices have boosted gentrification, putting pressure on the neighborhood's longtime black base. To the north, Spanish-speaking immigrants occupy many apartment buildings.

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