Each February during Black History Month, the Catholic faithful are invited to learn, grow and appreciate the contributions of African Americans throughout their history in the United States. The Diocesan Ministry to Catholics of African Descent led the efforts this year to observe Black History Month among the Catholic communities of the Diocese.
On Feb. 11, Bishop Alberto Rojas celebrated a special Black History Month Mass with African descent communities at St. Christopher Parish in Moreno Valley.
“Welcome everyone… may we all feel that we belong with this group of people here, we also celebrate the African Descent brothers and sisters and we dedicate this for all of them and we welcome them all,” Bishop Rojas said. “We celebrate this Mass, preparing our hearts and minds with compassion and mercy.”
Entering into St. Christopher church parishioners were welcomed by a table display of several portraits and information about historical Black figures and their contributions to the United States. The display also included art pieces and books.
During his homily, Bishop Rojas shared a story about a teacher asking students how to tell when the night ends and the day begins. The young students answered by saying when they are able to distinguish shapes and colors of things, like being able to distinguish an apple tree from an orange tree. The teacher asked this question as a way to discuss how we are all brothers and sisters of God. The answer to the question was, “whenever we look around at each other in the face and we see in each of those faces, a brother or a sister, that’s when the night ends,” Bishop Rojas said.
“If we look around this room and we don’t see a sister or a brother of ours, we will continue to live in the worst darkness of our lives,” Bishop Rojas said.