A theology of the durag: On being fully Black to God and others
Tulio Huggins on how his Black hair helped him display his full self—especially in times of upheaval.
Racism
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.
The Golden Rule and the crisis of Black Catholic belonging in the Church
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.
Louisiana's first Black Josephite priest, John Plantevigne, was barred from saying Mass
Tammy C. Barney on the trials of an early 20th-century Black Catholic priest whose ministry was curtailed by the prevailing tides of racism.
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
What can White pro-lifers learn from the Black community (and Black history)?
Briana Jansky writes that despite shared goals among pro-lifers, there are still large gaps in communication and an undercurrent of anti-Blackness.
Louisiana GOP senators drop majority-Black district in proposed gerrymander
by Piper Hutchinson, Louisiana Illuminator (May 13, 2026)
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.
On pilgrimage to Pierre: New York's holy hairdresser and the quiet revolution
Tulio Huggins reflects on a trip to the tomb of Venerable Pierre Toussaint, one of the nation's seven Black Catholics on the road to sainthood.
'We are them. They are us.': St. Louis Catholics gather for workshop unpacking racism, the Church's response
The event, based on the USCCB’s 2018 letter “Open Wide Our Hearts," was organized by the Office of Racial Harmony and Black Catholic Ministries.
The Golden Rule is not optional: A Black Catholic call to belonging
Dr. Antoinette Reaves on the complications of Black Catholic identity and how a recommitment to a central teaching of Jesus can encourage renewal.
The color of confinement: Race, mental health, and the American illness
Harlan McCarthy explains the connections between anti-Black racism, mass incarceration, and the mental health crisis plaguing America.
Black Catholics in the United States: The 2024 data and what it means
Ali Mumbach analyzes recent national data to give a picture of the presence and perspectives of Black Catholics in the United States.
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
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.
