ARTICLE SHARE: “Quinn was ‘quintessential priest’ (The Irish Eco)” – Story of Fr. Bernard Quinn who spent his life ministering Brooklyn’s Black Catholics

July 13, 2021 0 By BLACKCATHOLIC

Shared this on my social media last week:

I’ve never heard of the awesome story of Fr. Bernard Quinn who spent his priesthood in undying service to minister to Black Catholics in Brooklyn.

His story is fire. He brought Jesus’s love to Black souls, fought the racism present in the Church at the time, faced down pressure from the KKK, and worked hard for Black Catholics in his city to have a faith home.

“Quinn became an outspoken defender of Brooklyn’s Blacks against the pervasive racism of his day. He denounced institutionalized racism…”

“When World War I erupted, Quinn volunteered to serve as a chaplain for front line troops…In France, Quinn was shocked by the racism in the American army. When a white American Protestant chaplain refused to pray with a dying Black soldier, Quinn intervened and prayed with the dying soldier.”

“Quinn returned to Brooklyn in 1919. While preparing two black women for baptism, he was inspired to create an apostolate to African Americans,”

“Quinn incessantly petitioned the bishops for permission to establish an African-American parish, reminding them that Black Catholics were being excluded from worship at Italian, Irish and German churches, but instead of agreeing, the bishops ignored Quinn’s pleas. Finally, thanks to his perseverance, they authorized the founding of Brooklyn’s first African American Catholic Church, St. Peter Claver Church, in 1921, naming Quinn pastor.”

Check out the rest of this article about him. Fr. Quinn is a great priestly role model.