Since today is Martin Luther King Day, I thought it might be worthwhile to point out the diversity that exists among the saints of the Catholic Church. Most of the time I think when a person hears the words "Catholic saint" the image of a white European guy comes to mind. But, Africans and African-Americans have also made a significant contribution to the life of the Church. This statement seems so obvious to me that it feels trite to even point it out. But, in the US there is a stereotype that Catholicism is only "for white people", and I want to put that to rest.

According to the National Black Catholic Congress, "270 million Catholics of African descent represent almost 25% of the one billion Roman Catholics throughout the world in more than 59 countries" (source). Almost 3 million of these live in the United States (source).

There are also many African and African-American saints. Here are just a few:

• 22 Martyrs of Uganda
• St. Anthony the Great of Thebes
• St. Antonio Vieira
• St. Athanasius of Alexandria ("the black dwarf")
• St. Augustine
• St. Benedict the Moor
• Sts. Felicitas and Perpetua
• St. Martin de Porres
• St. Monica
• St. Moses the Black
• St. Victoria
• St. Josephine Bakhita

You may be surprised to find that at least three popes were of African descent:

• Pope St. Victor I (189-199)
• Pope St. Miltiades (311-314)
• Pope St. Gelasius I (492-496)

For a list of current and deceased African-American and Black bishops, go here. Wikipedia's List of African-American Firsts is a great tribute as well. For more on Blacks in the Catholic Church, see The National Black Catholic Congress and the USCCB Subcommittee on African American Affairs.

Pax Christi,
phatcatholic