All our works: parishes, hospitals, universities, novena and mission bands could be asked what we have done or failed to do historically in these works to alleviate racism and promote our Apostolate with Blacks. It is only when we see the connection in our heart and in our Vincentian spirit that we realize it is not just a confrere or two who has an Apostolate with Blacks, but each Vincentian is called by our charism to reach out and be connected in all our ministries to our Apostolate with Blacks. If we do such soul searching we will no doubt cry out:

Stoney the road we trod!
Bitter the chast’ning rod!

Vincentian Father Sy Peterka has dedicated a large portion of his life accompanying the Black Catholic Community in the United States of America. With the dawning of the #BlackLivesMatter movement, his Vincentiana article provides a rich background to why this issue has a particular claim on the confreres of Congregation of the Mission in the United States.

If you want to understand a bit more about the struggle for racial justice in the United States and the history of the American Vincentian Fathers and brothers in this struggle, take the time to read Peterka’s article.

If you want to know more about the #BlackLivesMatter movement, read their “Vision for Black Lives”

Read about contemporary Vincentian efforts.