Telling the Whole Story
By: Ansel Augustine, D. Min, Assistant Director | Secretariat of Cultural Diversity in the Church
The Catholic Church proclaims itself universal— catholic in the truest sense of the word. Yet universality is not merely about geography; it is about visibility. It is about whose stories are told, whose faith is recognized, and whose witness is lifted up as part of the living tradition. Telling the story of Black Catholics is not optional cultural appreciation. It is essential to the integrity of the Church, and it is urgent for a society and a generation searching for belonging.
This is why the USCCB’s Mission Directive— especially the part that states that the USCCB “will prioritize . . . evangelizing those who are religiously unaffiliated or disaffiliated from the Church, with special focus on young adults and the youth”—is essential to connecting with the community.
From the earliest days of Christianity, Africa has been central to the faith. The Church gave us saints such as Augustine of Hippo and Monica, whose witness still shapes Catholic theology and spirituality. In the American story, figures like Servant of God Thea Bowman, St. Katharine Drexel, and Venerable Augustus Tolton reveal a Church sustained by Black faith even amid racism and exclusion.
Too often, however, these stories remain footnotes rather than foundations. When Black Catholic narratives are absent from classrooms and parish life, the message—intended or not—is that Black faith is peripheral. For young people already questioning institutions, that silence reinforces disaffiliation. Many youth and young adults leave not because they reject Christ but because they struggle to see themselves reflected in the Church’s story.
Representation is not tokenism; it is theological truth. The Body of Christ is incomplete when any part is ignored. When young people hear about Black Catholics who worshiped in segregated pews yet never abandoned their faith, they encounter a Church that survives suffering and transforms injustice. That witness is compelling and credible. This why the Subcommittee on African American Affairs has been coordinating young adult listening sessions around the country with the purpose of hearing from this demographic about how the Church can serve them better.
For disaffiliated youth, authenticity matters. They want a Church that acknowledges history—both sin and sanctity. Telling the story of Black Catholics forces the Church to confront racism while celebrating prophetic perseverance. It shows that Catholicism can hold lament and hope at the same time. In a world shaped by racial injustice and cultural fragmentation, Black Catholic history becomes a bridge between gospel proclamation and lived experience. Two of the subcommittee’s projects are the restructuring of the Josephite Pastoral Center, which includes updating relevant Black Catholic resources, and the upcoming Catholic TV series on the Saintly Six, the Black Catholics with open canonization causes coming from US dioceses.
If the Church desires to reach young adults, especially those on the margins, it must tell the whole story—not as an annual celebration, but as a constant proclamation. When young people see themselves in the communion of saints, they begin to believe they belong there.
And belonging is often the first step back home.