FORESTVILLE, Md. — Sr Oralisa Martin, an African-American Catholic preacher and evangelist who serves as president of ORACLE Religious Association, delivered a stirring sermon entitled “Ezekiel’s Dry Bones – A Prophecy of Hope” on Oct. 7 at the East of the River Revival, held at Mount Calvary Catholic Church in Forestville, Maryland.
The livestreamed revival series, founded 36 years ago by Msgr Raymond East, was held this year from Oct. 6-8 under the leadership of chair Sharon Daniel.
Speaking before more than 750 in-person participants and more than 200 virtual attendees, Martin extended a heartfelt greeting to all, including the Church hierarchy present and even Pope Leo XIV, whom she affectionately called “one of our own.”
Emphasizing the unity of the Body of Christ, she declared, “I am no priest. I humbly stand before you sent to you by God as a prophet.” She also welcomed ancient and recent ancestors to take their position as spiritual protectors during and after the gathering.
A strong prayer life “is not a performance,” but the way to develop a closer interpersonal relationship with God, participants at the closing night of the 36th annual East of the River Revival were told.
— Catholic Archdiocese of Washington, DC (@WashArchdiocese) October 16, 2025
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Drawing from Ezekiel 37:1-16, proclaimed from the ambo by Msgr East, Martin urged the faithful to recognize their own “dry bones,” the parts of their lives where faith and hope have withered. She spoke with prophetic conviction against modern idolatry—money, power, and self—and called listeners to spiritual renewal in Christ.
Martin’s voice resounded through the church: “Dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.” She delivered a stirring “Thus says the Lord” message centered on seven prophecies of hope, including faith in God, unity in family, church life and marriage, physical and mental well-being, world peace, and the hope held by believers in Christ that will not truly die.
“What in you is dead and needs to come to life again?” she repeatedly asked the congregation, stirring them to reflection and repentance.
“In the Bible, the bones were the whole House of Israel, but tonight I say the dry bones, that’s you.”
In one of the most dramatic moments of the night, Martin invoked the Holy Spirit with a physical expression of faith that electrified the congregation. With her body poised in the form of a cross, she lifted her right hand and proclaimed to the four winds—north, south, east, and west: “Eternal God, Holy Spirit, come and breathe into these that they may have life. Eternal God, breathe into these that they may rise in you, for your honor and your glory.”
Her voice rose in power as she cried, “Breathe in his divine Spirit!” Finally, lifting a crucifix bearing a Black Christ, she declared, “Behold the Lamb of God, who takes away the sins of the world.”
The revival night concluded in reverent silence and renewed faith, as worshippers were reminded that Jesus is alive, and that the same Holy Spirit who raised Jesus from the dead can restore their own hope and purpose.
Rita Batiste Canton is the mother of three sons, a parishioner of St. Benedict the Moor Church in Pittsburgh, and an adjunct professor and alum of the Institute for Black Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana. She holds degrees in theology, engineering, and educational administration and served as a teacher and principal in Catholic schools for 25 years. She is currently Director of Engineering Outreach at Carnegie Mellon University and a board member of the Oracle Religious Association.
