The first New York Black Catholic Congress is scheduled for Saturday, November 22, at Blessed Sacrament Church in New Rochelle, with the theme “Write the Vision and Make It Plain.”

The gathering will run from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Blessed Sacrament Church is located at 15 Shea Place, New Rochelle. Organizers include the Cultural Diversity Apostolate of the Archdiocese of New York. The event will also encourage the faithful to “Unite, Celebrate. Lead.”

Father Bryan Massingale, a renowned speaker and professor at Fordham University, will deliver the keynote address. Father Massingale also serves as weekend associate at St. Charles Borromeo Church in Harlem.

Organizers, in announcement material, said the event brings together Black Catholics from across the Archdiocese of New York “to celebrate faith, culture, and community.” They invite the faithful to join them for inspiring speakers, workshops, and fellowship “as we strengthen our faith, promote justice, and grow as leaders in our Church.”

“Throughout the day, participants will engage in prayer, workshops, and conversations designed to inspire leadership and strengthen discipleship,” Father Kareem Smith, pastor of Blessed Sacrament, told The Good Newsroom. “Each person will be encouraged to develop a personal pastoral plan — a concrete way to carry what they’ve experienced back to their parishes, ministries, and families. This ensures that the Congress isn’t just a single event, but the beginning of an ongoing movement of renewal and engagement.”

Father Smith added, “This gathering is, at its heart, a sign of hope. It reminds us that the gifts and voices of Black Catholics are vital to the life of the Church. By coming together to listen, to learn, and to plan, we affirm that we are a people of faith with a future – committed to building a more vibrant, inclusive, and evangelizing Church for generations to come.”

Father Smith is also president of the National Black Catholic Clergy Caucus (NBCCC) and a board member of the National Black Catholic Congress (NBCC). He serves on the board of directors for Iona Preparatory School, and for Cardinal Spellman High School.

The theme “Write the Vision and Make It Plain” is from the Book of Habakkuk 2:2 in the Old Testament. It is a command from God to Habakkuk to record a vision clearly so that it can be easily understood and spread quickly. The verse emphasizes the importance of the righteous living by faith in God’s timing and justice. The congress will look at connecting the prophetic call of Habakkuk with the Black Catholic commitment to unity, witness and leadership – with talks, reflections and prayer.

The event’s Opening Mass is set for 9:30 a.m., to be celebrated by Father Gregory Chisholm, S.J., Superior, Jesuit Community. Faith-filled songs will be coordinated by BrVon Neal, director of music at St. Charles Borromeo. The event co-sponsors include Catholic Charities New York, the Diocese of Brooklyn, and SOMOS Community Care. The congress is also made possible in part by a grant from the Archdiocese of New York’s Sharing God’s Gifts Pastoral Grants Program.

Workshop topics will include: Vision Keepers – Pastoral Leadership and Parish Life; Go Tell It – Evangelization and Missionary Discipleship; Making Justice Plain – Social Justice and Community Engagement; and Write It on Their Hearts – Youth and Young Adult Ministry.

A closing prayer service will feature a Litany of Thanksgiving for Lay Leaders, with a blessing and sending forth.

For more information, email CDA@archny.org.

To register, go to tinyurl.com/NYBCC2025

For more information on Blessed Sacrament Church, visit blessedsacramentnr.com.