Media Advisory: Archdiocese to launch new initiative to honor those enslaved by the Catholic Church
| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 12, 2025 |
CONTACT: Georgina Wilkinson 301-221-6226, [email protected] |
Archdiocese to launch new initiative to honor those enslaved by the Catholic Church
Hyattsville, Maryland — The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington invites the public and the media to a Pilgrimage of Remembrance to celebrate Black Catholic History Month. This event marks the launch of the Archdiocese’s new initiative, “Honoring Those Who Were Enslaved: Do Justice, Love Goodness, and Walk Humbly,” which seeks to recognize and honor the lives of the enslaved men, women, and children whose labor and faith shaped the Church in Maryland.
Saturday, November 15, 2025
Sacred Heart Catholic Church and Cemetery
16501 Annapolis Rd., Bowie, Maryland 20715
2:00 p.m. Sacred Heart Cemetery Walk
3:00 p.m. Circle of Remembrance
4:00 p.m. Praise & Worship
4:30 p.m. Vigil Mass
The pilgrimage begins at 2:00 p.m. with a Cemetery Walk to remember the enslaved laid to rest at Sacred Heart Cemetery, followed by a Circle of Remembrance at 3:00 p.m. to learn about Archdiocesan Initiative, learn more about our history, and to listen to the voices of descendants of slavery, whose ancestors are buried in the sacred grounds. Praise and worship will start at 4:00 p.m., and a Mass celebrated by Most Rev. Roy E. Campbell, Jr., Auxiliary Bishop of Washington, will follow at 4:30 p.m.
This initiative seeks to do justice and honor those enslaved by the Church in Maryland and to acknowledge the truth of our history with reverence and humility. It includes pastoral initiatives such as working directly with the descendant community, outreach to parishes and schools, dissemination of resources for various communities within the Archdiocese, creating a physical commemoration space or monument, and providing access to historical and sacramental records.
Please contact Wendi Williams in the Office of Cultural Diversity and Outreach at [email protected] for additional information about Black Catholic History Month resources and information.
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The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Washington is home to more than 655,000 Catholics, 140 parishes and 90 Catholic schools, located in Washington, D.C., and five Maryland counties: Calvert, Charles, Montgomery, Prince George’s and St. Mary’s.