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Black Catholics revive ‘the revival’ It was a call to holiness. It was a call to Jesus. The three-day, three-site Black Catholic Revival Sept. 14-16 harmonized both of these vocalizations into a call for renewal within the archdiocesan black Catholic community by praising his holy name through song, liturgical dance and inspired preaching. Holy Name Cathedral, location for the first of three nights, drew black Catholics and curious passers-by to hear Redemptorist Father Maurice Nutt, pastor of St. Alphonsus Rock Church, St. Louis. Auxiliary Bishops Joseph Perry and Edwin Conway also participated in the revival’s opening at the cathedral. Night two of the revival was held at St. Sabina Church on the South Side, before closing on the West Side at St. Angela Church. Commanding the cathedral’s center aisle, Nutt blended Scripture with elements of contemporary black culture from gospel music and black Catholic history in Chicago, to illusions to New York rapper DMX. The result: explosive joy for being black and Catholic. “We, as Roman Catholics, in this Year of Jubilee, must become a praising people,” said Nutt. “We, as Roman Catholics, have to get away from the idea that we are a quiet church.” Making a joyful noise throughout the evening was the Black Catholic Revival Mass Choir, directed by Timothy Walker and song leader, Deneen Taylor. Joyce Gillie, pastoral coordinator of St. Peter Claver Mission in Robbins, chaired the revival committee. Gillie said her hope in organizing this event was to feed “a need for spiritual edification” in the black Catholic community and to serve as a lead-in event for the Black Catholic Convocation, Nov. 3-4 at DeLaSalle Institute, 3455 S. Wabash Ave. “When I asked people how the revival impacted them, in overwhelming numbers they said they were lifted up,” she said. “My personal hope is that the spirit they received is contagious as they encounter people in their individual churches.” While no plans have been scheduled for a 2001 revival, Saundra Spaulding of Assumption BVM/St. Catherine of Genoa, said she would welcome a return to the annual revivals initiated in the mid-1980s at the cathedral. Spaulding said those first revivals were so inspiring they motivated her to “hold on” and “keep the faith” through difficult times that followed. Nutt told his revival congregation that “your suffering will be a means to your breakthrough. “If you never have a trial, you will never have a testimony,” said Nutt. Looking about the cathedral, Spaulding said, “It’s good to be back here.” “This is the Mother Church of Chicago so it is only right for some to express ourselves and our love for Jesus here while renewing our spirits,” she said. Another event inspired by the convocation is the Deacon Roy Warren Faith Formation Program, by its steering committee. While the program, which begins Oct. 7 at St. James Church, 2942 S. Wabash, is designed for black Catholics, it is open to all, said Opal Easter-Smith, program coordinator. Topics of these monthly workshop range from customs and traditions of the Catholic Church to what is appropriate for Catholic praise and worship. The program is named in honor of Warren, a Catholic deacon at St. Agatha instrumental in the development of the Office for Black Catholic Ministries [now part of Ethnic Ministries] and the annual archdiocesan Black History Mass. For more information on the Warren Faith Formation Program call
(773) 753-5337. The cost of the workshops are $20. Registration
is required.
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