Campus Ministry Celebrates Black History Month Mass

On Sunday, February 9, Fr. Michael Davison, S.J. celebrated a Mass commemorating Black History Month in the Church of St. Ignatius of Loyola.

The 8:00 P.M. event was the only evening Mass offered on campus that Sunday through Boston College Campus Ministry. The weekly 5:00 P.M., 8:00 P.M., and 10:15 P.M. Masses were all cancelled to encourage attendance for the occasion, the first time Campus Ministry has adjusted the Mass schedule in recognition of Black History Month.

Before the Mass, layperson Stencia Bastien (CSOM ‘23) gave an address putting the ceremony in the context of Black History Month and putting a particular focus on the black history of the Church. She noted the influence of St. Augustine of Hippo and the African popes, the devotion to black candidates for sainthood such as Venerable Pierre Toussaint, and the character of secular black figures like Harriet Tubman. This address is unique for Campus Ministries’ Masses, where addresses by lay persons are generally reserved for announcements about parish events. Several of the figures Bastien mentioned, including the Venerable Pierre Toussaint, were pictured before the altar and were mentioned by Father Davison in his homily.

“We are called like every single human being on this altar,” Fr. Davison said, turning from the crowd to face the photographs on the altar. “We are called to be brothers and sisters. We are called to be salt and light. The Gospel says that if the salt has no taste: trample it.” Father Davison referenced Matthew 5:13 throughout his homily, celebrating the dignity and divine calling people of color share with all humanity. “Even though Jesus invites us to be salt and light, people of color sometimes don’t see it. People of color sometimes have to prove over and over that they are worthwhile, that they are blessed and that they are good just like everybody else. But John Lennon said, ‘Imagine!’ Imagine what this world could be! ‘I’m a dreamer!’ I believe this world can be better if you and I say to each other, ‘We are going to put away what divides us.’ ”

Fr. Davison had recited John Lennon’s song “Imagine” at the beginning of his homily. He returned to the song again at the end of his homily, this time performing it with instrumental accompaniment from the Liturgical Arts Group (LAG). According to the director of LAG, Meyer Chambers, the decision to combine the homily with musical accompaniment was Father Davison’s idea. Chambers led LAG in singing the Mass, wherein the group performed an African-American spiritual during the Preparation of Gifts, and closed the Mass with the hymn “We Are Marching (Siyahamba)” using both the English and the original Zulu lyrics. 

“The beauty of the Church is that it’s so big, and we have so many beautiful traditions,” Chambers said when describing the importance of the Black History Mass. “We have this diversity, whether Irish, Italian, Nigerian, or Mexican.”

Following the homily, three speakers from Campus Ministry read two prayer intentions in an African or African Diasporic language, after which the intention was repeated in English and the congregation was prompted to respond. According to Campus Minister Billy Kavula, the languages spoken were the Twi language of Ghana, the Shona language of Zimbabwe, and Haitian Creole.

The community prayed for the prophetic voice of the Church to be heard, for racial diversity to be celebrated in the United States, for indifference to suffering to end on Boston College’s campus, for decisive political action to be taken to eradicate racism, for a just future to come for victims of racial discrimination and, in Fr. Davison’s words, “For all to walk together in the spirit of love and charity through Christ.”