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| A poster announcing the event |
The Most Reverend Evelio Menjivar-Ayala, Auxiliary
Bishop of the Archdiocese of Washington; Rev. Robert Boxie III, Bishop-elect of
the Archdiocese of Washington; His Grace Archbishop Emeritus Seraphin Rouamba
of the Archdiocese of Koupéla in Burkina Faso; Father Angel Gabriel Fermín, the
Pastor of Our Lady of Sorrows; and many guest priests presided over the
celebration of Saints of Africa-2026 held at the Our Lady of Sorrows, Takoma
MD.
The Celebration of the Saints of Africa was held on
Saturday, June 6 at 4:00 p.m. ET. The theme for this year was “United
in Christ, We Walk in the Light of God” Hebrews 10:23”. This Mass
celebration was organized by the African
Catholic Association (ACA) with the support of The Roman Catholic
Archdiocese of Washington. Our
Lady of Sorrows is located at 1006 Larch Ave, Takoma Park, MD 20912.
Many others were part of organizing this event key
of whom are: Rev. Fr. Ebuka Mbanude at mbanudee@adw.org;
Deogratias Miti Kawunde at 240-605-7987 or acadmvinfo@gmail.com;
Colette Tumenta at 240-302-0975 or yayatumenta@yahoo.com;
and Alex Danco at 571-337-9797 or lexidan6771@aol.com.
Africa Catholic diaspora in America revitalize
reverence to God through social and cultural liturgy. Our public display of
hope, love and faith continue to make us witnesses and
missionaries. We are promised eternity by a loving God. We are catalysts
of the Lord's prayer most especially as co-creators acknowledging "thy
kingdom come" and our vulnerability wrapped in garbs of
humility together opening ways for "thy will be
done."
We serve God out of gratitude through many ways. One
of this is to set time aside to participate in activities that revere God and
increase joyfulness amongst us. It can be every day acts of life or liturgical
pursuance. The acts resonate with Saint Francis of Assisi's exhortation to
"preach the Gospel and if necessary use words." We build
and maintain means to be participants in the Sacraments for example, the Holy
Eucharistic, Penance, Baptism, Confirmation, Holy oils, Matrimony, Holy Orders,
Anointing of the sick and Confession. In participating in the Sacraments we
publicly show our hope, love and faith. The African Diaspora in America
converts these virtues through individual spheres of influence.
The Ghanaian Catholic community in America bore
witness of Christ on this day during the celebration of Saints of Africa. They
co-hosted a memorable event which is now part of a collective memory and
narrations about God. It was also a day for the Africa diaspora in America to
showcase how social cultural events will be part of the activities maintaining
humans on a path to God.
I enjoyed. The Mass was a triumphal magnet where all
who met at Our Lady of Sorrows Church in Takoma MD, partook in adoration and
Divine presence dancing like flames that warmed our hearts individually. A
child repeated a chorus from one of the hymns after its last note had long
ceased. A parent quietened the child. Three adolescents bobbed their heads to
the beat of a hymn. An elderly usher nodded in assent to key messages during
the Homily. I was among many somewhere in the last pews. I felt a peace that
soothingly fed my body and soul.
After Mass, we were invited to a reception
where I had the chance to talk to many people some from South Sudan, Zimbabwe,
Uganda, Nigeria, Mexico, Philippines, and Ethiopia to name but a few countries
represented. The room filled not only with happy people but perceptible
vibrancy, joy and a sense of accomplishment. This was yet another event that
informs many about the gifts and promises of God in our midst. I volunteered to
ferry chairs. We were served delicious West African dishes. I saw the many
people from Africa and other parts of the world seeing each other and
communicating among themselves in those universal expressions such as whispers or
shouts of joy and excitement. We were entertained through poetry recitals, open
mike presentations and music. I danced.
I asked two colleagues to, kindly, give me a lift up to Takoma Metro Station where I would catch a train (Metro) to return to my place 3 miles away.
While on the Metro my mind was playing the events back and forth.
Africans adore God
with reverence and joyfulness at the same time. So, one can imagine giving joy
while getting it at the same time. It is therapeutic as much as it is like
taking small sips from a cup of spirituality that center God in our quest for a
fuller exemplary life. Participating in social and cultural events that elevate
the presence of God remind me of a bumper sticker wording "You are what
you eat."
Africa Diaspora Catholics fuse faith and civic activities into navigational tools.
They have turned their social and cultural events into
enduring reverent extensions through which they can continue to enhance the
beauty and experience of the kingdom of God in America. Each and every one of
us has a role to play as a bricklayer and builder of God's kingdom. All of us
are beneficiaries of the promise of God's eternity. Let us act as if it matters
to us quire markedly.
