Where to find a Black Catholic History Month event (2023 edition)

Founded in 1990 by the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus, Black Catholic History Month runs throughout November each year as an opportunity to highlight the heritage, patrimony, and witness of African-American Catholics.

Below is a list of events around the country carrying on the tradition and celebrating Black Catholic faith. The list will be continually updated throughout the month. (Are we missing your event? Email us at tips@blackcatholicmessenger.com.)

National

11/3: Feast of St Martin de Porres.
11/6: Feast of All Saints of Africa.
11/7: Founders' day for the Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary.
11/10: Founder's day for the Sisters, Servants of the Immaculate Heart of Mary (founded by the African-American nun Mother Theresa Maxis Duchemin).
11/11 (virtual): Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary anti-racism webinar with Fr Manual Williams, CR; Rev Danielle Quinn; Rev. Dwayne Jones; and Rev Dr. Samuel C. Tolbert Jr. at 1pm CT.
11/13: Birthday of St. Augustine of Hippo.
11/17: Feast of Venerable Henriette DeLille.
11/21: Anniversary of the first private vows of Venerable Henriette DeLille and her Sisters of the Holy Family.
11/21: Feast of Pope St. Gelasius I, the last of the three African popes in the early years of the Christian Church.
11/26: National Black Catholic Congress documentary screening and webinar with Fr Stephen Thorne at 7pm ET.
11/28: Anniversary of the elevation of Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the first African-American cardinal in history.

Arlington

11/3: St. Martin de Porres prayer service at St. Joseph Catholic Church with seminarian Ricky Malebranche at 7pm ET.
11/4: BCHM Mass and awards reception at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church with Fr Anthony Bozeman, SSJ at 5:30pm ET. RSVP required.
11/5: BCHM Mass with Bishop Michael Burbidge at St. Thomas à Becket Catholic Church in Reston at 11am.

Baltimore

11/28: BCHM prayer service and reception at New All Saints Catholic Church with Archbishop William Lori at 6pm ET.

Baton Rouge

11/4: Annual African-American Mass at St. Gerard Majella Catholic Church with Bishop Michael Duca at 10am CT.

Beaumont

11/2: St. Martin de Porres Feast Day Mass and reception at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Cheek, Texas, with Bishop David Toups at 6pm CT.
11/4-5: BCHM Masses at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Port Arthur. Dressing of the altar by Confirmation students before Mass.
11/11-12: Black saints display and procession before Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Port Arthur. Also will feature a Black Family Rosary dedicated to the canonization of African-American saints-to-be.

Boston

11/11: Bishop Healy Award Dinner at Boston College High School in Dorchester with Cardinal Seán O’Malley, OFM Cap at 5:30pm ET, honoring Sr Marie Theresa “Tess” Browne, SCN and Fr J. Bryan Hehir.

Bridgeport

11/5: “Going Home Like a Shooting Star, Thea Bowman’s Journey to Sainthood” screening at St. Anthony of Padua Catholic Church in Fairfield at 2:30pm ET. RSVP requested.

Brooklyn

11/11: 70th anniversary Mass and brunch for Saint Clare Catholic Academy in Queens at 10am ET.
11/18: Inter-diocesan BCHM Mass at the Basilica of St. Patrick’s Old Cathedral in Manhattan at 5pm ET.
11/18: “The Courage to Love” screening at St. Mary Magdalene Catholic Church in Springfield Gardens at 3pm ET.

Charleston

11/3 (virtual): First Friday Table Talk webinar at 10am ET.

Charlotte

11/11: BCHM celebration at the St. Mary Catholic Church parish center in Greensboro at 1:30pm ET.

Chicago

11/15 (hybrid): “The Fire This Time: An Evening of Song and Prayer for Black Catholic History Month” concert and book launch with M. Roger Holland II and Catholic Theological Union at 5pm CT.

Cincinnati

11/12: Annual Fr Joseph M. Davis, SM Lecture at the University of Dayton’s Sears Recital Hall with Prof. LaVerne Summerlin at 3pm ET.
11/12: BCHM Mass at the University of Dayton’s Immaculate Conception Chapel with the Ebony Heritage Singers at 6pm ET.
11/26: BCHM Mass and lecture at Holy Name Catholic Church with Dr. Shannen Dee Williams at 11:30am ET.

Cleveland

11/25: Called to Sainthood Retreat at St. Agnes/Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church with Dcn Allen Stevens at 9:30am ET.

Columbus

11/12: BCHM concert at St. Peter Catholic Church in Mansfield with the St. Dominic Gospel Choir at 4pm ET.

Denver

11/3: “The Healing Power of Love: An Evening of Song and Reflection with W. Clifford Petty” at Most Precious Blood Catholic Church at 7pm MT.

Detroit

11/5: “Created to Worship: Black Catholic Ministries Gospel Choir Concert” at Mercy High School in Farmington Hills at 5pm ET.
11/29-30: BCHM revival with Fr Ted Parker and Evangelist Richard Lane at 7pm ET.

Fort Wayne -South bend

11/4: “Write the Vision: Black Catholics thriving in the Diocese of Fort Wayne-South Bend” post-National Black Catholic Congress event at St. Augustine Catholic Church in South Bend with Shannon Wimp Schmidt and Marcia Lane-McGee at 10am ET.

Houston

11/14: Venerable Henriette DeLille fundraiser at the Link-Lee Mansion with the Sisters of the Holy Family and artist Al Saulso at 6pm CT.

Indianapolis

11/3: St Martin de Porres Mass at St. Rita Catholic Church at 6pm ET. Reception to follow.
11/11: Diversity Dinner at St. Thomas Aquinas Catholic Church after the 5:30pm Mass.

Kansas City-St. Joseph

11/5: St. Monica Catholic Church pilgrimage to Gower, Missouri, to the grave of Mother Wilhelmina Lancaster, OSB at the Abbey of Our Lady of Ephesus.
11/12: BCHM Mass at St. Monica Catholic Church at 9am CT.

La Crosse

11/14: Kunkel Lecture in Black Catholic History in Viterbo University’s San Damiano Chapel at 7pm CT.

Lexington

11/4: BCHM Mass and lunch at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church with Bishop John Stowe, OFM Conv. of Lexington and Archbishop Shelton Fabre of Louisville at 10am ET.

Los Angeles

11/11: BCHM Mass at St. Odilia Catholic Church with Fr Kenneth Ugwu, SSJ at 12pm PT.
11/13: "Hidden History: Black Catholic Nuns in the United States" lecture at Mount St. Mary's University with Dr. Shannen Dee Williams at 4pm PT.
11/18 (virtual): ‘Africa and the Early Church and Today’s Church” panel discussion with Fr Tesfaldet Asghedom, ASA; Rt. Rev. Alexei Smith; Fr Kenneth Ugwu, SSJ; and Anderson F. Shaw at 3pm PT.

Memphis

11/3-5: St. Martin de Porres triduum at the St. Martin de Porres National Shrine and Institute.

Metuchen

11/4: “Just Mercy” screening and dinner at St. Matthias Catholic Church in Somerset at 6pm ET. RSVP requested.
11/12: BCHM Mass at St. Matthias Catholic Church in Somerset with Fr Gerard Marable at 12pm ET.

Miami

11/2: Harmony & Heritage networking and panel event at Carrollton School of the Sacred Heart (El Jardin) at 6pm ET.
11/4: BCHM Mass at Holy Family Catholic Church in North Miami with Archbishop Thomas Wenski at 5:30pm ET.
11/18: BCHM luncheon and St. Martin de Porres Award ceremony at the St. Thomas University Convocation Hall in Miami Gardens at 12pm ET.

Mobile

11/5-7: BCHM Revival at Prince of Peace Catholic Church with Fr Manuel Williams, CR.

Newark

11/9: Bishop Francis Scholarship dinner dance at the Highlawn in West Orange at 6pm ET.
11/16: "When The Saints Come Marching In" presentation and dinner at the Caldwell Dominican Motherhouse Chapel in Caldwell with Dr. Valerie Lewis Mosley at 5pm ET.

New Orleans

11/4: Black saints celebration beginning at the Sisters of the Holy Family Motherhouse at 10am CT. Prayer service to follow at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church with Deacon Jesse Watley at noon, with a reception at the motherhouse.

New York

11/6: Pierre Toussaint Scholarship Fund Awards Dinner with Cardinal Timothy Dolan at Guastavino’s, honoring Pres. Vincent D. Rougeau of the College of the Holy Cross at 6pm ET.
11/9: “Kirk Whalum: A Soulful Life” concert and conversation at the Sheen Center’s Loreto Theater at 7pm ET.
11/14: “The Art of Controversy with Gloria Purvis” on “The 272” book at the Sheen Center’s Loreto Theater at 7pm ET.
11/26: "If Your Brother Sins" visual commentary on race and racism at St Charles Borromeo Catholic Church in Harlem at 1pm ET.

Oakland

11/12, 19, 12/3: “A Seat at the Table” listening sessions with the African American Pastoral Center following Sunday Masses at various Black parishes.

Omaha

11/11: Write the Vision: "A Prophetic Call to Thrive" event at St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church with Christian Bentley at 8:30am CT.

Pensacola-Tallahassee

11/4, 11, 18: BCHM lecture series at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Pensacola at 8:30am ET.

Philadelphia

11/2: Mother Mary Lange Lecture in the Villanova School of Law’s Goldberg Commons with Dr. Maureen H. O’Connell at 7pm ET. Registration required.
11/3, 10 (virtual): “Know Your Black Catholic History” webinar series with Stacy Williams at 7pm ET.
11/4: Black Catholic youth prayer service and firepit talk at St. Cyprian Catholic Church with Msgr Fred Britto at 5:30pm ET.
11/5: St. Martin de Porres concert and Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Saints Peter and Paul with Archbishop Nelson J. Pérez at 2:30pm ET.

Phoenix

11/5: BCHM Mass at St. Josephine Bakhita Mission, with new livestream at 11am MT

Pittsburgh

11/17-19: “Building on the Power of Prayer 2.0” series at St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church with Rawn Harbor and Veronica Downs Dorsey.
11/27: "What I've Seen and What Needs to Be Heard" lecture with Samiya Henry in Duquesne University's Union 613 at 7pm ET.

Providence

11/6: “Six Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood” presentation at St. Patrick Catholic Church with ValLimar Jansen at 7pm ET.
11/18: BCHM workshop day at Holy Name of Jesus Catholic Church with Fr Jean Joseph Brice and the Holy Name Gospel Choir at 9am ET.

Raleigh

11/4: Women’s Day Retreat at Holy Cross Catholic Church in Durham with Sr. Larretta Rivera-Williams, RSM at 9am ET.
11/4: Gospel music workshop at St. Michael Catholic Church in Cary with Harry Taylor and Dessaline Ford at 10am ET. Registration required.
11/11: BCHM and Native American History Month Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church at 1pm ET.

Richmond

11/3-4: Annual Black Catholic retreat at the Roslyn Retreat Center.

Rochester

11/5, 19, 26: BCHM speaker series at Immaculate Conception/St. Bridget Catholic Church.
11/10-12: Revival weekend at St. Monica Catholic Church and Immaculate Conception/St. Bridget Catholic Church with Fr George Kintiba, SVD.

Rockville Centre

BCHM Mass at the Cathedral of St. Agnes with Bishop John O. Barres and homilist Dcn Harold Burke-Sivers at 12:3pm ET.

Sacramento

11/12: BCHM and Fr Ambrose Ugwuegbu anniversary Mass at St. Basil the Great Catholic Church in Vallejo with homilist Fr Bart Landry, CSP at 11:30am PT. Reception to follow in the school gym.
11/18: BCHM Mass at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Elk Grove at 5pm PT.

Saint Petersburg

11/4: St. Peter Claver Catholic School annual gala and awards ceremony at the Academy of the Holy Names in Tampa at 11am ET. Honoring Col. Cedric Carrington and Rigoberto Garcia Sr.

San Antonio

11/11 (hybrid): Sankofa Institute 10th anniversary event at the Oblate School of Theology with Dr. Kim Harris and Rawn Harbor at 9am CT.

San Francisco

11/30: “Leveling the Praying Field: A Conversation about Justice and the Catholic Church” with Dr. Ansel Augustine in the University of San Francisco’s Handlery Room at 5pm PT.

San Jose

11/12: BCHM Mass at Mission Santa Clara de Asis at 8pm PT.

Savannah

11/18: BCHM Mass at St. James Catholic Church with Fr Robert E. Chaney at 11am ET.

Seattle

“We are all God’s person: A Cultural Immersion Summit” with Gloria Purvis, Dcn Mel Tardy, and Fr Robert Boxie III at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Kent at 8:30am PT.

Shreveport

11/5: BCHM Mass at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church at 9am CT.

St. Augustine

11/18-19: Black Heritage Days of Reflection at Christ the King Catholic Church in Jacksonville with Bishop Erik Pohlmeier and the Black Catholic Commission. RSVP required.

St. Louis

11/4: “A Place at the Table” documentary screening at St. Margaret of Scotland Catholic Church at 5:30pm CT. RSVP requested.
11/5: BCHM Mass at St. Alphonsus “Rock” Catholic Church at 10am CT.
11/5: Concert of Negro Spirituals at St. Alphonsus “Rock” Catholic Church at 3pm CT.
11/9: “Envisioning Paradise: Canonizing African American Catholic Women at the Frontier” keynote lecture on Servant of God Julia Greeley with Dr. Alexia Williams in St. Louis University DuBourg 409 at 5:30pm CT.
11/12: BCHM celebration and presentation with Cheryl Archibald and the National Black Catholic Congress archdiocesan implementation team at the Pallottine Retreat and Conference Center in Florissant at 1pm CT.
11/12: “Diverse Religious Imagery” exhibit on display following Sunday Masses at St. Francis Xavier College Church.
11/19: “Our Parish Racial History” book debut after Sunday Masses at St. Francis Xavier College Church.
11/19 (virtual): A Black Catholic Community’s Perspective, Part III on “The Black Church: This is Our Story, This Is Our Song" webinar with the Lwanga Center at 3pm CT. RSVP via email.
11/20: “Mill Creek Valley: SLU and the Destruction of a Black Neighborhood” lecture with Fr Jeffrey Harrison, SJ in SLU’s Spring Hall Multipurpose Room at 5pm CT.

Toledo

11/5: St. Martin de Porres Feast Day Mass at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church with Fr Roy Lee at 10:30am ET.
11/16L Revival at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church with Dcn Mel Tardy.
11/19: BCHM Mass at St. Patrick of Heatherdowns Catholic Church with Evangelist Richard Lane at 11:30am ET.
11/29: BCHM Mass at St. Patrick of Heatherdowns Catholic Church with Fr John McKenzie at 7:30pm ET.
11/30: BCHM prayer breakfast at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church with Fr John McKenzie at 10am ET.

Trenton

11/19: Sacred Heart Church Gospel Choir concert at Holy Cross Catholic Church at 4pm ET.

Washington

11/1: BCHM event at Trinity Washington University’s Rose Parlor with Fr Stephen Thorne at 1pm ET.
11/2: “All Oppression Shall Cease” lunchtime book conversation at the Catholic University of America’s Center for Cultural Engagement with Fr Chris Kellerman, SJ at 12:30pm ET.
11/3: “Soul Food Dinner and Gospel Mass: A Celebration of St. Martin De Porres” with Fr Robert Boxie III at the Catholic University of America’s St. Vincent Chapel at 5:10pm ET.
11/4: BCHM concert and Mass at Our Lady Queen of Peace Catholic Church in D.C. with Cardinal Wilton Gregory and Auxiliary Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr. at 5pm ET.
11/6, 8, 12: BCHM learning series in St. Matthew Cathedral's North Conference Room.
11/12: Gospel choir anniversary concert at St. Augustine Catholic Church at 5pm ET.
11/18: Fall outing for the Black and Women's (B&W) History Ministry of St. Martin's Church at 9am ET.
11/19: "A Place at the Table" documentary screening and discussion at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church at 12:30pm ET.
11/19-20: "Tolton: From Slave to Priest" play performances at the Catholic University of America's Della Ratta Auditorium in Maloney Hall at 7pm ET.

Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.