Bishop John Dolan returned Tuesday from his 12-day trip to Africa as a member of the USCCB subcommittee on the “Church in Africa.” Bishop Dolan made visits to Ethiopia, Uganda and Kenya to review programs supported by the USCCB, his first-ever trip to Africa. He was joined by Fritz Zuger, a consultant to the subcommittee, on their three nations visit in Africa.

Just as the Jewish people wandered in the desert for 40 years, so had the Black Catholic community of the Diocese of Phoenix before then Bishop Thomas J. Olmsted formally erected St. Josephine Mission Parish in June of last year. One year later, the community celebrated its Founders Day — the Solemnity of the Founding of a Parish on June 11.

Recognizing she lived the Christian virtues in a heroic way, Pope Francis has declared venerable Mother Mary Elizabeth Lange, founder of the first Catholic order of African American nuns. The pope signed the decree recognizing her heroic virtues June 22. A miracle attributed to her intercession is still necessary before she can be beatified.

St. Josephine Bakhita Mission Parish, a new community established to serve Black Catholics in the Catholic Diocese of Phoenix last summer, will host this year’s annual Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., Memorial Mass at 4 p.m., Saturday, Jan. 14.

Of the 106 historically black colleges in the United States, only one is Roman Catholic - Xavier University of Louisiana. But Xavier is also the only Catholic college, of the United States' 251 Catholic colleges, to have been founded by an American-born saint.

Black Catholics across the globe have dedicated their talents and their lives to their faith since earliest days of the Church, a Catholic author and scholar has said.

Editor's Note: This article was originally published by National Catholic Welfare Conference News Service on Sept. 19, 1964. VATICAN CITY (NC) — “I am a friend of the Negro people,” Pope Paul VI declared at a private audience granted to U.S. Negro leader, the Rev. Martin Luther King, Jr. The civil rights leader and the Pope met for 12 minutes (Sept. 18).