There are so many ways in which we acknowledge and celebrate the gifts of our heroes and sheroes in our lives, especially those who held on to their faith. It is the gift of their faithfulness while serving in the Church that has been passed on to us to live fully in our lives today. I would like to invite everyone who reads this reflection to join me in giving thanks to God for all those faithful stewards of God’s kingdom, who kept ministry alive — in their hearts and in their hands. This includes a recognition and deep appreciation of all those who are, still, alive and committed to ministry in the Church today.

Everyone knows that getting ministry done in the Church has its challenges, as well as its accomplishments. Lord knows that, for those of us who are Black Catholics, we continue to face (presently, as well as historically) the sin of racism that has in no way died and gone away. Whenever I am asked to speak at a milestone celebration of some minister’s (clergy and lay) years of service, we normally acknowledge their number of years and wonderful accomplishments from which we have benefitted. When I am invited to speak, I always make it a point to thank them for all that they were willing to go through to get the ministry done. Lord knows “it ain’t been easy”!

Most people (whether they be Catholic or not), still, refer to this Catholic Church in America as the “white man’s church.” One can easily recognize the ongoing evidence of the injustice, unfair treatment and purposeful oversight/ omission of who are and what we are doing in ministry. Most Black Catholics I have talked with have told me that they love their Catholic faith. I cannot think of many who will tell me that they love their Catholic Church.

Speaking on my own behalf, I have remained faithful because my commitment was made to God — no one else but God! I have seen how God’s grace and mercy — God’s power of the Holy Spirit is what has enabled me to keep on building up God’s kingdom in the hearts of God’s people. Let me invite all of you to pray and live, as I do, the words of David in Psalm 24:

“Show me your ways, O Lord, teach me your paths;

Guide me in your truth and teach me…”

When God shows me, God has my heart! When God teaches me, God has my mind. When God guides me, God has my hand.

Published in the February 8 edition of The Record, the newspaper of the Archdiocese of Louisville