RIP to Rev. Jesse Jackson, a lion of the Civil Rights Movement and a principle ally to the Black Catholic Movement, in which he provided support in the spirit and in the streets, helping to reclaim Black identity and press the Church toward justice. May the angels receive him!

A Black Catholic-led federal lawsuit can proceed against local officials enabling pollution in Louisiana's "Cancer Alley", a judge has ruled. The civil rights case argues that carcinogenic operations are being steered into African-American communities. www.blackcatholicmes...

Black Catholics Sharon Lavigne and Gail LeBoeuf respectively help lead @risestjames.bsky.social and Inclusive Louisiana, two of the parties in a lawsuit against the civil parish of St. James—which has repeatedly granted land use permits for polluting industries in local Black neighborhoods.

According to the data, nine of the 23 private schools doing this the most are Catholic.

Old landlord really tried to withhold my rental deposit like I wasn't ready to sue. Lol Bless their heart. 🙏🏾

The Brooklyn Diocese seeks mediation to universally resolve more than 1,100 child sex abuse cases, following a wave of filings under the New York Child Victims Act. A lawsuit against the late Black Catholic bishop Guy Sansaricq is among the pending cases. www.blackcatholicmes...

OUR COURAGEOUS BROTHERS

Catholic Democrats in Congress have condemned the White House's immigration enforcement and are calling for consideration of the Church's social teaching to guide reform. Black Catholic Reps. Adriano Espaillat and Gabe Amo signed onto a new statement. www.blackcatholicmes...

Leading the statement is Rep. Rosa DeLauro of Connecticut, who has recently faced criticism for refusing to support the abolishment of ICE. Rep. Espaillat, however—an Afro-Dominican who chairs the Congressional @hispaniccaucus.bsky.social—has openly called for the agency to be "dismantled".

Archbishop James Checchio started his tenure in New Orleans by visiting the tomb of Venerable Henriette DeLille, foundress of the Holy Family Sisters. The Black Creole mother general is among the seven African-American Catholics on track for sainthood. www.blackcatholicmes...

Vincentian Family winning. 🙏🏾

Wynton Marsalis, the founding director of Jazz at Lincoln Center, will step down in 2027 after 40 years helping to popularize jazz as a standard American art form. The Catholic-raised virtuoso won a Pulitzer—the first for jazz—with the JALC band in 1997. www.blackcatholicmes...

The tragic stories of Dr. Janell Green Smith and Karrie Jones have recently reminded us that racism remains a feature of American medicine, shown forth in Black maternal healthcare disparities. Briana Jansky says the ancient past can show us a better way. www.blackcatholicmes...

"When a White physician works with a Black patient, it is likely that the physician will not listen adequately to the patient and that the patient will be (understandably) wary of what the physician might say or do. This... can result in disaster."

Officially official. Analilia Mejia, the Afro-Latina progressive running for Congress in NJ-11, is headed to the general this November. Safe blue seat, so you can expect to see her in Washington.

"You must take the time to wonder about all the what ifs? Did I show kindness in a time of need? Did I take care of the sick and wounded? Did I love and share my love with others? And the biggest what if; Did I ask God for His forgiveness." www.blackcatholicmes...

The 1997 short "Champagne" from Michael Sporn tells of a Black girl navigating life as the daughter of an incarcerated mother, being raised by Catholic nuns. Simoa Barros reflects on the film, calling it a powerful reflection on compassion and resilience. www.blackcatholicmes...

NEW: Former Houston city councilor @akedwardstx.bsky.social is suspending her campaign for the 2026 general election in Texas' 18th congressional district. Edwards fell to Harris County Attorney Christian Menefee in a special election runoff for the seat in January.

"The communal nature and celebrations of birds are likely to be instructive, [but] their singing is of particular importance... The natural ability birds possess for music in general and song in particular should inform how Catholics think about theology." www.blackcatholicmes...

Christian solidarity with the oppressed is a longstanding tradition, featuring the likes of Cesar Chavez, Martin Luther King Jr., and countless others. Dr. Malcolm K. Oliver writes that their example is much needed amid the ongoing moral crisis in America. www.blackcatholicmes...

The new Archbishop of New York, Ronald Hicks, will soon be installed in one of the nation's largest Catholic jurisdictions—and he has his work cut out for him. Félix Cepeda says he can start by learning the culture and avoiding becoming a culture warrior. www.blackcatholicmes...

A South African cardinal has newly denied claims of "White genocide"—which Trump has used to justify refugee resettlement for hundreds of Afrikaners. The U.S. program continues even as the White House blocks immigration from various distressed countries. www.blackcatholicmes...

NEW: It looks like Haitian refugees in the United States with Temporary Protected Status (TPS) will be able to stay for now.

The 2026 Grammy Awards featured star-studded tributes and a near sweep of the major categories by Black and Latino artists. A number of Catholic-raised Black artists—including Jon Batiste and Cynthia Erivo—were also winners on music's biggest night. www.blackcatholicmes...

"The album 'A Tribute to the King of Zydeco,' honoring the late Black Catholic singer-songwriter and accordionist Clifton Chenier, won for Best Regional Roots Music Album—a category frequently dominated by Louisiana artists, including several featured on the Chenier tribute LP."

Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for U.S. Haitian refugees is set to expire Feb. 3, with the Trump White House claiming conditions have improved on the island. Advocates and experts say otherwise, seeking an injunction to stop a likely deportation effort. www.blackcatholicmes...

Government and civil infrastructure in Haiti remain crippled amid a yearslong armed insurgency and the fallout of a devastating 2010 earthquake, while Trump admin officials—latching onto the president's racist claims about the country—remain unmoved despite legal challenges.

Funeral Mass underway here in Missouri for Leodia "Lee" Gooch, past Supreme Lady of the Knights of Peter Claver's Ladies Auxiliary and past executive director of the National Black Catholic Congress. Livestream: www.youtube.com/live...

With every new statement from Catholic leaders on the current U.S. crisis, the question emerges: Is neutrality enough? Efran Menny writes that the answer, according to the Biblical and African-American prophetic witness, is a resounding negative.

Black History Month is almost upon us, and Catholic organizations and experts are leading events around the country to celebrate an international diasporic heritage and legacy. We've got you covered with our handy national listing. www.blackcatholicmes...

Packed house in New Orleans for the funeral of Fr Victor Laroche, the Haitian-born Dominican friar who served as a chaplain and administrator at Xavier University of Louisiana, the nation's Catholic HBCU. Livestream: fb.watch/EYAQY8LPAW/

"When our clergy refuse to directly confront and name those in authority or systems they protect, they forfeit their prophetic responsibility to call out the oppression of historically neglected and marginalized groups. This type of ecclesial omission has to change..."

The faithful of New Orleans came out tonight for a Rosary in memory of Fr Victor Laroche, OP, a Haitian-born friar who died suddenly this month. He served as chaplain at Xavier University of Louisiana, the nation's Catholic HBCU. Bishop Jacques Fabre-Jeune of Charleston is among the mourners here.

The Diocese of Jackson will host a closing ceremony for the diocesan phase of the sainthood cause for Servant of God Thea Bowman, the pioneering African-American religious sister who helped lead the Black Catholic Movement. www.blackcatholicmes...

Shameful stuff from my senator, a Catholic who praised Stephen Miller last night on social media.

"We continue to be confronted with a callous disregard for human life and dignity, driven by racism and xenophobia that targets Black and Brown people." The Josephites, a Catholic religious community serving African Americans, on the killing of Renée Good and Alex Pretti in Minneapolis.

The Fort Mose Jazz and Blues Series will return to St. Augustine, Florida—the nation's oldest city—in February, benefiting the preservation of the fort where Afro-Spanish Catholics founded the first free Black settlement in the future United States. www.blackcatholicmes...

Just seeing this. I need a moment...

*from Republicans and other conservative leaders. I long for the day when prominent Catholic clergy will just say this. There is only one side perpetrating the current crisis.

Fr Victor Laroche, a Dominican priest who served as chaplain at Xavier University of Louisiana, died suddenly this month in New Orleans. He was 66 years old. No cause of death was released for the Haitian-born cleric, who had recently gone on sabbatical. www.blackcatholicmes...

U.S. Rep Troy Carter of Louisiana, a close friend of Laroche's, described him as an "extraordinary faith leader who spread love, compassion, and hope", while a statement from XULA said his ministry "profoundly shaped the spiritual life" of the nation's Catholic HBCU.

DHS secretary Kristi Noem says her dept will investigate Pretti’s killing. As of Sunday, Noem, Border Patrol head Greg Bovino, and FBI director Kash Patel have already publicly blamed Pretti for his own death—as have Trump, Vance, Stephen Miller, Pete Hegseth, and Pam Bondi.

"A message: Love your people & you will die. Yet our greatest threat isn't the outsiders among us, but those among us who never look within. Fear not the those without papers, but those without conscience." (From "For Alex Jeffrey Pretti" by Amanda Gorman)

Amanda Gorman's "For Alex Jeffrey Pretti" laments the Saturday killing of a 37-year-old Minnesota ICU nurse by Border Patrol. The Catholic-raised poet is among many calling for national introspection as the Trump White House doubles down on violence. www.blackcatholicmes...

Autumn Durald Arkapaw, an Afro-Filipina descended from Black Creoles in Louisiana, has become the first non-White woman nominated for Best Cinematography at the Oscars. Hers is one of the record 16 nominations for the 2025 blockbuster hit "Sinners". www.blackcatholicmes...

"Sinners", from Catholic-educated director Ryan Coogler, tied the Academy Awards record for the most individual Black nominees from a single film, and produced 10 of the 14 Black nominees overall in the 2026 field.

From one of the nation's Black Catholic congressmen, in the wake of the latest ICE-involved killing in broad daylight, on the need for the agency to be "dismantled".

Alex Jeffrey Pretti, holy martyr of charity, pray for us. 🙏🏾

Richard Smallwood's impact on the Black Church cannot be overstated, and his passing has elicited an international wave of condolences acknowledging his legacy. Samantha Smith writes that he belongs in the upper echelon of American Christian memory. www.blackcatholicmes...