Mississippi church a 'dream deferred' for African-American Catholics

CAMDEN, Miss. (CNS) - "It's been almost like a 'dream deferred' for this community," said Trinitarian Father Mike Barth, quoting the words of the poet Langston Hughes.

The growing African-American Catholic community in rural northeast Madison County celebrated its first Easter April 8 in the new Sacred Heart Catholic Church on the site of the old Sacred Heart Mission, which was closed in the 1970s. "I am so happy for the people here," said Father Barth, pastor, at the church's March 25 dedication and consecration by Bishop Joseph N. Latino of Jackson. "They have waited a long, long time for this church." The new 7,000-square-foot brick-and-steel church and family center cost $1.8 million and received funding from the Trinitarians, Catholic Church Extension Society, Black and Native American Missions, the Diocese of Jackson, several foundations, individual donors and Sacred Heart parishioners. Sitting on 110 acres, the new building consists of the church, with seating for more than 200, as well as a multipurpose center/gym, game room, kitchen, youth office, fitness center, meeting and conference room. "I was really hoping that one day we would have a new church," said 87-year-old Margie Robinson, a Catholic since the Trinitarians established Sacred Heart Mission for blacks in the 1940s. "People have been so good to us. I just thank the good Lord I was here to see this dedication today." Robinson was among the parishioners who, after their mission church was closed, were directed to the predominantly white Immaculate Conception Church down the road. Feeling displaced and not always welcome at Immaculate Conception, many in the Sacred Heart community longed for, and worked for, a new church to call home. For many years a depressed economy stunted growth and several years ago a study by the Trinitarians revealed it was no longer feasible to keep the small Sacred Heart Elementary School open. "At that time we committed ourselves to grow the Catholic church community," said Father Barth, noting the number of families with children in the parish. At Easter, 10 new members entered the church. "The time was right for a new church," he said. Larson Conway Sr., 82, another long-time parishioner, said he "had no idea this would ever happen." "We are really proud of our community here," he said, with everybody cooperating and pitching in together to make this happen. It feels good to be a part of the old church and the new church." Two weeks before the dedication, the parishioners, with a police escort, processed the quarter-mile from the now closed Immaculate Conception Church to the new church. "It was like a pilgrimage," said parishioner Margaret White. "It reminded me of Moses leading his people in the desert, telling them to be grateful for what God was doing for them. God is good. This is a new beginning for us and we have to keep it going." A huge savings for the new church came from the now-closed Trinitarian seminary in Lynchburg, Va., which donated three stained-glass windows, the blue stone altar, metal grating and a steel baldacchino, or canopy, which was placed over the octagonal baptismal pool. During his homily, Bishop Latino congratulated the community on their "beautiful new church." "But as magnificent as this structure is, it must have a vibrant, faith-filled community to give it life, meaning and purpose," he said. "Without that, this building will become nothing more than an architectural monument, a sterile museum."

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This story was made available to Catholic Online by permission of the Mississippi Catholic (www.mississippicatholic.com), official newspaper of the Diocese of Jackson, Miss.