African-American Eastern Catholics

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SiempreFiel

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What is the presence of African-American Eastern Catholics?

Are there any African-American Eastern Catholic bishops or priests?

Do you personally know any African-American Eastern Catholics?
 
I saw a black guy at D.L. week before last, but he had a white wife, so, I’d guess it’s pretty rare except then again there is an Ethiopian Catholic church, I am pretty sure a lot of them may very well be black 😛
There aren’t that many African-American Catholics anyway, as the majority of blacks in this country are protestant, just due to history, I’d imagine…then there are probably more around the Louisiana area, since the French were the ones that took that over first, right?

oh, but I don’t know any personally. Ha ha, then again, I don’t really know any eastern catholics personally either! The only person I have talked much with at the eastern catholic parish I’ve recently been attending is the priest! 😛
 
I’ve known several black Orthodox, including clergy and even nuns, but I’ve never met any black Eastern Catholics.
 
We have two black families that come to our parish and a Carmelite sister who does as well…

I don’t know if it is a coincidence or if there is a correlation, but all of them have roots in the Carribean and were Latin Catholics who found our liturgy appealing. Ethiopian Catholics have been known to join the Melkite parish from time to time as well.

We get several Korean families and a uni professor from Spain and his wife who were in the states for an academic year used to join us every Sunday when they lived here.

I read a quote sometime back that Abp Sheen had once said that the Byzantine Church would seem to be a perfect match to African Americans given their tradition of choral signing. I recently thought of that when a clip on youtube of a gospel choir singing Hospodi Pomiluj With Soul! appeared.
 
There are Ethiopian Catholics in America. There are a couple of parishes, if I’m not mistaken. One is in D.C.

Also, Coptic Catholics in America would be technically African-American Eastern Catholics, though they wouldn’t fit what most Americans assume is meant by “African,” since they are from Saharan Africa.
 
Thanks to all those who have participated.

What I really want to know is if there are African-Americans with American last names that are Eastern Catholics. Any priests? bishops?
 
SiempreFiel said:
Thanks to all those who have participated.

What I really want to know is if there are African-Americans with American last names that are Eastern Catholics. Any priests? bishops?
Click to expand...
What is an American last name?
 
mgy100 said:
What is an American last name?
Click to expand...
I knew someone was going to ask. 😃

By American last names, I mean last names like:

Perry, Jones, Anderson, etc.

I know that technically they are European last names, but you know what I mean.
 
michael-bishop.org/

One of my best friends, Deacon Michael Bishop is well known among the Orthodox hierarchy around the East Coast and certain Catholics too. This man does so much to help the world it boggles my mind. He regretted dearly that he could not serve with the Ukrainian Catholic Church while visiting its seminary this summer. He was formerly Ukrainian Catholic in the 60’s, due to an annulment difficulty he became Orthodox because he was in the air force and did not have time to wait to fight for an annulment process. Orthodoxy granted him a divorce, he has never remarried and never will. Michael has a good relationship with many Latin and Eastern Catholics, such as Jack Figel and Fr Paschal Morlino and has been a key to success with some ecumenical endeavors.
 
holytransfiguration.org/

I know of 2 African American Eastern Catholics who became Melkites at my parish. They are sub-saharan and probably have some slavery heritage in their ancesty. One is named Edmund. They are fine people. I also know of one person fitting this decription at my local Antiochian mission.

For every 10 “sub-saharan non-ethiopian african americans” converting to the western catholic church there is probably 1 converting to an Eastern Church, usually Orthodox as they are more obvious, but occasionally East Cath.
 
michael-bishop.org/

One of my best friends, Deacon Michael Bishop is well known among the Orthodox hierarchy around the East Coast and certain Catholics too. This man does so much to help the world it boggles my mind. He regretted dearly that he could not serve with the Ukrainian Catholic Church while visiting its seminary this summer. He was formerly Ukrainian Catholic in the 60’s, due to an annulment difficulty he became Orthodox because he was in the air force and did not have time to wait to fight for an annulment process. Orthodoxy granted him a divorce, he has never remarried and never will. Michael has a good relationship with many Latin and Eastern Catholics and has been a key to success with some ecumenical endeavors.
 
mgy100 said:
What is an American last name?
Click to expand...
…gotta be quicker on the draw, I was gonna snap back, "you mean like ‘with wolves’, or ‘of bear’, or ‘like eagle’, but perhaps it’s to late to be funny…nahhh…😛
 
peso73 said:
…gotta be quicker on the draw, I was gonna snap back, "you mean like ‘with wolves’, or ‘of bear’, or ‘like eagle’, but perhaps it’s to late to be funny…nahhh…😛
Click to expand...
😃

“Loud Thunder”
“jumps from high places”
one who yawns"

😃
 
If we are talking about organized parishes in the U.S., the Ethiopian Eastern Catholics (which includes Eritrean Eastern Catholics) do not have one thus far.

The Coptic Catholics, on the other hand, have one in Los Angeles under the Latin Archdiocese and one under the Latin Diocese of Brooklyn, NY. Their respective contact info:

ojp.la-archdiocese.org/parishes/parishinfo.asp?533

and

Resurrection Coptic Chapel
328 14th St
Brooklyn NY 11215-5010
Tel: 718-499-6946

Fr. Roberson of CNEWA lists 3 Coptic Catholic parishes in the U.S. but I have not found the third.
 
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