Going nuclear: Defending the meaning of family in a rapidly changing world
Efran Menny reflects on new meanings of family in modern society and how Catholics can witness to truth without losing sight of the real world.
Efran Menny
Husband, father, regular BCM contributor. His work is informed by experience as an educator and studies in social work. Has a passion for elevating topics on justice and theology for Black Catholics.
𝕏
Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston
A moral call to defend Black voting rights: How Catholics should respond
Efran Menny surveys the history of African-American disenfranchisement and urges faithful Catholic witness to stem the tide of injustice.
My journey on the ark: The Black Catholic quest for belonging in the Church
As I slowly approached my eighth anniversary as a Catholic in March, I was overcome with the internal tension that has rocked and swayed my commitment to the faith for much of my time in the Church. I can’t ignore the internal conflict that shadows my journey—that the
Avoidance amid the madness: When Catholic leaders refuse the prophetic call
Efran Menny on the incomplete witness of American Catholic prelates amid the moral crisis of unchecked government repression under President Trump.
Black Americans need solidarity from the Catholic Church in 2026—or else.
Efran Menny on the void of witness for anti-racist justice from Catholic leaders in 2025, and how they can chart a new path in a new year.
U.S. Catholic leaders are succumbing to White Christian nationalism. What is the solution?
Efran Menny on the increasingly fraught experience of American Catholicism as it leans into White supremacy in an era of unchecked racial rage.
Unity Explosion 2025 and the future of the Black Catholic family
Efran Menny reflects on his experience as a participant at Unity Explosion 2025, a Black Catholic ministry conference this summer in Texas.
We need the Catholic Church to speak on artificial intelligence.
Efran Menny on the dangers of the new technological age and how the pope and others can resist the urge of dehumanization by another name.
A one-size-fits-all Mass doesn't serve Black Catholics.
Efran Menny on the need for a culturally aware liturgical experience that doesn't alienate the few in favor of the many.
Why the pronatalism of JD Vance falls flat on these Catholic ears.
Efran Menny dissects a pernicious strain of political thought that demands a higher birthrate alongside decimation of the social safety net.
60 days later: Introspection is needed on White Catholic rejection of Kamala Harris
Ahead of Inauguration Day, Efran Menny offers food for thought on the bankruptcy of the Catholic moral vote and how to pick up the pieces.
The specter of racist chauvinism in the 2024 presidential election
Kamala Harris is the first Black woman to top a major ticket. Efran Menny says blowback from conservatives proves there is much more work to do.
Would we want our Black Catholic child to be a priest? Probably not.
Efran Menny tackles a difficult question his family wrestles with as their young children grow in the Catholic faith.
Review: 'In the Shadow of Freedom' makes justice work real for the people of God
Alessandra Harris' first nonfiction book covers the history of anti-Black racism in America and how Christians might respond with evidence and advocacy.
Now more than ever, Black Catholics must forge their own destiny
Efran Menny gives a possible blueprint for authentic renewal among African Americans in the Church.
Assata Shakur wrote to the pope 25 years ago. Her letter still resonates.
Efran Menny resurfaces an oft-forgotten letter from a famed Black activist (and lapsed Catholic) to John Paul II, urging him to act for Black liberation.