GARY – Barbara Hinton traditionally attends Mass at Ss. Monica and Luke in Gary, where she enjoys the music during the liturgy. She also appreciates what the parish does for the community, which includes running a food pantry and soup kitchen.
“They were very helpful before we were in times like these and during the COVID pandemic,” Hinton said, “so they've always been a beacon of hope in the community.”
On Nov. 16, Hinton didn't go to her home parish, but instead joined others from the surrounding area at the Cathedral of the Holy Angels for the Mass in honor of Black Catholic History Month. She arrived with her husband, Philip Hinton, a member of the choir that day, looking forward to the service in celebration of Black Catholics.
“I've never been to an event like this, and I wanted to see what it was about,” she said.
At the beginning of his homily, Bishop Robert J. McClory, presider, turned the attention of the congregation to the image of the Fifth Station of the Cross within the cathedral – the moment when Simon of Cyrene is compelled by the soldiers to help Jesus carry his cross.
“Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus to carry his cross,” said the bishop. “ It reminds us of that moment as Jesus was suffering his passion. He had fallen. The weight of the cross, his own cross, had gotten so intense that they brought somebody in and said, ‘You help, Jesus.’”
Bishop McClory noted that Simon is not an officially canonized saint, but a Biblical figure revered in many traditions as a hero of faith. He went on to explain that Cyrene is located in what's modern-day Libya, an African nation with indigenous Blacks and also sub-Saharan migrants. Therefore, in more contemporary representations, Simon is shown more as a person of color.
The bishop chose to mention Simon in a particular way as those gathered to reflect on Black Catholic History Month. As an African, Simon of Cyrene would have physically had the appearance of those whom the Church remembered on that day as one of the first heroes of the faith.
“When we think about heroes of the faith, we think about sufferings that we can endure, indignities that we can experience, ways we could be demeaned and degraded as Jesus was – being humiliated with his own passion and death,” he said.
Bishop McClory continued, “We can find ourselves there with Jesus and find deeper meaning as we look to the heroes of the faith who have lived in extraordinary times, who have given great witness to what it means to be a vibrant, alive black Catholic Christian and be inspired, not just to look backwards and say, look at the witness they gave, but find meaning in whatever situation we find ourselves in now. And to look to the future, saying, “We need to do what we can right here and right now to have the world more deeply reflect the love of Christ and the kingdom of God.”
The bishop said the Scriptures remind the faithful that those who were part of the early Church were aware that how they acted, what they did, and what they wanted to be was something that others could imitate.
“Our faith really comes alive when we can see others and their culture, and their background, and their circumstances in their history, and their life narrative, and we can say ‘I can identify with that person. I want to live the way they're living.’”
Black Catholics, the bishop shared, have given all those within the Church gifts: heroes of the faith, a viable culture, a way to celebrate life and family, and faith in song, food and culture.
“A couple of thoughts today,” Bishop McClory said. “One is to think of someone, particularly among our black Catholic brothers and sisters, who has been that inspiration for you. Say a prayer for them that they have a heavenly reward, but then say, ‘How can I be that witness to someone who looked to me?’”
He added that there's a tendency to sometimes think all the heroes have gone before, and believe that all the really great people have already passed away – to look back and forget that right now people need somebody that they can imitate.
Bishop McClory concluded by saying, “So, when you go into a Catholic Church, look around for that fifth station and say, “Jesus, how can I be Simon of Cyrene to someone else, how can I help someone else carry their cross.”
Lena Samuel was one of the members of the committee who helped to organize the festivities that followed the Mass, which included plenty of food in the cathedral’s gymnasium. Tables with decorations celebrating African men and women of faith awaited guests as they entered.
Samuel, who stood ready to serve the food, shared that with her son being a senior at Andrean and about to head off to college, it was time for her to become more involved with the Church.
“A couple of years ago, I asked God to give me something to be able to do when he leaves,” she said. “And so, when you ask for prayer, he answers abundantly.”
Samuel is now involved with Women of Steel and the outreach committee at St. Mary of the Lake in the Miller neighborhood.
Speaking specifically about the day’s Black Catholic History Month activities, she said, “It's wonderful. It's a wonderful celebration. It's a way to show diversity and inclusiveness. We want to be able to be recognized amongst the community and let people know about the history part of it, letting people understand what was going on way back then and how it can actually relate to what's going on now.”
As attendees enjoyed the potluck lunch, they heard from Deacon Martin Brown, who gave a presentation on “God’s Men of Color.” Deacon Brown is the curator and principal researcher of the “Voices of Our People Past and Present – Contributions of Africa and The African Diaspora to the Catholic Church.” For more information, visit https://voicesproject.net/
