Where to find a Black Catholic History Month event in 2024

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.
11/4 (virtual): Black Catholic bishops’ webinar with the Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary at 4pm PT.
11/5: Feast All Saints and Blessed of the Society of Jesus (Blessed Jacques Bonnaud)
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).
11/13: Birthday of St. Augustine of Hippo.
11/14 (virtual): “Dorothy Day and the Saintly Six” webinar with Dr. Kim Harris, Dcn Mel Tardy, Joanne Kennedy, and Dr. Andrew Prevot at 7pm ET.
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 St. Gelasius I, the last of the three African popes in the early years of the Christian Church.
11/28: Anniversary of the elevation of Cardinal Wilton Gregory, the first African-American cardinal in history.

Atlanta

11/16: BCHM luncheon at St. Philip Benizi Catholic Church in Jonesboro at 12pm ET. Tickets $25.
11/21: Lyke House Bowman Scholars Concert.

Arlington

11/9 (virtual): Annual Minkisi Mini-Retreat: “Justice, Testimony, and Joy!” with Dcn Art Miller and Cecilia Braveboy at 9:45am ET.
11/17: BCHM Mass at the Cathedral of St. Thomas More with Bishop Michael Burbidge and the HU Bison Catholic Gospel Choir at 11am ET. Reception to follow.

Baltimore

11/1: All Saints’ Day Mass at St Ann Catholic Church honoring Black Catholic saints-to-be at 7pm ET.
11/17: BCHM Mass at St. Ambrose Catholic Church with Archbishop William Lori at 7pm ET.

Baton Rouge

11/2: BCHM Mass at Sacred Heart Catholic Church with Fr Anthony Bozeman, SSJ at 111:30am CT.

Beaumont

11/3: St. Martin de Porres Feast Day Mass at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Cheek with Bishop David Toups at 9am CT.

Belleville

11/9-10: Annual Family and Friends weekend at St. Augustine Catholic Church in East St. Louis.

Boston

11/ 16: Bishop Healy Award Dinner at Boston College High School in Dorchester at 5:30pm ET.
11/7: BCHM Mass at St. Ignatius Catholic Church in Chestnut Hill with Fr Oscar Pratr ar 12:15pm ET.

Brooklyn

11/16: “Bakhita: From Slave to Saint” movie screening at St. Mary Magdalene Parish Hall in Springfield Gardens at 2pm ET.
11/24: BCHM Mass at St. Bonaventure Church with Fr George Kintiba, SVD at 11am ET. Reception to follow.

Charleston

11/3: BCHM Mass for the Feast of St. Martin de Porres at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church in Columbia at 9am ET.

Cincinnati

111/22-24: “What We Have Seen and Heard: Celebrating Forty Years with an Academic Symposium” at the University of Dayton.
11/24: Christ the King Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Peter in Chains with Cardinal Wilton Gregory at 11am CT.

Cleveland

11/7: "Eucharistic Adoration and Black Catholic Heritage" event at St. Aloysius/St. Agatha Catholic Church at 7pm ET.
11/13: "Eucharistic Adoration and Black Catholic Heritage" event at St. Agnes/Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church at 7pm ET.
11/18: "Eucharistic Adoration and Black Catholic Heritage" event at Our Lady of Peace Catholic Church at 7pm ET.
11/29: "Eucharistic Adoration and Black Catholic Heritage" event at Holy Spirit Catholic Church in Garfield Heights at 7pm ET.

Colorado Springs

11/2: Annual St. Martin de Porres Dinner at St. Mary's Cathedral at 5pm MT.

Columbus

11/5: “Black Faith Matters” screening at Ohio Dominican University’s Spangler LVC at 7pm CT.
11/14: Presentation with Dr. Cecilia Moore at Ohio Dominican University’s Erskine Hall St. Mary Andrew Matesich Theater at 6pm CT.
11/17: BCHM Mass at Ohio Dominican University’s Christ the King Chapel with Vernon Haitrson at 7pm CT.

Dallas

11/10-12: BCHM revival at Holy Cross Catholic Church with Fr AntrthonyBozeman, SSJ.
11/16: “A Place at the Table” screening at Holy Cross Catholic Church at 6:30pm CT

Davenport

11/20 (hybrid): MLK Jr. Reading Series on Black Catholic saints at Clinton Community College’s Douglas Library at 5:30pm CT.

Denver

11/2: “A Place at the Table” screening at Queen of Peace Catholic Church Parish Center in Aurora at 1pm MT.
11/8: “A Place at the Table” youth screening at Queen of Peace Catholic Church Parish Center in Aurora at 5:30pm MT.

Detroit

11/3: “Wonderful Is Your Name” gospel choir concert at Sacred Heart Catholic Church at 3pm ET. Cost is $10.
11/9: BCHM Mass and Rosary at Sacred Heart Major Seminary at 3pm ET. Presentation to follow on the Black Madonna.

Fort Wayne-South Bend

11/3: BCHM program at St. Augustine Catholic Church following the 9:30am ET Mass.
11/12 (hybrid): Thomas Merton Lecture in Spirituality with Fr Bryan Massingale at Saint Mary’s College’s Madeleva Hall Carroll Auditorium at 7pm ET.
11/16: BCHM social gathering and dialogue with the DFWSB Black Catholic Advisory Board at St. Augustine at 10am ET.

Gary

11/17: BCHM Mass at the Cathedral of the Holy Angels with Bishop Robert J. McClory at 11am CT.

Houma-Thibodaux

11/9: BCHM Mass at St. Luke Catholic Church in Thibodaux at 11am CT.

Los Angeles

11/9: BCHM Mass at St. Odilia Catholic Church with Fr Robert Sewe, OFM Cap. at 12pm PT.
11/16 (hybrid): “Strong Women Keep A Coming: The Perseverance of Black Women” virtual event with Dr. Diana Hayes at 4pm PT. In-person “Vespers in the African-American Catholic Tradition” to to follow at Loyola Marymount Univerity’s Sacred Heart Chapel.
11/22-23: Regional Black Catholic Congress at Ss. Peter and Paul Catholic Church in Wilmington. Register online.

Louisville

11/11: Veterans’ Day Observance for Black Catholic Unmarked Graves Project at St. Louis Catholic Cemetery at 3pm ET.
11/16: African Diaspora Catholic Day of Reflection and BCHM celebration at the Catholic Enrichment Center at 8am CT.

Memphis

11/1-3: St. Martin de Porres Triduum at the National Shrine of St. Martin de Porres.

Montgomery

“Fresh Blood: Healing the Seemingly Incurable Wound of Racial Strife” presentation at St. Jude Catholic Church with Fr Prentice Tipton at 5:30pm CT.

New Orleans

11/4: “A Two-Way Street: Blackness and Catholicism” event at Loyola University New Orleans’ Nunemaker Hall Monroe Science Complex with Dr. Cecilia Moore at 7pm CT.
11/7: Xavier University of Louisiana Gospel Choir Alumni reunion at St. Katharine Drexel Chapel at 4:30pm CT.
11/9: “Shepherd My People: Celebrating Our Black Bishops” Black saints parade, prayer service, and awards ceremony at St. Joseph of the Worker Catholic Church in Marrero at 10am CT.

New York

11/2: "The Many Afterlives of Martin de Porres in the History of U.S. Black Catholic Life" lecture at the Center at Mariandale in Ossining with Dr. Shannen Dee Williams at 10am ET.
11/4: Pierre Toussaint Scholarship Fund Awards Dinner at Guastavino’s at 4pm ET.

Newark

11/2: Bishop Francis Brunch Fundraiser and awards ceremony at Costa Del Sol in Union at 12pm ET.

Oakland

11/2: Our Mother of Africa Unity Gathering and Mass at St. Benedict Catholic Church at 1pm PT.
11/12: “Saintly Six” BCHM celebration at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church in San Ramon with Dr. Chiquita Tuttle at 9:30am PT.

Omaha

11/9: Black Catholic Day of Reflection at Jesuit Middle School with Christian Bentley at 9am CT.

Orange

11/9: Knights of Peter Claver and Ladies Auxiliary Founders' Day Mass at Christ Cathedral in Garden Grove with Bishop Kevin Vann at 4pm PT. Reception to follow.

Owensboro

11/2: BCHM Mass at St. Stephen Cathedral with Bishop William Medley at 11:30am CT. Luncheon to follow.

Philadelphia

11/3: St. Martin de Porres Feast Day Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of Sts. Peter and Paul at 2pm ET.
11/7: Mother Mary Lange Lecture at Villanova University’s Driscoll Hall with Dr. Kim Harris at 7pm ET.
11/16: Stacy Williams
11/16: BCHM presentation at the Basilica Shrine of the Miraculous Medal with Teresa Wilson Favors and Ralph E. Moore Jr. at 12:30pm ET.

Phoenix

11/3: BCHM Mass at St. Josephine Bakhita Mission at 11am MT.
11/9: BCHM celebration as the Diocese of Phoenix Pastoral Center with Deena Sellers at 10am MT.

Richmond

11/13: Deacon Charles Williams Speaker Series at the Cathedral of the Sacred Heart with Fr Robert Boxie at 6pm ET. Tickets $10 per person and $15 per couple.
11/15-16: Office for Black Catholics Annual Retreat at the Roslyn Retreat Center. Tickets $25-100.
11/22 (virtual): A Reflection on "What We Have Seen and Heard" with Dr. Ansel Augustine at 6pm ET.

Rochester

11/8: BCHM Mass at Immaculate Conception/St. Bridget’s Church with Fr Vernon Huguley at 6pm ET.
11/9: BCHM retreat at Immaculate Conception/St. Bridget’s Church with Fr Vernon Huguley at 9am ET.
11/15: “A Place at the Table” screening at St. Marianne Cope Catholic Church in Henrietta at 6:30pm ET..

Rockville Centre

11/24: BCHM Mass at the Cathedral of St Agnes with Fr Pierre Toussaint, CFR at 12:30pm ET. Reception to follow.

Sacramento

11/2: “Right and Just: Racial Equity and the Promise of a Synodal Church” event at St. Ignatius Catholic Church with Daryl Grigsby at 3pm PT.
11/17 (virtual): “Speaking the Truth in Love” monthly webinar with St. Basil the Great Catholic Church in Vallejo at 2pm PT.

Saint Paul and Minneapolis

11/2-3: Saint Peter Claver All-School Reunion in Saint Paul. Sunday Mass at 10am CT.

San Antonio

11/9 (hybrid): “Holy Disruption: Black Bodies as Sacraments of Transformation” event at the Oblate School of Theology with Dr SimonMary Aihiokhai at 9am CT. Tickets $10.

San Francisco

11/14: BCHM gospel choir concert at St. Dominic Catholic Church with the choirs of Our Lady of Lourdes and St. Paul of the Shipwreck at 7pm PT..

San Jose

11/14: Thea Bowman Lecture at the Jesuit School of Theology of Santa Clara University in Berkeley at 7pm PT. Vespers and dinner at 5:15.

Savannah

11/16: BCHM Mass at St. Benedict the Moor Catholic Church at 11am ET.
11/16: BCHM Mass at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Augusta with Bishop Stephen Parkes at 5pm ET.
11/16: BCHM Mass at St. John the Evangelist Catholic Church in Valdosta at 5pm ET.

Seattle

11/14: “America’s Real Sister Act” presentation at Seattle University’s STCN LeRoux Conference Room 160 with Dr. Shannen Dee Williams at 4pm PT.
11/15-16: Black Catholic Advisory Circle Conference at St. Stephen the Martyr Church with Cardinal Wilton Gregory; Fr Anthony Bozeman, SSJ; and Dr. Shannen Dee Williams. Tickets $50 for adults and $25 for students.

Shreveport

11/3: BCHM Mass at St. Mary of the Pines Catholic Church at 10:30am CT.
11/3: BCHM Mass at Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament with Dcn Michael Taylor at 9am CT.

St. Louis

11/13: Sister Mary Antona Ebo Lecture at Saint Louis University’s Pere Marquette Gallery with Winnie Sullivan at 5pm CT.

Toledo

11/2: BCHM prayer breakfast at St. Patrick’s of Heatherdown with Fr Tony Ricard at 9am CT.
11/3: BCHM Mass at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church with Fr Tony Ricard at 10:30am CT.

Washington

11/3: Gospel Mass and soul food brunch at St. Vincent de Paul Chapel with Fr Robert Boxie and the HU Bison Catholic Gospel Choir at 11am ET.
11/6: HU Bison Catholic Fundraising Gala at Top of the Town in Arlington, Virginia, at 6pm ET. Tickets $75.
11/13: “Six Black Catholics on the Road to Sainthood” performance at Heritage Hall with Dr. ValLimar Jansen at 5pm ET.
11/16: BCHM Mass at St. Peter Claver Catholic Church in St. Inigoes with Auxiliary Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr. Welcome and tour begins at 2pm ET, praise and worship at 4pm, and Vigil Mass at 4:30pm. Reception to follow.
11/24 (virtual): BCHM Tea and Reflection with the Council of Catholic Women at 3pm ET.

Worcester

11/8: African-American spirituals concert at Christ the King Catholic Church with Ron Williams and Olga Rogach at 7pm ET.

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

Where to find a Black Catholic History Month event (2024 edition)