Black and Catholic: many say they are faithful despite church's inattention

National Catholic Reporter, March 13, 1998 by Robert McClory

The number of black Chicago parishes has declined in the 13-year period from 55 to 45 (while movement out of the inner city has expanded the number of "integrated" parishes from 11 to 40).

The number of American-born black priests has declined from 22 to 16, black sisters from 18 to 12 and religious brothers from five to two.

One measurable area of black growth is in permanent deacons, from 45 to 48.

An especially ominous figure is the number of native born blacks studying for Chicago in the major seminary: zero. In fact, the archdiocese has not ordained a black priest since 1992.

The archdiocesan Office for Black Catholics ceased operation in 1990 when its activities were placed under the umbrella of the Office for Ethnic Ministries, which oversees outreach to all special population groups. Adams remains the sole consultant for black Catholics. The cutback, she said, "took away our programming efforts. Now we rely on joint efforts with other archdiocesan agencies like the liturgy office." Currently, noted Adams, a major joint project sponsors sensitivity workshops in parishes where blacks and Hispanics live among whites.

Adams said her greatest concern is the departure from the church of young blacks, ages 18 to 35. "This is something we really didn't experience in the '70s or '80s," she noted. In those days young blacks may not have attended church in great numbers but still considered themselves Catholic. "Now," said Adams, "they're looking for something the church isn't giving them," and that includes "solid Bible study, adult education and especially a personal relationship with Jesus." Typical of the trend, she said, are two close relatives who have emigrated out of the church -- one to the Baptist denomination, one to the United Church of Christ.

`No mass exodus'

Beverly Carroll, director of the Secretariat for African-American Catholics, acknowledged "some attrition" within the church but insisted "there's no mass exodus." The attrition, she believes, stems from the remnants of racist attitudes still festering within Catholicism.

"We've seen an increase of incidents of racism in Catholic neighborhoods in Pittsburgh and Brooklyn and Chicago and other cities," she said. "It's still there raising its ugly head. I believe if the church is going to enter the millennium with wholeness, we've got to rid ourselves of racism."

The church's continuing tardiness in developing black leadership is disturbing to Carroll and other observers. The 13 U.S. black bishops (of whom four head dioceses) represent 3 percent of the nation's hierarchy. The 300 black priests constitute just a little over half of 1 percent of American priests. The 600 black sisters represent seven-tenths of 1 percent of America's nuns.

Few diocesan agencies are headed by blacks -- probably fewer than 10 years ago, since many dioceses (like Chicago) have merged their office for black Catholics into an all-embracing ethnic ministry office.

"Change is very, very incremental," said Carroll, "and we're still only scratching the surface." Still, she believes African-American Catholics will never turn in great numbers to Protestant churches or to Bishop George Stallings' Imani Temple. Stallings, a former Washington priest, broke with the Roman Catholic church to start his own denomination.