
The Congolese choir from St. Mary Parish-Iowa City sings during the Vespers service at St. John Vianney Parish-Bettendorf the night before Bishop Dennis Walsh’s ordination and installation as Bishop of Davenport last September.
(Editor’s note: This article is part of an ongoing series on research about multi-cultural parishes that Marti Jewell and Dan Ebener conducted for the Catholic Leadership Institute.)
By Marti Jewell and Dan Ebener
The Catholic Messenger
As part of our research on diverse parishes, we interviewed eight predominantly African American parishes in the United States. Like all cultures we studied, we encountered a deep love for the parish and a need to be understood in light of historical experience and heritage. Here is what we heard from African American parishes that flourish in a world full of challenges.
Parish as sanctuary: beauty and belonging
African American parishes focus on creating a sanctuary, a welcoming refuge for their parishioners, many of whom travel from a variety of zip codes because they want to belong to these parish communities. From the first moment of arrival, people feel welcomed by a warm community. Parishes pay special attention to aesthetics, such as spectacular artwork, beautiful grounds and a sanctuary often decorated with colorful African Kente cloth.
African American parishes are liturgy-centric! Sunday is the time when this community can gather in a place where they feel a warm sense of belonging. People of all races are welcomed as they arrive for Mass. One parish told us that newcomers receive a loaf of freshly baked bread.
Gospel music, sung by both choir and congregation, is a distinguishing characteristic. As one pastor told us, there’s lots of “participation, exuberance, clapping, shouts of praise, response to preaching, extended signs of peace.” Church is where parishioners can freely express a spirituality of “radical joy and hospitality.”
Parish that forms the whole person: holistic formation
Parishes we interviewed form their parishioners as evangelizing disciples. In addition to receiving faith formation, the whole person is cared for. Children’s formation programs also reach out to the parents. Youth ministry might include homework assistance, college prep, leadership training or dance classes.
Young adults receive mentoring in everything from parenting to interview training. Men and women of the parish belong to the Knights and Ladies of St. Peter Claver, which focus on friendship, unity and Christian charity.
Parish that cares: social outreach and justice
Christian charity is deeply part of parish life in these vibrant parishes. Participants in our focus groups spoke of caring for both parishioner needs and outreach to the community. People face challenges in all communities but these can be especially apparent for parishes near impoverished areas where homelessness, drugs and gun violence are part of everyday existence.
We heard stories of outreach and community involvement at every level, from engaging in ecumenical initiatives on social justice, to hands-on, charitable support. African American parishes in our study offer food pantries and clothing centers. They offered vaccine clinics during the pandemic. They support local entrepreneurs by opening facilities for community meetings or parking for neighboring businesses.
We learned of Our Lady of Kibeho, also known as Our Lady of Sorrows, who appeared to three Rwandan children, predicting the genocide to come. Our Lady’s message was to be of service: Go out and serve other people. Spread devotion to the rosary of the seven sorrows. Do what you can. God’s grace will do the rest.
Today, we all need these messages. We all experience joy and difficult challenges as we seek to find refuge in our faith, in a community that cares, celebrating joyful worship. Let the Church say, “Amen.”
(Marti Jewell, associate professor emerita, is a professor, author and researcher of pastoral leadership. Dan Ebener is a leadership professor for the Master of Organizational Leadership program at St. Ambrose University in Davenport and director of Parish Planning for the Diocese of Davenport.)