Let ’em Speak On It: Notable Quotes From Black Catholics 2 – Servant of God Sr. Thea Bowman (Black Catholic History Month 2019)

November 11, 2019 0 By BLACKCATHOLIC

This is the second edition of a new article-series I am starting called “Let ’em Speak On It: Notable Quotes From Black Catholics.” This series is simply posts featuring a quote said either by or at least in relation to Black/African Catholics and Black Catholicism. The quote itself maybe be from a historical figure/document or a current one. Because Black Catholics come at the Faith from a unique and important angle it’s only right if you “let ’em speak on it.” Sometimes I might offer a brief thought on the featured quote, and sometimes I will simply it speak for itself. At the end I will add a small bio about who the person/document is and provide a link or two to more information. For all throughout Black Catholic History Month I will post them every Monday.

This week’s quote is from an African American religious sister whose canonization cause is still ongoing.

“What does it mean to be black and Catholic? It means that I come to my church fully functioning…I bring myself, my black self, all that I am, all that I have, all that I’m worth, all I hope to become. I bring my whole history, my traditions, my experience, my culture, my African-American song and dance and gesture and movement and teaching and preaching and healing and responsibility as a gift to the church.“

– Servant of God Sr. Thea Bowman

Background on Servant of God Sr. Thea Bowman

“Thea Bowman (December 29, 1937 – March 30, 1990) was a Roman Catholic religious sister [Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration (FSPA)], teacher, and scholar who made a major contribution to the ministry of the Catholic Church toward her fellow African Americans. She became an evangelist among her people, assisted in the production of an African American Catholic hymnal, and was a popular speaker on faith and spirituality in her final years. She helped found the National Black Sisters Conference to provide support for African-American women in Catholic religious institutes.” (Wikipedia)