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Black and Catholic in America | An Interview with Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers | Carl E. Olson | January 16, 2007
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Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers, MTS is a deacon in the Archdiocese of Portland, Oregon, and
the founder of Aurem
Cordis, an apostolate dedicated "to promote the truth and beauty
of the gospel by encouraging others to submit themselves freely to the
life-giving love of the Trinity and to become living witnesses to that
love in the world." Deacon Burke-Sivers gives talks around the country
on spirituality, family life, lay vocations, and other topics, and has
appeared on "Catholic Answers Live", Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN), and many local television and
radio programs. He is the host of the 13-part EWTN series,
Behold The Man!, about Catholic spirituality for men. Deacon Burke-Sivers has a BA in economics from Notre Dame and an MTS from
the University of Dallas. He, his wife Colleen, and their four children
live in Portland, Oregon.
He is also the author of the new foreword to
From Slave to Priest, Sister Caroline Hemesath's
1973 biography of Father Augustine Tolton (1854-1897), the first black priest in America. Carl E. Olson, editor of IgnatiusInsight.com, recently
interviewed his former classmate and spoke with him about Father Tolton, the history of black Catholics in America, and the unique challenges faced
by black Catholics today.
IgnatiusInsight.com: What stood out the most to you when
you read the story of Father Augustine Tolton?
Deacon Harold Burke-Sivers: What struck me most
was the fact that Father Tolton, despite enduring a lifetime of racial
animosity and prejudice, remained a Catholic. He was taunted by harsh insults
and derogatory racial remarks from Catholic school classmates. Many parents,
who did not accept a black child in the school, threatened to withdraw their
children and withhold financial support from the parish. When a local pastor
welcomed young Augustine with open arms, some parishioners, appalled by the
presence of the Tolton family, went so far as to petition the bishop asking for
the pastor's removal and even threatened to leave the Catholic faith entirely.
With the help of several
supportive priests who tutored him in theology and philosophy, Augustine Tolton
discerned a calling to the priesthood but was rejected by the Franciscan Order
and every seminary in the United States. Upon his return to America after being
ordained to the priesthood in Rome, Father Tolton discovered that a white
priest often referred to him as the "nigger priest" and told his white
congregation that attendance at the black church was not valid for white
Catholics.
In the face of such bigotry
and hatred, I asked myself, "Why didn't Father Augustine Tolton leave the
Church?" As I reflected on the life of this noble priest, it became clear to
me. Father Tolton was able to discern what many Catholics today who leave the
Church fail to perceive and do not fully appreciate: that what the Catholic
Church actually teaches is true,
good and beautiful despite the hypocrisy and contradiction of Church members
who do not actually live the
faith they profess. Father Tolton always acknowledged the great gift of his
Catholic faith and recognized that personal sin and human weakness are not
greater or more powerful than the strength of objective truth found in
Catholicism. Father Tolton was a visionary who saw far beyond issues of race
and politics, looking inward--into the heart of the Church herself.
This perspective is echoed
beautifully in the words of our late Holy Father, Pope John Paul II, who
addressed black Catholics in the United States with these words: "It is
important to realize that there is no black Church, no white Church, no
American Church; but there is and must be, in the one Church of Jesus Christ, a
home for blacks, whites, Americans, every culture and race. 'The Church is
catholic . . . because she is able to present in every human context the
revealed truth, preserved by her intact in its divine content, in such a way as
to bring it into contact with the lofty thoughts and just expectations of every
individual and every people.'" (Pope John Paul II, Meeting with the Black
Catholics of New Orleans, 12
September 1987, no. 7; cf. Slavorum Apostoli, no. 18).
IgnatiusInsight.com: Although much has changed since
Father Tolton's death in 1897, what can readers--regardless of their
ethnicity--learn from his story?
Deacon Burke-Sivers: As Jesus was dying on the Cross, while being mocked
by those who condemned him, and as He endured agonizing torture and
excruciating suffering, our Lord poured Himself out in complete and perfect
love. Jesus calls us to love as He loves, for it is in the crucified Christ
that the true meaning of forgiveness and freedom are revealed.
Even though the cross of
racism weighed heavily on Father Tolton's shoulders, he acknowledged "it
was the priests of the Church who taught me to pray and to forgive my
persecutors. It was through the direction of a [nun] that I . . . beheld for the
first time the glimmering light of truth and the majesty of the Church." Father
Tolton's life demonstrates that we are all called to live in Christ: to follow
Him, to carry the Cross, to pour ourselves out, to sacrifice ourselves in love,
to forgive--for it is in giving ourselves away that we truly find our freedom
in God. Father Tolton gave himself totally and completely to the Church in
response to God's invitation to share in His life and love. Father Tolton is a
role model for all those who seek to be configured more perfectly to Christ.
This humble priest shows us
all that being made in God's image and likeness brings with it a tremendous
responsibility: the responsibility of love and communion rooted in the
obedience of faith. To obey in faith means we must listen to God's voice and
allowing that voice to change our lives. The life of Father Tolton bears
witness to the truth that when we freely, willingly, and lovingly place all our
trust in God, in faithful obedience, then we will find true happiness and
peace, a peace that can only come from complete abandonment to the will of the
Father.
The lesson of Father
Tolton's life teaches us that sometimes God humbles us in order to exalt us
(cf. 1 Samuel 2:7), and that He uses our limitations and weakness to show forth
his majesty. In his suffering, Father Tolton reminds us that living in the
heart of God means uniting ourselves to the Cross of Christ. He shows us that
the journey of faith starts with each one of us living, acting and "being" in a
way that says, "Yes" to God's truth and love.
IgnatiusInsight.com: How did the relationship between the black community and the Catholic Church change
or develop during the twentieth century?
Deacon Burke-Sivers: During the lifetime of
Father Tolton, the inaugural Black Catholic Congress, organized by the most
prominent black Catholic layman of the time, Daniel Rudd, convened in 1889 at
Saint Augustine's parish in Washington, D.C. Father Tolton was the main
celebrant and homilist at the opening Mass.
This was a major event for
black Catholics--about one hundred delegates attended from all over the
country, as well as members of the Catholic hierarchy and various Protestant
ministers. President Grover Cleveland received the delegates at the White House
and Pope Leo XIII sent his blessing. The delegates issued a post-Congress paper
calling for Catholic schools, industrial education, admission to labor unions,
and better housing for Blacks. Four subsequent Congresses met in northern
cities through 1894 but the sixth Congress did not convene until May 1987. [Editor's note: Please see the document,
"Black Catholics
in the United States," for additional details about this and related historical events.]
In the ninety-three years
between Congresses, black Catholics continued to combat racism and
discrimination within the Church. Slowly, American bishops began to speak out
against racial inequality and its incompatibility with the Catholic faith.
Inspired by a letter from Pope Pius XII commemorating the 150th anniversary of
the establishment of the American hierarchy, the United States bishops issued a
document on World War II in which they stated that the "rights of our minorities
must be openly acknowledged and honestly respected. We ask this acknowledgment
and respect particularly for our colored fellow citizens. . . . We fully
appreciate their many native gifts and aptitudes, which, ennobled and enriched
by a true Christian life, will make them a powerful influence in the
establishment of a Christian social order."
After the war, individual
bishops took stands against segregation, especially in Catholic schools. The
religious orders began accepting black candidates. In the period immediately
preceding the civil rights movement of the sixties, the bishops issued a
statement, Discrimination and Christian Conscience (1958), saying that "the heart of the race question
is moral and religious. If our attitude is governed by the great Christian law
of love of neighbor and respect for his rights, then we can work out
harmoniously the technique of making legal, educational, economic, and social
adjustments. But if our hearts are poisoned by hatred, or even by indifference
toward the welfare and rights of our fellow men, then our nation faces grave
internal crisis."
There were other statements
on race from the sixties to the present day, most recently Love Thy Neighbor
as Thyself: U.S. Catholic Bishops Speak Against Racism (2001). In their pastoral letter, Brothers and
Sisters to Us (1979) the bishops
stated that:
Racism is a sin: a sin
that divides the human family, blots out the image of God among specific
members of that family, and violates the fundamental human dignity of those called
to be children of the same Father. Racism is the sin that says some human
beings are inherently superior and others essentially inferior because of race.
It is the sin that makes racial characteristics the determining factor for the
exercise of human rights. It mocks the words of Jesus: "Treat the others the
way you would have them treat you." Indeed, racism is more than a disregard for
these words of Jesus; it is a denial of the truth of the dignity of each human
being revealed by the mystery of the Incarnation.
In 1987, a year after the
National Conference of Catholic Bishops (NCCB) established a standing Committee
for Black Catholics, the Black Catholic Congress founded by Daniel Rudd was
reorganized as the National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC). The NBCC represents
black Catholics working in collaboration with national Catholic associations
and the bishop's conference. The NBCC's mission is to establish an agenda for
evangelization, improve the spiritual, mental, and physical condition of African
Americans, and work toward the full participation of black Catholics in the
Church and society. The NBCC has addressed a number of issues of concern to
black Catholics, including: strengthening family values, spiritual development,
support for Catholic schools in black communities and, more recently, AIDS,
youth ministry and faith formation.
IgnatiusInsight.com: Why do you think various forms of Pentecostalism and liberation theology have been
so attractive to many blacks?
Deacon Burke-Sivers: Regarding Pentecostalism,
the issue stems from what is perceived to be a major limitation inherent in the
Latin Rite Mass: the lack of liturgical forms, expressions, and ways of worship
that validate black cultural identity. You often hear criticisms that, "the
European Mass does not reflect the black experience and authenticate the black
Catholic community" together with observations such as, " the preaching is
lackluster," "the singing is repetitious and boring," "the worship lacks
emotion," and that the Latin Rite Mass is very "high church" and pedantic in
that "you can't breathe, bend, or stand out of place." In many cases the
rubrics of the Mass are completely ignored and replaced with a self-described
"vibrant" celebration that, in reality, looks more like a Protestant worship service
than a Catholic Mass.
This critique fails to
appreciate the fact that rubrics help to convey the richness and depth of
meaning found in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, a rite pregnant with symbols,
gestures and rituals that express the ecclesial nature of liturgical action.
The truth is that the Mass allows ample room for legitimate inculturation,
which is endorsed by the Second Vatican Council: "Even in the liturgy, the
Church has no wish to impose a rigid uniformity in matters which do not involve
the faith or the good of the whole community. Rather she respects and fosters
the spiritual adornments and gifts of the various races and peoples. Sometimes
in fact she admits such things into the liturgy itself, as long as they
harmonize with its true and authentic spirit" (Sacrosanctum Concilium, no. 37).
In other words, the unity of
the Church does not demand uniformity, which is clearly evident in the
liturgical experience of Eastern Catholics. Consequently, there is absolutely
no need for African American Catholics to resort to so-called "liturgical
dance," use inclusive language or commit other liturgical aberrations in order
to find genuine diversity within the Mass. Black Catholics can truly be at home
with God at Mass; we can give Him praise and glory, lift our hearts and voices
in song, have dynamic preaching, and pray to the Father with joy and with
hearts full of love, all without turning our backs on the rubrics, Church
teaching, and the rich heritage and Tradition of our Catholic faith.
The second issue, black
Catholic identification with liberation theology, flows directly from the
experience of slavery. The period between the mid 1800's through the early
1960's saw the rise of the black liberation movement that served as the genesis
of black liberation theology. Beginning with the "black power" movement in
1966, black clergy in many denominations began to reassess the relationship of
the Christian church to the black community. Black clergy and theologians began
to recognize the need for a completely new "starting point" in theology. They
insisted that this starting point must be defined by people at the bottom and
not the top of the socio-economic ladder. Black theologians began to re-read
the Bible through the eyes of their slave grandparents and started to speak of
God's solidarity with the oppressed of the earth.
Black liberation theology
does not ask what the Church is, but rather what it means to be the Church
within the context of liberating the poor and oppressed. Thus, the Church's principal
mission is to challenge injustice and identify itself with the poor. In the
liberationist world view, the Church is a class of the oppressed who have
joined together seeking political means to remedy their subjugation while, in
contrast, the Church's Magisterium is a member of the oppressive class since it
does not participate in the class struggle:
The people demand more than hierarchy, more than structure, more than rules and
regulations from the Catholic Church. African Americans especially have needs
that go beyond the racist institutional structures of the United States
Catholic Church. African American Catholics carry within us . . . the rage of
being despised and used by other human persons who deemed themselves superior
to us. Our history unites us to Jesus, the Suffering Servant who dies alone and
abandoned by his friends. We, too, have felt abandoned and alone in an alien
country, and we still experience that abandonment and loneliness in the racist
institutions of our society, perhaps particularly in the Church. It is a Church
. . . that prefers the safety of hierarchy to the radical, countercultural
mission of Jesus to challenge the status quo and minister to the people; the
people of God with all their beautiful diversity and individual needs, the
little people who are the Church. It is our responsibility to begin rewriting
the history of the Church so that as a community we glorify God . . . not in
materialistic, capitalistic expressions, but rather with a commitment to love,
respect, forgive, and serve one another. (Black Catholic Evangelization Forum,
"Reclaiming and Rewriting Our Tradition," Reach Out!, November 1999, 1).
Liberation theology is
shallow in its understanding of the hierarchical nature of the Church. It
places the Magisterium on the same level as a secular corporation, comparing
Church hierarchy and authority to an obdurate corporate ladder firmly rooted
within a callous business conglomerate. This narrow ecclesiology disparages the
fact that the Church is both "already" (temporal and transcendent) and "not
yet" (eschatological): she exists not merely as the Church on earth but also as
the Church resplendent, as the glorified Body of Christ who established and
sustains his Church as a visible organization through which he communicates grace and truth to
all. (cf. Matthew 16:16-18; 8:18 and Lumen Gentium nos. 1-17).
Jesus Christ transmits
divine revelation through the truth and beauty of the Gospel, which he passed
on to the Apostles. The Apostles, in turn, handed on the Gospel to us through
their preaching and teaching, through the institutions they established, and by
their example. "Christ himself chose the apostles and gave them a share in his
mission and authority. He has not forsaken his flock but keeps it under his
constant protection through the apostles, and guides it still through these
same pastors who continue his work today." (Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 1575). Jesus Christ entrusted the authentic
interpretation of Holy Scripture and Sacred Tradition to the living teaching
office of the Church alone--the Magisterium--whose authority is exercised in
Christ's name. Despite the fact that some priests and bishops have sinned and
have chosen not to live in accord with the faith they are bound to protect and
serve, the doctrines and teaching contained in Holy Scripture and Sacred
Tradition still holds true. Individual sin cannot obscure the clarity of God's
revealed truth, for Christ has promised that, in his Church, the gates of Hell
will not prevail against it! (cf. Matthew 16:18).
Read Part Two of "Black and Catholic in America"
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