Dr. White: Our parish is very active in social justice and
working with other faith communities on issues that impact the
community. We have a food pantry, community garden and provide
spiritual events for the community such as our monthly peace
prayer for justice. Furthermore our parish is very diverse both
generationally and ethnically and has a very active lay
ministerial presence. When I came to this parish over 15 years
ago, I was impressed with the welcoming nature of the parish as
well as the socially conscious nature of the community that is
rooted in their faith as Roman Catholics.
Gordon: What are your primary responsibilities as
Assistant
Professor of Spirituality and Ministry and Director of the
Master of Arts in Pastoral Studies and Master of Arts in
Specialized Ministries at
Catholic Theological Union
(CTU)?
Dr. White: I regard myself as a practical theologian and
minister. My focus is on the practical applications of the
spiritual life and how spirituality impacts and transforms the
individual and community. My primary responsibilities are as a
professor of Spirituality (I teach three courses per year at CTU)
as well as direct the 5 Master Degree Programs in Specialized
Ministries (Liturgical Ministry, Spiritual Ministry, Hispanic
Theology and Ministry, Intercultural Ministry and Biblical
Ministry) which are 26 credit hour programs as well as direct
the Master of Arts in Pastoral Ministry which is a 48 credit
hour program. We are a global school, where the classroom
reflects the diverse nature of our world. At the same time,
most of our students are preparing for ministry in the Catholic
Church, where the majority are lay persons. (Students preparing
for priesthood are in the Master of Divinity Degree Program.) I
see my role as guiding and journeying with the student as he/she
discovers how God is calling them to ministry in the Church. It
is an amazing journey!!
Dr. White: The Augustus Tolton Program which began in 1990, was
named h was named after
Fr. Augustus Tolton
(the first recognized black priest in the United States) I
have had the opportunity to journey with over 25 Black Catholic
Lay men and women who have graduated with Masters programs in
Ministry and Theology and are now ministering in the Archdiocese
of Chicago and beyond. Currently we have 6 students who are
pursuing their graduate degrees. Our scholars serve as pastoral
associates, campus ministers, high school religion teachers,
youth ministers, prison ministers/advocates for justice,
chaplains and directors of religious education. Many have gone
on to pursue doctoral degrees in theology and ministry and now
teach in colleges and institutes of pastoral ministry.
Gordon: What is the current status on the anticipated
canonization of Father Augustus Tolton?
Dr. White: The documents for the canonization cause are
currently in Rome before the Congregation for the Causes of
Saints. It is here that the documents will be translated to
Latin to be reviewed by the congregation and the Pope. The
postulator for the cause in the United States,
Bishop Joseph N. Perry (Auxiliary Bishop and Episcopal Vicar
of Vicariate VI, Archdiocese of Chicago) remains in
communication with Rome regarding the cause. As a member of the
Tolton Guild (that promotes the monetary and spiritual
endeavors for the cause), I work with Bishop Perry in
coordinating our annual pilgrimages to the birth, pastoral and
burial site for Fr. Augustus Tolton.
Gordon: You are also member of the
faculty for Xavier University’s summer Institute for Black
Catholic Studies in New Orleans What subjects do you teach?
Dr.
White: The Institute for Black
Catholic Studies at Xavier University of Louisiana is the
only immersion program of its kind in the United States, whose
purpose is to prepare ministers to work in the Black Catholic
Community in the United States. I have been enriched as both a
former student and graduate of the program and now as a member
of the faculty. I teach the Black Spirituality in the Master’s
Degree Program, as well as courses on Spirituality and Health in
the Continuing Education program and coordinate the Elder’s
Retreat (a one week experience for participants 55 years and
beyond). I also direct the Certificate in Black Theology and
Ministry which is a collaboration of IBCS and Catholic
Theological Union.
Gordon: What are
the primary challenges to the spiritual and pastoral life of
African Americans?
Dr. White: One of the primary challenges for the spiritual and
pastoral life of African Americans is the disconnect from our
spiritual rootedness and history. In the busyness of our lives
and in the mobility that now faces so many people in the United
States, there is not the time for the sharing and reaffirming of
our history in the forms of storytelling, witness, testimony and
faith sharing. Also the nature of the American culture is one
of individualism and the nature of African culture is one of
being community/person focused. The individual nature of our
American culture can make one feel isolated and disconnected
from a community. Our African American past was one of an
affirmation of community in which the person was affirmed,
supported and challenged to be their best. We learned our
history and this education helped African Americans to cope with
their daily challenges. As we have become disconnected and too
busy to share our stories, our community no longer has the
spiritual and cultural resources that are needed to cope with
the current challenges. We must return to those practices and
ways of being that made us stronger and able to survive.
Dr. White: Very few of our bishops have written about racism and
the Church’s response. I refer you to Fr. Bryan Massingales’
book “Racial Justice and the Catholic Church” (Orbis Books) and
so I admire the bishops who have taken the stand to write
pastorally about this topic. Our Church must respond to the
signs of the times and the violence that has been evident within
and upon the Black community needs the prophetic voice of our
church leadership.
Gordon: What can each of us do to help reduce
gun violence?
Dr. White: One thing we must do is to educate ourselves
regarding the proliferation of guns in our society, specifically
assault weapons. We also must begin to work as a community to
provide other ways of coping with the causes of increase in gun
violence in our society. A spiritual renewal as well as a social
renewal is needed.
Dr. White: I coedited this book with Dr. Cecilia Moore and Fr.
Paul Marshall, SM because at the time, there was not a prayer
book that affirmed the spiritual reality and history of African
American Catholics. As Pope St. John Paul II stated to the
African American community in 1987, “share your gift of
blackness.” This book was the black community’s gift to the
spiritual life of the church.
Gordon: We appreciate your taking time for this interview, and
thought that the best way to close this interview is featuring
your video Joy of
the Gospel: Reflections from CTU Faculty
Joy of the Gospel: Reflections from CTU Faculty. C. Vanessa White.
