Black History Month Mass vibrantly expresses faith and unity
On Feb. 15, the Archdiocese of Newark observed Black History Month with a vibrant Mass in the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, NJ. As members of the Covenant Festival Choir raised their voices in joyful song, representatives from the Black Catholic community processed behind banners honoring figures like Servant of God Sister Thea Bowman, Venerable Father Augustus Tolton, and Venerable Mother Henrietta Delille.
Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, presided at the liturgy. He was joined by Archbishop Charles G. Palmer-Buckle of the Archdiocese of Cape Coast, Ghana, who also served as the guest homilist for the Mass. Many auxiliary bishops, priests, and deacons were also present for the special celebration.
Presented by the archdiocesan African American, African, and Caribbean Apostolate, this year’s annual Mass marked the occasion of the 100th anniversary of Black History Month. The commemoration was originally proposed in 1926 by the historian Carter G. Woodson to coincide with the birthdays of Abraham Lincoln (Feb. 12) and Frederick Douglas (Feb. 14). He sought to encourage the teaching of Black history in U.S. schools; Black History Month celebrations have since expanded to other countries worldwide.
“God’s unfathomable love for humanity”
In his homily, Archbishop Palmer-Buckle, who has led the Archdiocese of Cape Coast since 2018, spoke about the liturgical season of Lent as a time “of experiencing God’s love.”
“Dearly beloved, it is my hope and prayer to leave you a message on God’s unfathomable love for humanity, his ceaseless love for you and for me, so that you will have something to meditate on for the coming season of Lent, and maybe even thereafter,” the archbishop said. “As I was reflecting on what to share with you, it dawned on me more and more powerfully that the season of Lent, unfortunately, is quite misunderstood at times.” He said that Lent is not only a time of penitence, but “a season in which God is calling you and me, God’s beloved children, indeed the whole of humanity, to experience the intense of love God.”
“The emphasis on Lent is so much on making penance for our sins, which is very correct and must not be forgotten,” he said. “However, I believe we often miss the true message of Good News, one of salvation that God offers you and me in the Church through the season of Lent.”
“God loves you and me so much that He has sent us His only begotten Son, Jesus Christ, so that through you and me, God’s love will spread throughout the world,” the archbishop concluded. To experience that love, he encouraged believers to “intensify your life of prayer, loving God and communicating with him as often as you can. Let us cease doing evil and violence and give up our sinful ways. That means loving ourselves a little bit better through fasting and self-discipline. Let us make good use of the Sacrament of Penance and Reconciliation, so that we will go there and enjoy God’s love. Let us be good and more caring to our brothers and sisters and to everyone who needs our love.”
“May you experience God’s abundant love and be instruments of God’s loving care,” Archbishop Palmer-Buckle said.
The Mass marked the archbishop’s first visit to the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart. “I thought it was magnificent. Gorgeous,” the archbishop later said. He will return to the archdiocese in March to lead the Black Catholic Family Retreat for the African American, African, and Caribbean Apostolate. “At the event, I first hope to listen to what their concerns are and see how I can help them,” Archbishop Palmer-Buckle said.
A colorful cloth woven from many strands
At the conclusion of Mass, the apostolate presented gifts to Cardinal Tobin and Archbishop Palmer-Buckle. Rahsaan Garlin, associate director of the apostolate, thanked both men for their presence. On behalf of the apostolate, he extended “heartfelt gratitude” to Cardinal Tobin for his “unwavering love, leadership, and commitment to our communities.”
“Your support makes our ministries and allows celebrations like this Black History Month Mass to stand as powerful expressions of unity, culture, and faith,” he said.
Archbishop Palmer-Buckle, in turn, presented the apostolate with a stole for priests to use at future liturgies. “Your Eminence, this is a real kente,” the archbishop said, referring to the traditional Ghanaian textile. “It is woven with many strands and many colors to say that everybody matters. In this period in which we are emphasizing synodality, which means that everybody matters, it is a symbol of inclusivity also.”
“I am delighted by our celebration,” Cardinal Tobin told the congregation before giving his final blessing. He reminded those present of St. Augustine, “a great African saint,” who urged Christians to grow in awareness that they are truly the Body of Christ. “What a beautiful symbol of the kente cloth that is woven into one beautiful, colorful piece from many strands,” he said. He also thanked Archbishop Palmer-Buckle for his teaching on Lent, “a time when we recover our lost identity.”
“We know that today, in a remarkable and scandalous way, there are people who denigrate the dignity of human beings,” Cardinal Tobin concluded. “And they do that from a mistaken belief in power, believing that by belittling and denigrating someone else, it will make them powerful. It does quite the opposite. It shows how weak, helpless, and uninformed you are. So, we come together and proclaim our dignity, which does not have a root in us. It has a root in God, who loved us so much that he did not send us a committee or a commission or a postcard; He sent his Only Son so that those of us who believe may not perish but may have eternal life.”
A place of welcome
After Mass, worshippers were invited to the Archdiocesan Pastoral Center to continue the celebration. Among those present was a group from Saint Mary’s Church in Newark. Father Patrick Winbush, rector of St. Mary’s, said that it was important that the archdiocese “honors Black heritage here in the United States, but also includes other cultures of the Black diaspora.”
“It was good to have the archbishop come all the way from Ghana to preach to us,” he said, adding that he hopes the annual celebration will continue to grow and draw even more people to the cathedral in the coming years.
“There are a lot of people out there thirsting for Christ,” Fr. Winbush said. “It’s up to us to go out to the people, no matter who they are, to preach the Good News.”
One member of the Black Catholic community who attended the celebration, Joan, told Jersey Catholic that evangelization played an important role in her conversion to Catholicism.
“When I was a little girl, a group of nuns came to my neighborhood and recruited us,” she recalled with a smile. “They had my sisters and me involved in CYO, dance groups, all kinds of activities.” When Joan was around 7 years old, she and her three sisters were received into the Church. “I’ve been Catholic for more than 70 years now,” she said.
Jennifer, who belongs to Holy Spirit and Our Lady Help of Christians Catholic Church in East Orange, said that her parish “is like a family to me.”
“They know me. They know my name. When we see each other, it gives me hope,” she said.
Jennifer shared that her grandmother was part of the original parish community at Queen of Angels Church in Newark, the archdiocese’s first parish for African Americans, which opened its doors in the early 1930s. At that time, Black Catholics were not welcome in many churches, she said.
Today her own parish is very diverse, with “many new folks coming in,” including people from Latin American countries. “We are always very welcoming,” Jennifer said. “We want to have our doors open, whoever our neighbors happen to be.”
For her, the annual Black History Month Mass is a source of pride and a blessing. “Every year it gets better and better,” she said. “You don’t want to miss it.”
To learn more about the African American, African, and Caribbean Apostolate of the Archdiocese of Newark, visit their WEBSITE.
You can view more photos of the 2026 Black History Month Mass by clicking HERE.
Watch video highlights of the Mass below:
Featured image: Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin, C.Ss.R., Archbishop of Newark, and Archbishop Charles G. Palmer-Buckle of the Archdiocese of Cape Coast, Ghana, greet one another at the Black History Month Mass, celebrated at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark, NJ on Feb. 15, 2026. (Photo by Julio Eduardo Herrera / Archdiocese of Newark)
