Who still needs the Church? When suffering becomes familiar
Fabian Adderley on how Black Catholics are often left out of the U.S. hierarchical vision, in ways well-intentioned and yet dangerously inadequate.
Justice
Pope Leo XIV receives Liberty Medal, urges Americans to live founding values amid 250th anniversary
The Holy Father delivered a live address to the nation on Friday, while also releasing a public letter on July 4 in honor of Independence Day.
A time to say sorry: Why 'Magnifica Humanitas' matters for Black Catholics
Tamika Royes unpacks Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, specifically its shocking apology for the sins of the Vatican in supporting the slave trade.
500-year-old slave revolt of 1526 redefines freedom as U.S. turns 250
Before 1776 or 1619, enslaved Africans seized freedom in 1526 on land that would become the United States.
My experience at a Chicago justice conference showed me the power of Christian witness.
Daryl Grigsby recounts his time at an ecumenical gathering centered on "holy resistance" and its outworking in the current American moment.
Where to find a Catholic Juneteenth event (2026 edition)
Our annual listing of Catholic (and Catholic-adjacent) Juneteenth events around the country.
Why the way we understand the South matters, especially in criminal justice.
by Jamiles Lartey, Louisiana Illuminator June 15, 2026 This commentary was published in partnership with The Marshall Project, a nonprofit news organization covering the U.S. criminal justice system. Sign up for The Marshall Project’s newsletters and follow them on Instagram, TikTok, Reddit and Facebook. Last month, members of
Clarence B. Jones, MLK speechwriter who helped pen 'I Have a Dream', dead at 95
The Catholic-raised attorney, aide, and academic received the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2024 for his work in the Civil Rights Movement.
In the fight for the soul of America, which side are Catholics on?
Daryl Grigsby opines on the moral failings of Trumpism and the peculiar Catholic attachment to it that persists despite all manner of wickedness.
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.
Virginia Supreme Court nixes Democrats' congressional map amid voting rights fracas
The 4-3 ruling from a conservative-majority bench said a spring voter referendum was authorized improperly in violation of the state constitution.
As Black Catholics, how must we resist in a time of chaos?
Daryl Grigsby recounts his experience of a recent webinar presenting a new way to work for faith-filled justice amid sociopolitical disarray.
The Cross and the raised fist of power: A Black pilgrimage in DC
Tulio Huggins recounts a recent trip to Washington that combined religious reflection with meditation on the ongoing freedom struggle in America.
Maryland attorney general sues Trump administration over planned $102M detention center
Anthony Brown, a Black Catholic, is the first AG to sue the White House over its plans to convert warehouses into immigrant holding facilities.
Norman C. Francis, first lay president at Xavier University of Louisiana, dead at 94
The former civil rights lawyer led the school for nearly 50 years, from the Civil Rights Movement through Hurricane Katrina and beyond.
Black Catholics win in court as 'Cancer Alley' lawsuit ruled valid, moves toward trial
The federal civil rights case led by Inclusive Louisiana and RISE St. James against civil parish leaders cannot be dismissed, a judge has ruled.