Atlanta Catholic college center inspires African-American vocations

Published: 2007-10-23

ATLANTA (CNS) -- They can be called sons of Lyke House. In the past two years, three young men who have worshipped there have begun pursuing religious life or priestly ministry. The house is the Catholic center at Atlanta University Center, a consortium that serves the city's historically black institutions. "I think there is something affirming about Lyke House," said Desmond Drummer, a 24-year-old who is starting his pastoral year with the seminary program of the Archdiocese of Atlanta. "I don't think our vocations were birthed at Lyke House," he said, but they were "affirmed" there. The other men are Dominican Brother John Phillips and Christopher Rhodes, a seminarian for the Archdiocese of Louisville, Ky. Vocations to the priesthood have declined across the country and the numbers of men joining the priesthood from the black community is smaller still. Black people make up about 3 percent of the Catholic faithful in the United States, numbering some 2.5 million.

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