Bringing the teachings of Vatican II into conversation with Black Reconstruction, Daryl Grisby argues that understanding the historical roots of racial injustice can help us discern how the Gospel calls us to respond today.
If AI takes our jobs, will it take our sense of purpose, too? This Catholic op-ed explores work, vocation and our ultimate purpose in God.
Briana Jansky opines on the implications of AI development, and whether the pursuit of a superintelligence comes at the cost of human fraternity.
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.
Tulio Huggins on how his Black hair helped him display his full self—especially in times of upheaval.
Daryl Grigsby on five central themes from Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, "Magnifica Humanitas", connecting them to the Black Catholic experience.
Fabian Adderley on how Black Catholics are often left out of the U.S. hierarchical vision, in ways well-intentioned and yet dangerously inadequate.
Tamika Royes unpacks the meaning of freedom, as recently extolled by Pope Leo XIV, and the complex early history of Black Americans and Canadians.
Dr. Ronald E. Smith on the growing financial cost of artificial intelligence, and how a shift in perspective could offer hope for the less fortunate.
Dr. Alvin Schexnider writes of an African-American parish in Lake Charles, Louisiana, intertwined with the history of Black Catholic leadership.
Tamika Royes unpacks Pope Leo XIV's first encyclical, specifically its shocking apology for the sins of the Vatican in supporting the slave trade.
Dr. Antoinette Reaves on the need to feel at home in the Catholic Church—an experience African Americans have often gone without due to neglect.
Before 1776 or 1619, enslaved Africans seized freedom in 1526 on land that would become the United States.
Daryl Grigsby recounts his time at an ecumenical gathering centered on "holy resistance" and its outworking in the current American moment.
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
Briana Jansky writes that despite shared goals among pro-lifers, there are still large gaps in communication and an undercurrent of anti-Blackness.
