Where to find a Catholic Juneteenth event (2025 edition)
Our annual listing of Catholic (and Catholic-adjacent) Juneteenth events around the country.
Music
Lillian Boutté, international jazz and gospel singer, dead at 75
The Black Catholic musician from New Orleans recorded albums across continents and genres and starred Off-Broadway during a six-decade career.
Sean 'Diddy' Combs hit with new federal charges in New York
The Catholic-raised rapper remains incarcerated in Brooklyn while awaiting trial for sex trafficking, racketeering, and interstate prostitution.
Johnny Mathis retiring from live music after 70 years
The West Coast crooner and reported Catholic convert had several number-one hits and chart records during a run of success in the Golden Era of Pop.
First African-American opera premieres after 138 years
Edmond Dédé's "Morgiane" was performed on tour this year for the first time since being created by the Black Creole composer in 1887.
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.
Lyke Conference and Unity Explosion set for June 2025
The two Black Catholic gatherings have not been held in the same year since 2018, when Unity Explosion last held a full conference.
Review: 'Piece by Piece' is a LEGO musical documentary worth a spin
The Pharrell Williams animated flick brings unconventional style to an influential musical figure who embodies nothing less.
Cathedral plaque honors late Bishop Fernand Cheri III of New Orleans
The late Black Franciscan prelate served the archdiocese from 2015 until his death in 2023 following extended illnesses.
'Hip-Hop Mass' brings African-American Catholic flair in Atlanta
The new composition premiered this month in Georgia at the Lyke House Catholic Center, with a planned expansion due in the coming months.
Arrest made in fatal shooting of Wayne 'LOC' Shaw, brother of rap legend Too Short
The 61-year-old was killed at his business in Oakland, California, on Jan. 29 in what is believed to have been a robbery attempt gone wrong.
Review: 'The Colors Within' is a Catholic-themed anime film with serious musical flair
Nate Tinner-Williams says the movie is remarkable in its willingness to explore teen angst and spirituality with, shall we say, uncolored glasses.
'Lift Every Voice and Sing': Have we forgotten the tune?
Dr. Paula Langford on the lasting impact of a spiritual poem we used to know by heart—and are forgetting to our own detriment.
Fort Mose concert series celebrates Black history in the nation's oldest city
The annual event features two weekends of music, with part of the proceeds helping preserve the history of America's first free Black settlement.
How a Black Catholic school choir reminded me about the joy of prayer
Tamika Royes on her experience with international faith in action, featuring young men from historic St. Augustine High School in New Orleans.
Beyonce takes Album of the Year at 2025 Grammys, among other Catholic-connected Black wins
The Catholic-raised Houstonian is the first Black woman to win the award since 1999, and the first of any gender to win Country Album of the Year.