In a 1964 letter to the Hon. Elijah Muhammad, the Black Muslim revolutionary Malcolm X said he modeled his method of spreading Islam after the Christian apostles, especially St. Paul. Dcn Tim Tilghman says this can teach us about Black Catholic renewal. buff.ly/ypfL4AN

There's perhaps no better way to celebrate the Christmas octave than to tap into Umoja (Unity), Kujichagulia (Self-Determination), Ujima (Collective Work & Responsibility), Ujamaa (Cooperative Economics), Nia (Purpose), Kuumba (Creativity), and Imani (Faith).

Kwanzaa is almost here, and Catholic institutions around the country will celebrate events promoting the "Nguzo Saba" (Seven Principles) of the weeklong commemoration from Dec. 26 to Jan. 1. Check out our handy national listing to find an event near you. buff.ly/ZrY9hoO

Check out the latest episode of the Black Catholic Messenger podcast, in which a father-daughter duo explore the history and purpose of diversity, equity, and inclusion and the link between faith, wellness, and forward-thinking activism.

Dr. John F. Leeke, who spent his five-decade career promoting DEI with the nation's top companies and schools, has published a new memoir. The Black Catholic advocate joins his coauthor and daughter, @anandaleeke.bsky.social on the latest episode of the BCM show. buff.ly/Veuf4wH

"Black worship is totally Catholic in cultural expression and iteration. In articulating what it means to bring her full Black self in all of its expression to the Church, [Servant of God Thea Bowman] remarked to the bishops: 'That doesn’t frighten you, does it?'"

St. Ignatius Loyola Catholic Church in Denver is home to a diverse congregation, including Black Catholics who have seen gospel music hymnals reportedly thrown in the trash under a new pastor. Dr. M. Roger Holland II explores the racist elements at play. buff.ly/EvLhbZA

Dr. Tia Noelle Pratt's "Black and Catholic: Racism, Identity, and Religion" explores sociological themes among African-American Catholics, bridging a gap in academic treatments of American religion. Rana Irby reviews the new text with high praise. buff.ly/ytb4cZg

"DiIulio argued that 'moral poverty' was to blame for the upcoming societal threat posed by young boys. His solution, therefore, was 'religion' and investing in churches to provide services that would boost social and economic development, especially in low-income Black neighborhoods."

30 years ago, a Catholic professor coined the term "superpredator", setting off a chain of racist fearmongering that has fueled persistent myths about Black crime, especially among youths. Alessandra Harris writes that it's high time we correct the record. buff.ly/p1mgtCX

Rodríguez made national headlines amid the COVID-19 pandemic, when his parish was seen to be at the center of the outbreak in NYC. Rodríguez lost more than 100 parishioners to illness in the first year, with the church becoming a touchpoint of endurance, faith, and health safety.

Fr Manuel de Jesús Rodríguez has been named Bishop of Palm Beach, becoming the latest immigrant prelate added to the U.S. episcopacy by Pope Leo XIV. The Dominican-born priest in the Diocese of Brooklyn is notably outspoken on a variety of social issues. buff.ly/6abl8Q5

Pope Leo XIV has been named one of Vogue's 55 "Best Dressed People" of the year, a first for a Bishop of Rome. Solange and Andre Walker also made the list, rounding out a trio of honorees at the intersection of Blackness, Catholicism, and high fashion. buff.ly/YHOHRf1

Assemblywoman Amanda Septimo is challenging Rep. Ritchie Torres of New York for his seat in Congress, joining a Democratic primary energized by shifting US sentiment against Israel. The Afro-Latina Catholic plans to focus her campaign solely on the Bronx. buff.ly/vHIrlLM

Manuel faces cover-up allegations after firing Moore last week in what is believed to have been a one-on-one meeting—despite the veteran AD allegedly having prior knowledge of the coach's long-term mental health struggles and mistreatment of women.

University of Michigan athletic director Warde Manuel is reportedly under investigation for his actions concerning disgraced former football coach Sherrone Moore. The Black Catholic official has faced a litany of scandals since his hiring in 2016. buff.ly/bUQyOGv

Fr Clarence Rivers, the father of Black Catholic liturgy, will receive a historical marker in Ohio next year. He was the first Black priest in the Cincinnati Archdiocese and the first Black Catholic to integrate African-American patrimony with the Mass. buff.ly/vgAOzLL

Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, one of the last remaining Black parishes in Louisville, will close at year's end due to declining membership and financial woes. The archdiocese announced the move, requested by parishioners, in late November. buff.ly/Vaqbghw

Many White Catholics in America have allied with evangelicals in pursuit of Christian nationalism, a prospect odious to the teachings of the Church and harmful to Black Americans. Efran Menny asks: How do we get back to the heart of the Gospel? buff.ly/pIuADkL

Matthews, who began her poetry career after studying for an MPA at the University of Michigan, has risen through the ranks of poetry and academia since 2011, becoming a full professor at @BrynMawrCollege.bsky.social earlier this year.

Award-winning poet Airea "Dee" Matthews has been named provost of Bryn Mawr College, where she has taught creative writing since 2017. The 53-year-old Black Catholic is a former Philadelphia Poet Laureate and Guggenheim Fellow. buff.ly/sapXp2P

"SUNSHINE AND DAYLIGHT" (poem by Dorothy Dempsey). buff.ly/6ZhzTt2

Pope Leo XIV's childhood home in Dolton, Illinois, has been named a historic landmark, following a village board vote. The one-story brick structure—which his father and Black Creole mother purchased in 1949—is scheduled to be publicly accessible by 2027. buff.ly/RA8TIeA

The special election for New Jersey Gov.-elect Mikie Sherrill's former seat in Congress will see a dozen Democrats vie for the solid-blue opening. At least one of them, the viral Trump-impersonating comedian J-L Cauvin, is a practicing Black Catholic. buff.ly/7Ak7Yk5

What a scholar and a legacy! May the angels lead her into paradise....

"In the sequel, Hopps and Wilde are now partners on the police force. After a police chase causes widespread damage throughout the city, they are benched to work through their partnership, but are determined to prove themselves as detectives."

Zootopia is back, bringing thoughtful social commentary to the silver screen in animated animal form—though this time with a new twist. Samantha Smith gives high praise in her review of the new Disney sequel. buff.ly/2vYdtwU

Consider a tax-deductible gift to Black Catholic Messenger this #GivingTuesday! We appreciate all the support.

Will you support BCM today for #GivingTuesday? We need your help to keep Black Catholic journalism alive in this pivotal moment for the Church and our nation. If you love the work that we do and want to make a tax-deductible gift, click now to give: buff.ly/JICwkDt

Phelps will be remembered with a livestreamed wake and funeral this week in Adrian, Michigan, where she died after more than six decades as a Dominican religious sister with an outsized impact on African-American Catholicism and Black theology.

Sr Jamie T. Phelps, one of the most influential modern Black Catholics, has died in MIchigan following an illness. She was 84 years old. The acclaimed womanist theologian, founder, and multidisciplinary scholar desegregated the Adrian Dominicans in 1959. buff.ly/M67wPh7

The historic church and school were the first mission of the Josephites in the Deep South and count among their former attendees the late zydeco star "Rockin' Sidney" Simien and the first Black priest from the city, the Josephites' own Charles "Chuck" Andrus.

A Black Catholic parish in Louisiana will soon unveil a historical marker, honoring 128 years of faith and service. Immaculate Conception Church and its former school in Lebeau include a Grammy winner and civil rights activists in their storied history. buff.ly/GJUhqo5

"Trump's greed will destroy him, along with all who follow in his wicked ways... Recently, a disturbing picture showed him after a man lost consciousness at one of his events. Everyone present was attentive to the man except Trump... It was the most unfeeling sentiment imaginable."

Entering the holiday season, President Donald Trump's Project 2025-tinged vision of America is in full force, with broad support despite its abject moral horrors. Dorothy Dempsey writes that a commitment to Christlike love is needed now more than ever. buff.ly/gTBV4Pa

After a rapid succession of recent incumbents, Houston-area voters will select their fourth representative in less than 18 months—immediately before voting in a Democratic primary to decide who will represent a likely redrawn 18th district beginning in 2027.

Gov. Greg Abbott has set a special election runoff for a vacant House seat at the heart of Texas' GOP-gerrymandered congressional maps. Black Catholic hopeful Amanda Edwards will face her opponent on Jan. 31 ahead of a midterm primary just weeks later. buff.ly/0PGuLhw

"Does my Black identity disappear when I enter religious spaces in the Church, does my Blackness stop existing when I put on my liturgical vestments, or have I unconsciously assimilated to the point of forgetting myself? Neither answer is comforting, but both reveal a deeper wound."

Black Catholic History Month is a time of joy for many Americans, but its pan-diasporic appeal is limited for various reasons. Fr Nnaemeka Ali, OMI writes that his experience as a Nigerian in Canada only reinforces his desire to celebrate representation. buff.ly/z33XGjy

The Josephites will raise two men to the transitional diaconate in December, the second ordinations of the year for the historic religious community serving African Americans. Alex Lema and Justus Ihemawulotu will make final professions the same month. buff.ly/mB2zANY

"Notably less garish than 'Wicked: Part I,' the sequel deals with various themes of exclusion, romance, courage, and even politics, with musical numbers interspersed, often of a dramatic rather than upbeat bent."

"Wicked: For Good" ties up loose ends from last fall's adventure in Oz, with a defiant Cynthia Erivo playing an empowered (yet conflicted) witch fighting the good fight and facing the consequences. Pro-social messages abound, says @natemup.com in his review. buff.ly/FaoDOye

Archbishop Shelton Fabre and Bishop Joseph Perry have served a combined 45 years in the episcopate, including national roles promoting anti-racism. During #USCCB25, the African-American prelates shared with @natemup.com about Black Catholic History Month. buff.ly/hC0hb6c

Bishop Roy E. Campbell Jr. of Washington is serving beyond the normal episcopal retirement age, using his voice to "stand up for the truth"—including the divine mandate of DEI and the legacy of Black Catholics. @natemup.com spoke with the prelate at #USCCB25. buff.ly/vhElpvY

The historic gift comes on the heels of October layoffs at XULA, though President Reynold Verret insisted that the school was on "strong" financial footing ahead of Scott's donation. A spokesperson indicated that the new contribution will not reverse the university cuts.

Mega-philanthropist MacKenzie Scott has given $38 million to Xavier University of Louisiana, the nation's Catholic HBCU. The historic gift surpasses her $20M donation to XULA in 2020 as the largest private donation in the school's 100-year history. buff.ly/cFGdTfD

The Black Catholic community has long been in crisis, with dwindling numbers and a failure to inspire the next generation to seize their legacy. James Conway writes that racism, too, leaves the Church's African Americans with only just (yet not) enough. buff.ly/cBvfIuD

Veronica Downs-Dorsey, a revered New Orleans teacher and musician with international impact, died this month after an illness and over 55 years of ministry. Her packed-out funeral saw hundreds pay tribute to a Black Catholic seemingly larger than life. buff.ly/CfVmnKG

The two-day event featured speakers from a variety of backgrounds explaining the nature of Catholic slaveholding in the United States while also centering the living legacy: the descendants of those the Church enslaved and sold, including at and for Georgetown itself.

The second national conference of Catholic Religious Organizations Studying Slavery (CROSS) took place this week at Georgetown University in D.C., with academics, educators, and descendants speaking on the facts—and fallout—of the Church's original sin. buff.ly/ievTTxQ