To maintain an ongoing relationship with the Office of Religious Education in its efforts to educate Black Catholics. A Mass of Thanksgiving is held at St. John the Evangelist Cathedral in Lafayette. During the evening, MLK Awards are presented to lay leaders who are selected by their church parishes for outstanding community services. The Congress, always held the Tuesday before Thanksgiving, includes a Mass of Thanksgiving, prayer, song, dance and cultural celebration. The richness and pride of Black heritage are spot-lighted at this forum.
Participants represent parishes in Diocese from across Louisiana, Mississippi, Texas and Arkansas.
They serve as a support group, sharing successes and frustrations. They act as a channel for ideas and projects to be tried and tested by the Office of Black Catholics Ministries. The gospel choir represents the Diocese at different functions and events. The Office will convene a Blue Ribbon panel of lay leadership training consultants to design and conduct seminar in our parish. Emphasis of the seminars will include self awareness, leadership skills, parish renewal, parish planning, parent-teen communication, and evangelization.