PROVIDENCE — Members of the black Catholic community and their guests gathered Sunday at the Providence Marriott Hotel for the annual St. Martin de Porres Luncheon to celebrate their strong faith and honor several community leaders for their advocacy and service to the church.
Themed “Evangelizing Through Service and Love,” the event included songs performed by the Holy Name of Jesus Gospel Choir, a dance presentation by Signs of Prophecy and an inspirational skit entitled “Set Me Free” staged by the Kujenja/Viongozi Youth Players that illustrated Christ’s redemption of a disillusioned young man beset by evil.
In his keynote address, Father Andrew McNair, chaplain, Office of Black Catholic Ministry and assistant pastor, Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church, asked those gathered to pray for more vocations from the black community.
“… I believe the reason why we have so few black priests in our diocese is because we as a community of black men and women have not articulated well to our young people the gift of the priesthood,” Father McNair said. “We encourage our young people to be doctors, lawyers, scientists, entertainers and so on. But how often my brothers and sisters do we encourage our young men to follow Jesus Christ in the priesthood? I hear so many times from our people, ‘Well if so and so has a vocation, it will happen.’ I’m sorry but that’s not true. If we do not plant the seed of the priestly vocation, it will not grow. It’s that simple. We must plant the seed of the priestly vocation in the hearts of our young men.”
Father McNair announced the establishment of the St. Martin de Porres Vocation Action Circle to promote priestly vocations from the black community, to pray for all diocesan seminarians and to promote the activities sponsored by the diocesan Office of Vocations.
One of the highlights of the event was a presentation by Bishop Louis E. Gelineau of the Special Recognition and Anniversary Celebration Award to Father Jacques-Eddy Chavannes, assistant pastor of St. Michael Church, Providence.
Father Chavannes, a native of Haiti, has served at St. Michael for 12 years.
“I am very happy to receive this award and to continue living the spirit of my silver jubilee with you: 25 years of pastoral service, 25 years of spirituality and humility, 25 years of love and forgiveness, ” he said, speaking in English, French and Spanish. He added that his vocation as a priest is “to help the needy and to help the orphan because Jesus invited us to protect the widow and the orphan.”
“We have to love them and share with them to fulfill perfectly our mission,” Father Chavannes emphasized.
Patty January, coordinator of Black Catholic Ministry, said she was encouraged by the large number of young people who attended the event.
“Our hope is that we will continue to create leadership opportunities for the youth of the black Catholic community and build alliances between our community and all the parishes of the diocese,” she said.
Bishop Robert C. Evans offered the invocation and Father Joseph D. Santos Jr., pastor of Holy Name of Jesus Church, Providence, delivered the closing prayer.
The Office of Black Catholic Ministry has honored the following individuals:
Sister Judy Soares, R.S.M. Community Service Awards
Elaine De Sousa, St. Michael Church, Providence
Maria Rose, Holy Name of Jesus Church, Providence
James O’Connor, Holy Name of Jesus Church, Providence
Patricia Willis, Assumption Church, Providence
N’Koll Onye, Holy Name of Jesus Church, African community, Providence
Mrs. Sharon Simpson and Ms. Phyllis Araujo Scholarship Awards
Rose Aka
Jim Albert
Ashley Belone
Luzelly Frias
Nicholson Jean Gilles
Danisha Johnson
Ryan Rocha
Ariana Varella
Special Recognition Youth Leadership Award
Fallon Jean Gilles Mercedat
Gislen Frias
Jerry Leger
James Raphael
