Juneteenth (June 19th) will be celebrated this year throughout the United States as a federal holiday, giving Americans ample opportunity to honor the legacy—and eventual freedom—of the African Americans enslaved in state-sanctioned bondage.
For Black Catholics, the day may hold special significance, as the original Juneteenth celebrations were born from the 1865 decree known as General Order No. 3, issued in Galveston, Texas, where the last enslaved African Americans remained for some time after Lincoln's proclamation in 1863. In that same city in 1528, an enslaved Black Catholic explorer named Esteban became one of the first Africans to set foot in what would become the United States.
Below can be found a variety of events celebrating Juneteenth this year in the Catholic tradition, those organized by Catholics, as well as those being held in a Catholic venue.
(This list is not exhaustive. All the included information is subject to change and should be confirmed with event organizers. Please contact your local diocese, Black Catholic office, or a Black parish in your area for more events.)
Diocese of Arlington
- 6/19: Juneteenth Holy Hour at St. Joseph Catholic Church in Alexandria at 7pm ET.
Diocese of Baton Rouge
- 6/17: Juneteenth Celebration and Teach-in with Rise St. James at Welcome Park in St. James, Louisiana at 5pm CT.
Diocese of Bridgeport
- 6/19: Juneteenth: a Freedom Celebration (Holy Hour and program) at Blessed Sacrament Catholic Church in Bridgeport at 6pm ET.
Diocese of Camden
- 6/17: Juneteenth Celebration at St. Monica Catholic Church in Atlantic City at 2pm ET.
Diocese of Charleston
- 6/19 (virtual): Juneteenth blessing of St. John Cemetery with Bishop Jacques Fabre-Jeune, CS, Fr Michael Okere, Frank Dirks, and Rovena Hazel Owens at 10am ET.
- 6/19: Juneteenth Luncheon with Judge Arthur C. McFarland at 11:30am.
Archdiocese of Chicago
- 6/16-18: Juneteenth weekend events at St. Sabina Catholic Church with DC Young Fly, J. Ivy, Iris Martinez, and Attorney Ben Crump.
- 6/17:: Juneteenth Freedom Day celebration on the grounds of St Benedict Parish on Leavitt Street at 11am CT.
Diocese of Cleveland
- 6/17: Juneteenth celebration at Ursuline College in Pepper Pike at 11am ET.
- 6/19: Juneteenth Mass and with Frs Tom Fanta, Anthony Simone, and Clarence Williams, CPPS, at St. Adalbert/Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament Church in Cleveland at 10am ET. Gathering to follow.
Diocese of Davenport
- 6/15: Juneteenth Prayer Service and potluck at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Coralville at 6pm CT.
Archdiocese of Detroit
- 6/19 Mass of Peace and Justice Celebrating Freedom with Fr John McKenzie at Gesu Catholic Church in Detroit at 6:30pm CT.
Archdiocese of Hartford
- 6/17: Granby Celebrates Juneteenth with Deacon Art Miller at Salmon Brook Park in Granby at 3pm ET (Miller speaks at 5:45pm).
Archdiocese of Louisville
- 6/24-25: Juneteenth Celebration at St. Monica Catholic Church in Bardstown.
Archdiocese of Milwaukee
- 6/17: Juneteenth Celebration with Ebony Vision and the All Saints Catholic Church Choir at Buttermilk Creek Park in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin at 11am CT.
- 6/17: Juneteenth Celebration with Marquette University and Safe & Sound at 4422 W. Leon Terrace in Milwaukee at 1pm CT.
Diocese of Nashville
- 6/19: Juneteenth picnic at Christ the King Catholic Church in Nashville at 5:30pm CT.
Archdiocese of New Orleans
- 6/17: Juneteenth Celebration with the Office of Black Catholic Ministries at Tuba Fats Square in New Orleans at noon CT.
Archdiocese of Philadelphia
- 6/13: “Race, Injustice, & Grace” event with Leroy Evans at St. John Chrysostom Catholic Church in Wallingford at 7pm ET.
- 6/17: Pre-Juneteenth Revival with Fr Stephen Thorne at St. Katharine Drexel Catholic Church in Chester at 6pm ET.
- 6/18: Sending Forth Mass for the 2023 National Black Catholic Congress with Archbishop Nelson Perez at St. Raymond of Penafort Catholic Church in Philadelphia at 10am ET.
- 6/19: Juneteenth Celebration with Dr. Patricia Reid Merritt at Cabrini University in Radnor from 12-4pm ET.
Diocese of Pittsburgh
- Juneteenth Celebration with Dr. Jonathan JeVon White at Duquesne University’s Gumberg Library in Pittsburgh at 10:30am ET.
Diocese of Richmond
- 6/19: Juneteenth celebration at the Basilica of St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Norfolk, Virginia, at 11am ET.
Diocese of San Diego
- 6/18: Juneteenth Mass with Cardinal Robert W. McElroy at St. Rita Catholic Church in San Diego at 10am PT.
Diocese of Shreveport
- 6/17: Juneteenth parade beginning at St Benedict the Black Catholic Church in Grambling at 11am CT. Community festival to follow.
Diocese of St. Augustine
- Juneteenth Recognition concert with the Ritz Chamber Players and Ann Marie McPhail at the Cathedral Basilica of St. Augustine.
Archdiocese of St. Louis
- 6/17: Forgive Us Our Trespasses Maafa procession and prayer service with Ardhcbishop Mitchell Rozanski and Auxiliary Bishop Joseph Perry of Chicago at the Old Cathedral in St. Louis at 9am CT. Meal to follow.
Archdiocese of Washington
- 6/18: Juneteenth Mass with Cardinal Wilton Gregory and Auxiliary Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr. at Mount Calvary Catholic Church in Forestville, Maryland at 10:30am ET.
- 6/19: Juneteenth Prayer Breakfast with Dr. Barry C. Black at Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church in Washington at 10am ET.
Diocese of Wichita
- 6/17: Juneteenth Parade beginning at Holy Savior Catholic Academy in Wichita at 10am CT.
Diocese of Wilmington
- 6/21: Juneteenth Celebration and dinner with Therese Wilson Favors at St. Joseph Catholic Church on French Street in Wilmington at 6:30pm ET.
Nate Tinner-Williams is co-founder and editor of Black Catholic Messenger.
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