National Black Catholic Congress

320 Cathedral Street Baltimore, Maryland 21201 410-547-5330 Fax: 410752-3958

July 7

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
FOR MORE INFORMATION CONTACT: John Gaither at (410) 624-3600 Fax (410) 945-0157

CARDINAL ARINZE TO ADDRESS BLACK CATHOLICS IN
BALTIMORE FOR CONGRESS VIII

When the National Black Catholic Congress convenes for its Eighth National Congress in Baltimore from August 28th to 31 st, 1997, they will be blessed by the presence of Cardinal Francis Arinze. The world renowned leader will address the Congress Friday, August 29th.

Cardinal Arinze. President of the Pontifical Council and head of the Joint Liaison Committee between the Holy See and certain Islamic organizations, including the World Muslim League, the Organizations of the Islamic Conference and the World Muslim Conference, was born and raised in Nigeria. He was ordained in 1958 and elevated to the position of Bishop in 1965. In 1967 he was appointed Archbishop of Onitsha. Nigeria. In 1985 Pope John Paul II named him a member of the College of Cardinals and appointed him President of the Pontifical College for Interreligious Dialogue. Since his appointment he has worked tirelessly to improve relations between Muslims and Christians and to promote religious freedom among all people.

His attendance at Congress VIII, a historic event in its own right, will be history in the making. Cardinal Arinze's presence will be a sign to African-American Catholics, and the African-American community as a whole, that not only is the Catholic Church alive and well as we approach the 21st Century; but, that the Catholic Church is a church, a family, made up of people of all races, colors, educational and economic backgrounds. All of us are important, all of us matter and all of us are one! And most importantly, all of us all called to evangelize!

Cardinal Arinze will be joined by Sister Mary Roger Thibodeaux, Executive Director of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament (SBS) Center for Evangelization, and native Baltimorean Brian K. Johnson, Director of Region X for Catholic Youth Ministries, as Keynote speakers in an effort to bring to life the mission, purpose and importance of Evangelization to the attendees. For the majority of the century, evangelization within the Catholic community has been passive at best. The approximately three thousand registrants, youth and adults, clergy, religious men and women, and laity who will attend Congress VIII are committed to fulfilling their baptismal calling and Christian duty. What changes the turn of the century will bring to the African-American community, the Catholic church, and the world at large is uncertain, and can only create much speculation. What is certain is that Congress VIII will prove to be an exciting event which will have a tremendous impact on the African-American Catholic population in the United States, the churches which serve them and quite possibly, the entire world and history as we now know it!