
Featured

'Real Housewives' stars Wendy and Eddie Osefo booked on fraud charges in Maryland
The Nigerian-American Catholic couple is accused of fabricating a home burglary to net more than $450,000 in overlapping insurance payouts.

'Clemente' review: A secular hagiography of a Black Catholic baseball star
Nate Tinner-Williams reviews a new documentary that gets religion wrong but impact right with its close-up lens on the MLB's "Great One".

Sought in pilgrimage, Venerable Augustus Tolton is still inspiring faith and justice.
Linda Lysakowski recounts a recent trip to the birthplace of and commemorative sites honoring the nation's first openly Black Catholic priest.

It's time to wake up: The Catholic Church needs women deacons now.
Daryl Grigsby on the burning need for ordained female ministry to honor Christian tradition and enliven a stagnant, monolithic permanent diaconate.

When the true assembly begins: Africa meets the Indigenous on a journey of healing
Fr Nnaemeka Ali, OMI, on a powerful experience of encounter and meditation with First Nations elders in Canada.

'A city of promise': Royce Duplessis makes case at final Urban League debate for New Orleans mayor candidates
The 42-year-old Black Catholic state senator emphasized his vision for a revived New Orleans ahead of an open primary election in October.

Celebrate BCM's 5th anniversary in San Francisco! Join us for the inaugural Rudd Lecture
Five years never felt so good. Black Catholic Messenger was founded in 2020 to bring light to the voice and witness of African-American in the Church, and we’re celebrating our anniversary with a bang in the Bay Area. On Saturday, Nov. 8, at Old St. Mary’s Cathedral in

Charles Prejean Sr., activist and Black Catholic leader, laid to rest in Atlanta
The Louisiana native was a force in the cooperative movement and addressing Black land loss, before transitioning to chancery ministry in Atlanta.

Cancer Alley rally to feature former Vice President Al Gore, Black Catholic activist Sharon Lavigne
The event, led by RISE St. James, honors the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina and the ongoing fight against chemical pollution in Louisiana.

Pope Leo XIV publicly acknowledges African roots in newly released interview
The comments came in July during an interview with Elise Ann Allen, released this week alongside a Spanish edition of her new biography of Leo.

Sharon Lavigne, 'Cancer Alley' activist, granted honorary Italian citizenship
The Louisiana native received the honor while in the country for meetings with students, fellow climate advocates, and top Vatican officials.

Reparations, reconciliation, and restoration: Will the new social justice pope address the cries of Black Catholics?
Tamika Royes on the enduring call for a pontiff who will finally move in the name of justice and recompense for African-Americans.
Black Catholic meets Pope Leo XIV after 600-mile bike pilgrimage to combat antisemitism
Victor Mooney's latest advocacy trek included Catholic shrines and former concentration camps in Poland before a surprise invitation to the Vatican.

Texas' Black Catholic-heavy special election for Congress is largely mum on Israel
Voters for the US House's vacant 18th district seat must parse candidates—several of them Black Catholics—who have largely avoided the Gaza issue.

Robert White Jr. to run for Congress against an aging Eleanor Holmes Norton
The 43-year-old D.C. Council member says he is running against his former mentor to bring hope to D.C. residents living in fear and uncertainty.

Xavier University of Louisiana ranked #6 HBCU for third straight year
Xavier University of Louisiana is once again the #6 HBCU in the nation, maintaining its status as a top higher education institution in new rankings released this month by U.S. News & World Report. The Black Catholic school in New Orleans also tied for the #16 university in the

Bishop Robert Barron praises late far-right activist Charlie Kirk following fatal shooting
The Trump-aligned prelate called the young influencer a man of "considerable charm" and "goodness of heart" despite his racist and violent views.

'Real Housewives' stars Wendy and Eddie Osefo booked on fraud charges in Maryland
The Nigerian-American Catholic couple is accused of fabricating a home burglary to net more than $450,000 in overlapping insurance payouts.

Texas' Black Catholic-heavy special election for Congress is largely mum on Israel
Voters for the US House's vacant 18th district seat must parse candidates—several of them Black Catholics—who have largely avoided the Gaza issue.

'Motorcycle Queen' Bessie Stringfield gets exhibit at Harley-Davidson Museum in Milwaukee
The late Black Catholic biker made several cross-country trips as an Army courier and was inducted into the Motorcycle Hall of Fame in 2002.

It's time to wake up: The Catholic Church needs women deacons now.
Daryl Grigsby on the burning need for ordained female ministry to honor Christian tradition and enliven a stagnant, monolithic permanent diaconate.

President Jimmy Carter's grandson endorses Jason Esteves in Georgia governor's race
The announcement comes as the young Black Catholic ramps up his campaign and messaging for next May's increasingly crowded Democratic primary.

Texas' Black Catholic-heavy special election for Congress is largely mum on Israel
Voters for the US House's vacant 18th district seat must parse candidates—several of them Black Catholics—who have largely avoided the Gaza issue.

Virginia Democrat calls for Jay Jones to end attorney general campaign over violent text messages
A bipartisan chorus has condemned the Black Catholic candidate's former support for violence against former Virginia House Speaker Todd Gilbert.

Robert White Jr. to run for Congress against an aging Eleanor Holmes Norton
The 43-year-old D.C. Council member says he is running against his former mentor to bring hope to D.C. residents living in fear and uncertainty.

Xavier University of Louisiana ranked #6 HBCU for third straight year
Xavier University of Louisiana is once again the #6 HBCU in the nation, maintaining its status as a top higher education institution in new rankings released this month by U.S. News & World Report. The Black Catholic school in New Orleans also tied for the #16 university in the

'A city of promise': Royce Duplessis makes case at final Urban League debate for New Orleans mayor candidates
The 42-year-old Black Catholic state senator emphasized his vision for a revived New Orleans ahead of an open primary election in October.

From the Black perspective, where is Catholic education headed?
Tamika Royes on the evolution of Church-sponsored schooling and the resolve needed for authentic renewal and cultural inclusion.

Black Catholics react to Minneapolis shooting that left two students dead at parish
Archbishop Shelton Fabre, chair of the U.S. bishops' domestic justice committee, called the attack "senseless" and requested prayers for the grieving.

'Nuns vs. The Vatican' review: A much-needed new angle on clerical abuse
Nate Tinner-Williams on a film uncovering the scourge of abuse against women religious—centering on the high-profile Jesuit artist Marko Rupnik.

New Catholic worship album blends genres, including gospel and funk
"God Makes a Way" from OCP and Echo Harbor Worship features an ecumenical crop of musicians—including Israel Houghton, Cory Henry, and Tower of Power.

Miriam's tambourine: On music and the heart of humankind
Alexander Walton traces the effects of music on social unity, from the Red Sea to the Civil Rights Movement.

HBCU romance anthology to feature Farrah Rochon, Elizabeth Acevedo
The new compilation from Ebony LaDelle includes eleven authors, several of whom themselves attended historically Black colleges or universities.

Sought in pilgrimage, Venerable Augustus Tolton is still inspiring faith and justice.
Linda Lysakowski recounts a recent trip to the birthplace of and commemorative sites honoring the nation's first openly Black Catholic priest.

It's time to wake up: The Catholic Church needs women deacons now.
Daryl Grigsby on the burning need for ordained female ministry to honor Christian tradition and enliven a stagnant, monolithic permanent diaconate.

Sean 'Diddy' Combs sentenced to four years in prison over prostitution charges
The Catholic-raised rap mogul beat racketeering and trafficking charges earlier this year linked to decades of misconduct and physical assault.

When God spoke to me in a dream, I listened.
Sister of the Holy Family Charlotte Rubit recounts an experience hearing from God in a way never expected, yet much needed in her life of faith.

Poem: THE LIFE WE LIVE
Dorothy Dempsey's latest, on the necessary intersection of life and love in the modern world.

Poem: THE BEAUTY OF WORDS
Dorothy Dempsey's latest verse, on the power of the creative voice.

Poem: A LIFE WORTH LIVING
Every life is a life worth living. A special gift from God. No matter what the circumstances. It must be held in high regard. There are many battles in life. That makes you stumble and fall. But the will of God makes you stand up tall. For the life you
Editors' Picks

Podcast: Cardinal Wilton Gregory on 40 years of episcopal ministry and Black Catholic history
Eric T. Styles interviews the retired African-American prelate on liturgy, the reforms of Pope Francis, and the nascent Pope Leo XIV.

White smoke, Black pope? Pope Leo XIV, first American pontiff, has African roots
Previously unknown genealogy on the 69-year-old Chicago native was revealed by genealogists shortly after white smoke rose in St. Peter's Square.

What does JD Vance—and Springfield, Ohio—owe Haitian immigrants?
Jack Champagne on the GOP vice presidential candidate's fixation on the immigrant other—and the malformed Catholic imagination that animates it.