Black Catholic congress opens in Buffalo with 2,000 participants

Published: 2007-07-13

BUFFALO, N.Y. (CNS) -- More than 2,000 black Catholics from nearly 100 U.S. dioceses traveled to Buffalo July 12 for the start of the 10th National Black Catholic Congress. The theme of the July 12-15 congress was "Christ Is With Us: Celebrating the Gifts of the Sacraments." On the agenda were sessions looking at the ways the sacraments are related to the congress's eight core principles: Africa, Catholic education, HIV/AIDS, parish life, social justice, racism, spirituality, and youths and young adults. "Congress X wishes to reflect on these principles through the prism of the seven sacraments. The principles arise from our baptism and anointing, our birthright in the Roman Catholic Church," said Auxiliary Bishop Joseph N. Perry of Chicago, chairman of the U.S. bishops' Committee on African-American Catholics, after he officially called the congress to order. The first National Black Catholic Congress was held in 1889, and subsequent congress events were held every two years until 1894. After a hiatus lasting nearly a century, the congresses resumed in 1987, and since then have been held every five years.

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